Economic Survey of Canada 2006: Social polices: from social welfare to social development
This chapter reviews recent changes that have been introduced to improve the welfare mix of social policies in Canada and suggests further adjustments to raise their efficiency. Family policies need to be redesigned to lower the disincentives to work they currently embody, particularly for low-income earners. Social programmes need to shift their focus from short-term intervention to high quality skill-upgrading. Social and economic inclusion of the Aboriginal population and recent immigrants could be accelerated by tailored measures, while programmes for disadvantaged children and at-risk families could be further developed. Access to early education and childcare services could be facilitated for young children and especially, low-income families. As the population ages, making it easier for older workers to remain in the labour force will also be beneficial.