Budget 2026 Builds Canada's Future: Children Must Be Part of It

November 5, 2026 – Ottawa, ON - Children's Healthcare Canada and Pediatric Chairs of Canada welcome Budget 2026 and its significant commitments to Indigenous child health. We are also pleased to see a fully refundable Canada Caregiver credit, which supports families and children with complex medical needs.

"There is no Canada Strong without healthy, vibrant children and youth,” said Emily Gruenwoldt, President and CEO of Children's Healthcare Canada and Executive Director of Pediatric Chairs of Canada. “The historical piecemeal approach to funding children’s priorities continues. To meaningfully improve experiences and outcomes of care for Canada’s 8.6 million children and youth, we need a coordinated and comprehensive plan, co-developed in lockstep with provinces and territories.”

Children’s Healthcare Canada acknowledges the following investments articulated in Budget 2026 which support children and families:

• Investment of $6 billion over six years for Jordan’s Principle, and $575 million over five years to renew the Inuit Child First Initiative, supporting its transition to Pirutsiagutiit, providing multi-year stability for First Nations and Inuit children and the teams who care for them;
• Investment of $176.3 million over five years, beginning in 2026-27, and $29.3 million ongoing to establish the Digital Safety and Data Protection Commission of Canada, the regulator that will enforce the Safe Social Media Act (Bill C-34) and its Duty to Protect Children;
• Investment of $7.5 million over three years for Kids Help Phone, supporting the more than 1.2 million children and youth who report mental health struggles;
• A refundable Canada Caregiver credit that extends support to more caregivers and recognizes the critical role they play in communities.

While this budget takes steps towards supporting children and families, particularly in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, it takes a band-aid approach to tackling systemwide challenges and inequities. A coordinated, sustained and accountable strategy, with transparent targets that let Canadians see progress is what is needed to meet the moment. CHC and PCC look forward to working with the Government of Canada on pursuing the system reforms outlined in Start Strong, Developing the Playbook for Healthy, Vibrant Children and Youth.

Why It Matters

Every nation-building project Canada undertakes, from economic productivity to social cohesion, depends on a population who can achieve their best health, best social participation, and best quality of life. Today’s children and youth are Canada’s future workforce and citizens.

Thrive: The Economic Case for Investing in Children's Health, prepared by Deloitte and commissioned by Children's Healthcare Canada and Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations, found that every dollar invested in children’s healthcare generates up to a five-fold return. That return comes from better health outcomes, and lower costs to families and health systems, today and into the future. Investing in children is a sound economic policy that builds a prosperous country.

According to Abacus Data research, most Canadians believe children today are worse off than they were during their own childhood. Canadians imagine a healthy future for their children, and our country has the resources, the expertise, and the moral obligation to build a healthier, more resilient generation of kids. Better is possible.

About Us

Children’s Healthcare Canada is a national association representing organizations that deliver health services to millions of children and youth each year. Its members include all 16 of Canada’s children’s hospitals, community hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, home and respite care agencies, children’s treatment centres, mental health agencies and regional health authorities. CHC works to accelerate excellence and innovation in health systems serving children, youth, and their families across the continuum of care.

Pediatric Chairs of Canada represents the department heads of pediatrics across Canada’s 17 medical schools. PCC provides national leadership to advance pediatric education, research, and workforce planning in support of high-quality care for children and youth.

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Media Contact:
Marjolaine Provost
Director of Public Affairs, Children’s Healthcare Canada
mprovost@childhealthcan.ca | 613-897-2485