Potential social sector impacts from Canadian election promises

Canadians will head to the polls on April 28, in what’s already been a heated federal election. The race has been dominated by the current and potentially rising U.S. tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump, with each party stating how they will manage the financial strains. 

Aside from the tariff talk, there have been plenty of party promises that could significantly impact Canada’s social sector. Below is an overview of the pledges made that could affect changemakers.

Read each of the party’s full plans here: Conservative, Liberal, NDP.

Housing

The Conservatives said they’ll create a 60-day standard that the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation must meet to approve or reject affordable housing financing applications. They also plan to eliminate the sales tax on all new homes under $1.3 million, incentivize municipalities to cut development charges, and work on a “housing first” approach to eliminating homelessness. 

The Liberals said they’ll cut the GST for first-time homebuyers on homes up to $1 million and lower it for homes between $1 and $1.5 million. They promise to double housing construction to 500,000 new homes annually and create a new federal housing body to speed up affordable home builds. Carney also said they’ll link housing developments that receive federal financing with on-site child care and reintroduce a tax incentive for homebuilders to create multi-unit rental buildings. 

The NDP said it’ll build more than 100,000 rent-controlled homes on federal land by 2035 and create a Housing Insecurity Prevention Benefit to help 50,000 vulnerable people find homes. It also plans to replace the expiring Housing Accelerator Fund with a permanent $16 billion national housing strategy, with the goal of building 3 million homes by 2030.

Affordable, stable housing is essential to the wellbeing of all Canadians. For vulnerable people, it provides a foundation for accessing support services, creating stability. A housing shortage has created affordability concerns for many Canadians. For people who experience homelessness and addiction, a lack of housing has been found to have a direct connection, making it important for long-term solutions.

Healthcare

Poilievre promises to maintain current federal programs like dental care, pharmacare, and child care. He said the Tories will add 15,000 doctors by 2030 and provide loans to help new Canadians transfer their out-of-country credentials. His plan also includes funding 1,000 training spots for Autism support workers, and doubling the reach of the Ready, Willing and Able program to help 4,000 Canadians with autism or intellectual disabilities secure and maintain employment, and make the Caregiver Tax Credit refundable.

The Liberals have vowed to significantly reduce wait times for life-saving medications by cutting red tape. They have also promised to establish a Task Force for Public Health Care Innovation to improve the public health care system. Carney’s government also promises to increase medical school spaces and recruit workers outside the country. They plan to provide 100,000 youth mental health care annually through a permanent Youth Mental Health Fund and invest $4 billion to build and renovate community healthcare infrastructure. 

The Liberals, Conservatives and NDP pledge to create a national license for doctors and nurses to work anywhere in Canada. 

The New Democrats would ban privatized “cash-for-care” clinics and block foreign buyouts of Canadian healthcare assets. They are also promising to increase the Canada Health Transfers by one per cent to provinces that commit to addressing the doctor shortage. The party also said it’ll cover counselling for those not insured by work plans, create a tax credit to help boost pay for nurses, and cover diabetes medication and birth control in every province. 

Canada’s healthcare system has faced growing pressures, including long wait times, doctor shortages, and increasing mental health concerns. Changemakers often support people who rely heavily on accessible, high-quality healthcare. A well-equipped healthcare system reduces pressures on social services and creates a more equitable system due to financial barriers. 

Addiction

The Conservatives said they’ll put an end to Safe Supply but would deliver 300,000 naloxone kits during an unclear timeline. The Tories would also allow judges to sentence offenders to mandatory addiction treatment. A  promise to launch a $44 billion lawsuit against “Big Pharma” to pay for treatment and recovery was also made.

Liberal leader Mark Carney has pledged $500 million to the Emergency Treatment Fund to support community health organizations with the overdose crisis.

The NDP said it’ll expand funding for crisis and addiction care to help people access the support they need.

Environment

The Conservatives said they’ll introduce a “one-and-done” resource project approval system, fast-track stalled projects and streamline environmental reviews with provinces. They also promise to eliminate the current carbon taxing model entirely and said they’ll do away with the plastic ban on straws, shopping bags and other single-use plastics. 

The Liberals have scrapped the consumer carbon tax and shifted the responsibility to major polluting corporations. They said they’ll help homeowners with funding towards flood and wildfire protection, create 10 new national parks and launch the Canadian Nature Protection Fund so that every dollar Canadian philanthropists or businesses contribute, will be matched up to $250 million. 

