Ontario Caregiver Coalition
The voice of family caregivers
About us
The Ontario Caregiver Coalition is the voice of caregivers in Ontario. We advocate for recognition and support for the family, friends and neighbours whose unpaid care is the hidden backbone of Ontario’s health system.
3.3 million or 29% of Ontarians are unpaid family caregivers. This includes 500,000 young carers between the ages of 15 – 24 years of age providing on average 14-27 hours of care per week.
In Canada, family or unpaid caregiving is worth an estimated $30-40 billion in “free” labour. It is estimated that 70% of home care is provided by Ontario’s family or unpaid caregivers, with nearly 850,000 of them providing more than 10 hours of care per week.
The intensive demands of caregiving can make it difficult to balance work and family demands, and there can be significant out-of-pocket costs associated with caregiving. As a result, many family caregivers experience financial distress. Caregivers also commonly experience impacts on their physical, emotional, mental, and psychological health due to the strain of caregiving.
Our Mission
To improve the lives of caregivers by advocating for fair access to needed support.
An Ontario where caregivers feel valued, respected, recognized and supported.
Our Vision
The Ontario Caregiver Coalition has been working to advocate for caregivers since 2009 and has been incorporated as a not-for-profit organization since 2018.
Our membership includes caregivers, care providers, and health charities across the province.
Past initiatives include our helping to create the St. Elizabeth CareChannel portal for caregivers, collaborating with The Change Foundation on The Caring Experience project, and playing an instrumental role in the recognition of Family Caregiver Day, celebrated annually on the first Tuesday in April.