Caregiving is one of the most pressing yet overlooked issues affecting older Canadians. This interactive pre-conference brings together caregivers, advocates, researchers, and sector leaders to explore the latest evidence, learn from lived experience, and identify practical advocacy strategies to strengthen supports for senior caregivers across Canada.

Oliver Fitzpatrick, Partnerships and Knowledge Translation Specialist at the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, will give opening remarks and share insights from the 2025 National Caregiving Survey completed by more than 2,600 caregivers and care providers from across Canada. The presentation will demonstrate how closely caregiving and aging advocacy priorities intersect, highlighting the particular pressures experienced by the one in five Canadian caregivers who are seniors.

Next, a panel discussion between a caregiver, leaders from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the CCCE will put that data into context. Where are the disconnects between caregivers’ needs and what the system delivers? What practical opportunities, promising innovations, and overdue policy changes could meaningfully improve caregivers' lives? A question-and-answer period will follow.

The workshop concludes with facilitated small-group discussions using CCCE's advocacy toolkit, enabling participants to identify concrete opportunities for action and build momentum for integrating caregiving into seniors' advocacy across Canada. Participants will have opportunities throughout the session to ask questions, share experiences, and identify advocacy priorities relevant to their own communities.