Consultations on Unpaid Caregivers in Canada

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, June 20, 2005  — Social Development Canada is today hosting the fifth in a series of consultation roundtables that are being held across Canada . Key stakeholders and members of caregiving communities from British Columbia and Yukon will take part in today’s consultations in Vancouver , which will focus on unpaid caregiving for seniors and persons with disabilities. 

“The Government of Canada recognizes the vital contributions unpaid caregivers are making to Canadian society. My appointment as Minister of State (Families and Caregivers) provides a new focal point for the Government’s work with respect to families and other unpaid caregivers,” said Minister of State (Families and Caregivers) the Honourable Tony Ianno. “I am committed to sharing ideas with members of the caregiving community to identify the best ways to support our unpaid caregivers.”

More and more Canadian seniors and people with disabilities are receiving unpaid care in their own home, care that is provided by friends, neighbours, or family members. This trend is expected to grow over the next decade with Canada ’s aging and diversifying population.

“This roundtable is the beginning of a long-term collaborative partnership between governments, stakeholders, and individual Canadians,” Minister Ianno added.

Today’s consultations follow an experts’ roundtable in Ottawa, Ontario, on January 10, 2005, and stakeholders’ roundtables in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, on January 28, 2005, in Regina, Saskatchewan, on March 17, 2005, and in Toronto, Ontario, on April 29, 2005. All four roundtables were hosted by Minister Ianno and Social Development Canada. These events brought together caregiving organizations and experts in the field to discuss issues of importance for unpaid caregivers in Canada .

In addition to the consultation roundtables, Social Development Canada recently launched a Consultation Web site (www.sdc.gc.ca), inviting all Canadians to provide information and share perspectives on the country’s social landscape. Visitors to the Consultation Web site will initially be invited to share their stories and work through a series of questions on the issues of “family/unpaid caregiving.” Through it, Social Development Canada hopes to gather Canadians’ views about the challenges and possible solutions to problems people face in their caregiving duties. Issues related to the social well-being of children and families, seniors, persons with disabilities, and communities will be added to the site over the next few months.

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This news release is available in alternative formats, on request. Call 1 800 788-8282 on a Touch-Tone phone or through a teletypewriter (TTY).

For information, please contact:

GeorgeYoung
Office of the Honourable Tony Ianno, P.C., M.P.
Minister of State (Families and Caregivers)
(613) 941-5111

Social Development Canada
Media Relations
(613) 941-1110