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Launched in 2018, Raising Canada is an annual series of research reports on the state of the nation’s children. The report tracks the top 10 threats to childhood and highlights emerging threats like technology misuse and cross-cutting themes like access to healthcare and social services, and active youth engagement. For more than a decade, the quality of life of children in Canada has been on the decline. Canada ranks 66th on the global Kids Rights Index, and 30th out of 38 affluent nations for protecting the well-being of children. As a country, we have been going in the wrong direction for far too long.
Raising Canada 2024 highlights that the state of childhood in Canada has reached a breaking point. The research finds that the top 10 threats to childhood are escalating, with children’s quality of life in Canada demonstrably worsening. The data also reveals that equity-deserving children and youth are disproportionately impacted by the top 10 threats – including young First Nations, Métis and Inuit children, people from racialized communities, 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and young people with disabilities.
The report includes an urgent call for policymakers to address and overcome these pressing issues. It also calls on community leaders to recognize the value of youth engagement as a critical element of creating and implementing solutions to complex social issues, and it urges all Canadians to play a role in standing up for kids.
Click here for previous reports.
View the 2022 Raising Canada event below:
Associate Vice-President, Social Impact (Canada), TD Bank
Opening Remarks
President and CEO, The Economic Club of Canada, Founder of The Jr. Economic Club of Canada, CEO & Co-Founder of The Global Institute for Conscious Economics (GICE), and Member of the Council of Champions at Children First Canada
Moderator
Assistant Chief Statistician of the Social, Health and Labour Statistics Field at Statistics Canada
Founder and CEO of Children First Canada
Youth Advisory Council Member, Children First Canada
Director, Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health, CAMH
Health reporter and columnist for The Globe and Mail
Moderator
District Vice President, Calgary Central, TD
Opening Remarks
Senior Vice-President, IG Wealth Management
Director, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Husky Energy Chair in Child and Maternal Health, and Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Pediatric Research
Founder and CEO of Children First Canada
Director of Brand Management, SureCall
Youth Panelist
Yukon Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations
The following Calls to Action are a direct response to the findings in the Raising Canada report. They have been endorsed by Children First Canada’s Council of Champions, and developed with the input of children and youth from the Young Canadians’ Parliament:
Beyond these overarching Calls to Action, the Raising Canada 2024 report includes specific recommendations for policy change and community-based responses to each of the top 10 threats to childhood. These require immediate attention and resources to create meaningful change.
But the responsibility does not rest solely on the shoulders of federal leaders. Every Canadian has a role to play in ensuring a brighter future for our children. Parents, grandparents, teachers, business leaders, faith communities, sports organizations, and even the children themselves—each of us has the power to make a difference. We cannot afford to wait for others to lead the way. We must look within ourselves, imagine a better future for our children, and take concrete steps today to make it possible.
The time to act is now. Our children deserve nothing less.
“Children today are facing unprecedented threats—from rising poverty and mental health crises to violence in their homes and online. Parents are struggling to offer their children a better way of life than they had. Canada’s kids deserve better—a better childhood and a brighter future, and their survival and ability to thrive depend on the choices we make today. We must act with urgency and conviction to turn this around.” Sara Austin, Founder and CEO of Children First Canada.
Children First Canada acknowledges the generous financial support of the following organizations, which helped make the Raising Canada report possible:
Help spread the word about the top 10 threats to childhood and the impacts of COVID-19. Don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered. Check out our infographic and Calls to Action which you can share on social media.
Did you know that almost one in five children lives in poverty? Check out our infographic for more statistics about the top 10 threats facing kids and the impacts of COVID-19.
Children First Canada is launching a drawing contest for children 13 and under across Canada. Selected artwork will win some great prizes and be featured in our upcoming Raising Canada report, due out later this year.
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