Canada's Next Major Project: The $860 Billion Care Economy

TORONTO, ON – May 19, 2026 – While Canada invests billions in concrete and steel—from highways and ports to energy corridors—a leading business organization warns the country is ignoring the most fundamental infrastructure of all: the human systems that allow Canadians to work.

In a bold proposal released today, the Canadian Women's Chamber of Commerce (CanWCC) is calling on the federal government to treat the nation's care economy as a major nation-building project, on par with any pipeline or power plant. The report argues that Canada's current infrastructure strategy is "dangerously asymmetrical," prioritizing physical assets while neglecting the childcare, elder care, and disability supports that form the bedrock of labour force participation.

The Proposal: A 'Structural Blind Spot'

The CanWCC is urging Ottawa to formally designate a Canadian National Care Economy Strategy under the Major Projects Office (MPO), the same federal body established to fast-track large-scale industrial and resource projects. This move would represent a radical reframing of care—not as "social spending," but as essential economic infrastructure.

"Canada treats pipelines and highways as infrastructure, but not the systems that allow people to go to work, raise children, care for aging parents, or remain healthy enough to participate in the economy," said Nancy Wilson, Founder and CEO of CanWCC, in a statement. "That is a massive structural blind spot in Canada's economic strategy."

The proposal challenges the traditional government accounting that treats investments in physical infrastructure as long-term capital assets while classifying spending on care as short-term operating expenses. "Governments routinely borrow billions for bridges because they recognize long-term economic returns," Wilson noted. "But investments in childcare, home care, mental health, and caregiving are still treated like short-term operating expenses, despite overwhelming evidence that they generate economic growth."

By the Numbers: The Economic Power of Care

The economic case presented by CanWCC is staggering. The report highlights that paid care work already contributes approximately 12% of Canada's GDP, a figure on par with major industrial sectors. Furthermore, the value of unpaid care work—the countless hours spent caring for children and elderly relatives, predominantly by women—is estimated to be worth between $517 billion and $860 billion annually. This unseen economic engine is larger than Canada's manufacturing, wholesale, and retail sectors combined.

The timing of the proposal is critical, as Canada grapples with several converging crises:
* An Aging Population: Statistics Canada projects the number of Canadians aged 85 and over will more than triple by 2075, dramatically increasing the demand for elder care and long-term care services.
* Labour Shortages: The country is facing acute labour shortages, particularly in the care sector itself. Ontario alone is projected to need over 50,000 additional personal support workers and 33,000 nurses by 2032.
* Workforce Participation: A lack of accessible and affordable care options is a major barrier to workforce participation, disproportionately affecting women and hindering overall economic productivity.

The chamber estimates that a major, coordinated investment in the care economy could generate over one million jobs and would partially pay for itself through increased tax revenues and higher labour-force participation.

A Major Project Like No Other

Placing a national care strategy under the purview of the Major Projects Office would be a landmark decision. Established in 2025, the MPO's mandate is to streamline the approval process for "national interest projects," reducing timelines and coordinating federal oversight. To date, its focus has been exclusively on physical infrastructure, including LNG terminals, nuclear power projects, and critical mineral mines.

Designating a social strategy would require a significant conceptual leap. However, the MPO's own criteria for designation include a project's ability to "strengthen Canada's autonomy, resilience, and security" and "provide economic or other benefits to Canada." Proponents argue that a robust care system directly addresses these points by building a more resilient workforce, reducing healthcare pressures, and unlocking significant economic potential.

While novel for the MPO, the idea of treating care as infrastructure is gaining global traction. International bodies like UN Women and the World Bank are increasingly advocating for public investment in care services as a driver of economic growth and gender equality.

Government Action and Global Context

The federal government has already taken steps to address pressures in the care economy. The national $10-a-day childcare program, being rolled out in partnership with provinces and territories, is a cornerstone of this effort. In March 2025, Ottawa also launched a Sectoral Table on the Care Economy to advise on workforce challenges.

However, CanWCC argues these initiatives, while valuable, are not enough. They contend that a fragmented, program-by-program approach fails to match the scale of the challenge. By designating care as a major project, the government would commit to a long-term, coordinated, and properly financed national strategy, similar to how it approaches transportation or energy networks.

There is a powerful domestic precedent for this kind of investment. Studies of Quebec's long-standing subsidized childcare system show that for every dollar invested, provincial and federal governments recoup up to $1.75 in tax revenue, demonstrating a clear and positive return on investment.

The CanWCC's report concludes that Canada's ambitious economic goals—from building more housing to expanding industrial capacity—cannot be achieved without a parallel investment in the human systems that support its workforce. As Wilson stated, "People build economies. Without care infrastructure, the rest of Canada's infrastructure agenda begins to fail."

The organization will be hosting a public online Town Hall on May 28 to discuss the proposal with caregivers, advocates, and community members from across the country.