Calgary, AB – November 21, 2024 – Children First Canada (CFC) welcomes today’s announcement by the Government of Canada proposing a two-month GST holiday on food, children’s clothing, toys, and other
essential items, along with a one-time $250 cash rebate for Canadians earning less than $150,000 in 2023. These measures are a positive step towards alleviating financial pressures on families, particularly
as we approach the holiday season.
However, these measures will require approval by Parliament, and it is essential that all Members of Parliament work together to ensure swift implementation. At a time when children and families are facing unprecedented challenges, cooperation across party lines is critical to putting children first.
This week’s Campaign 2000 report highlighted the stark realities facing Canadian children: child poverty rates have seen their sharpest rise on record, with nearly 1 in 5 children living in poverty and more than one-quarter experiencing food insecurity. Indigenous, Black, and newcomer children are disproportionately impacted, along with children living with disabilities, underscoring the urgent need for targeted, equity-focused solutions.
Similarly, CFC’s recent Raising Canada report outlines critical threats to children’s survival and
development, including poverty, poor mental health, food insecurity, and the worsening impacts of
climate change. It emphasizes three urgent calls to action:
- Developing a national strategy for children and youth to ensure their rights, health, and well-being are prioritized and protected.
- Establishing a children’s budget with targeted investments in affordable housing, universal child
care, and nutrition programs, accompanied by increased accountability for outcomes. - Empowering children and youth as leaders and changemakers by creating meaningful
opportunities for them to shape policies and decisions that affect their lives.
While today’s proposed measures are a positive step, they only scratch the surface of what is needed.
We urge the government and all parliamentarians to build on this foundation by addressing the root causes of child poverty and prioritizing targeted investments in children and their families. This must
include meaningful engagement with children and youth in decisions that affect their lives, such as consulting the Young Canadians’ Parliament to ensure their voices and perspectives are reflected in
policy solutions that shape their futures.
Canada has the resources to make transformative changes that ensure every child can grow up healthy,
safe, and empowered. To achieve this, we need bold, coordinated action and a commitment to systemic
change. Now is the time to put children first.
Media Contact:
Andrea Chrysanthou, APR
achrysanthou@childrenfirstcanada.com
416-797-8194
About Children First Canada:
Children First Canada (CFC) is a national charitable organization with a bold and ambitious vision that
together we can make Canada the best place in the world for kids to grow up. We are a strong, effective
and independent voice for all 8 million children in Canada. CFC is harnessing the strength of many
organizations that are committed to improving the lives of children in Canada, including children’s
charities and hospitals, research centres, government, corporations, community leaders, and children
themselves.