The New Democrats have pledged a national retrofit program to cut emissions and retrofit all Canadian buildings by 2050. The party said they’ll update the National Building Code to include cooling requirements, extend federal rebates for new EV owners, and work to double transit ridership by 2035. They will ban the sale of products containing microparticles in five years. They also promise to create a national wildfire fighting force and pass an Environmental Bill of Rights to establish an Office of Environmental Justice to address the impacts of pollution on racialized communities.

The urgent climate change crisis impacts the health, the economy and especially future generations. From flooding to wildfires, Canadians have experienced the impacts of extreme weather events more rapidly than ever before. 

Tariffs

The conservative plan includes cutting the federal sales tax on Canadian-made vehicles, launching a Keep Canadians Working Fund to protect autoworkers during U.S. tariffs, and implementing a Buy Canada policy to prioritize Canadian companies in federally funded projects. They’ve also promised to support affected businesses with loans and noted that retaliatory tariffs remain on the table.

Carney’s government promises to waive the one-week EI waiting period for those laid off due to U.S. tariffs. The Liberals would remove barriers to interprovincial trade, expand the local economy by $200 billion and prioritize buying Canadian. They’d also create a $2 billion fund to boost Canada’s auto sector. 

The NDP would put tariff revenue into the EI Fund. The party also pledges a “Build Canadian, Buy Canadian” economic plan. 

U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods directly affects jobs, affordability and access to essential items. The tariffs are expected to increase the cost of everything from food to clothing, significantly impacting low-income Canadians.

Affordability

Poilievre plans to reduce the lowest income tax bracket from 15 per cent to 12.75 per cent, potentially saving the average dual-income family $1,800 annually. He also proposes increasing the TFSA contribution limit to $12,000 if Canadians invest in local businesses. 

Carney said his government would move to automatic tax filing beginning with low-income households and seniors to ensure more Canadians can access the benefits they are entitled to. The Liberals also plan to reduce the marginal tax rate on the lowest tax bracket by one per cent by July 1.

The NDP would remove the GST on essential items like phone bills, home heating, groceries, and children’s clothing. They also promise to cap essential grocery items and strengthen the Nutrition North subsidy for remote communities. A grocery code of conduct would also be enforced. Income tax cuts would be implemented for those who direct savings into local businesses.

Rising costs of food, childcare, and housing disproportionately affect low-income Canadians. An affordability plan can help reduce financial pressures and prevent worsening poverty. Easing pressure on social services allows organizations to focus on long-term support instead.

Seniors

The Tories said they’ll keep the retirement age at 65, raise tax-free income limits for working seniors, and allow the Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) withdrawal age to be delayed from 71 to 73.

The Liberals announced they’d reduce the minimum amount that must be withdrawn from a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) by 25 per cent for one year, to protect Canadians’ retirement savings from volatile market conditions.

Under both a Liberal and NDP government, low-income seniors can expect a temporary increase to their Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) by five per cent.

Most seniors are on fixed incomes, making them extremely vulnerable to rising inflation. Older Canadians often rely on public healthcare and community supports every day. As the country’s population ages, the demand for affordable housing, long-term care and health services will increase. Ensuring seniors are supported helps reduce any potential pressure on the social service sector.

Reconciliation 

The Liberals, NDP and Conservatives said they’d adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

The Conservatives would look to advance Indigenous economic opportunities. They’d create an Indigenous Opportunities Corporation to allow Indigenous people to access ownership in major resource projects. They’d also make a tax credit for 50 per cent of payments made by businesses to First Nations for resource and commercial housing. As well as provide support for Indigenous-led housing funds. 

The Liberals said they’ll create a permanent home for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. They also pledge to revitalize Indigenous legal systems.

Both the Liberals and NDP said they’ll support the search for unmarked graves. The NDP committed to fully implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the MMIWG Calls for Justice. Singh’s party plans to create a National Council for Reconciliation, fund community healing programs and ensure clean water for all Canadians.

Building trust between Indigenous communities helps build stronger relationships and more inclusive communities. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action are nearing its tenth anniversary, but not all calls to action have been implemented. Ensuring marginalized people are supported promotes healing and equality.

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