National Strategy for Children and Youth Act

Summary#

This bill orders the federal government to create a national plan to support children and youth in Canada. The plan must set clear goals, measure progress, and report to the public and Parliament. It aims to eliminate child poverty, raise living standards, and follow children’s rights under UN agreements and Indigenous rights.

• A federal minister will lead the work and consult widely, including children and youth, provinces and cities, Indigenous governing bodies, and service groups.
• The plan must set goals, pick measurable indicators, assess where things stand now, and outline actions to fix gaps.
• It must identify what resources are needed and propose ways for public monitoring, updates, complaints, and parliamentary oversight.
• Progress reports are due every six months until the plan is released.
• The plan must be tabled in Parliament within two years and posted online, with follow-up reviews every five years.

What it means for you#

• Families and caregivers

  • No immediate changes to benefits or services.
  • You may be invited to share your experiences and needs.
  • You will be able to see regular progress reports and, later, a public plan.

• Children and youth

  • The minister must consult young people from diverse backgrounds.
  • The plan must propose a way for you to raise complaints about how the plan is carried out.
  • The goals include ending child poverty and improving your standard of living.

• Indigenous communities

  • The government must consult Indigenous governing bodies and organizations that serve First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children and youth.
  • The plan must respect Indigenous rights, including UNDRIP, and consider:
    • Jordan’s Principle (First Nations children should get the services they need without delay or disputes over who pays).
    • The Inuit Child First Initiative (support for Inuit children’s needs).
    • Recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

• Service providers (schools, health and social agencies, nonprofits)

  • You may be asked to provide input and data.
  • Clear goals and indicators could guide programs and funding priorities once the plan is in place.
  • Public monitoring may increase reporting and evaluation needs.

• Provinces, territories, and municipalities

  • You will be asked to collaborate. The bill does not force changes to your laws, but it expects coordination.
  • You may face new data-sharing and consultation requests to track indicators.

• Advocates and researchers

  • The plan and progress reports should provide clearer targets and public data to track outcomes.

Expenses#

Estimated annual cost: No publicly available information.

• The bill creates a planning and reporting duty. It does not create new benefits or set funding levels.
• The plan itself must identify what resources would be needed to carry it out.

Proponents' View#

• Canada lacks a single, clear strategy for kids; this would set national goals and a shared vision.
• Measurable indicators and regular public reports will improve transparency and accountability.
• Strong focus on Indigenous rights and children’s rights aligns Canada with UN commitments.
• Direct input from children and youth ensures policies reflect real needs and lived experience.
• Better coordination across governments and sectors can reduce gaps and duplication and improve outcomes.

Opponents' View#

• The goal of completely ending child poverty may be unrealistic and could set up the plan to “fail” on paper.
• The bill creates process and reports but does not fund concrete actions.
• It could expand the federal role into areas mostly run by provinces, creating overlap or tension.
• Consultations, monitoring, and reporting may add administrative burden without clear results.
• Canada already has many programs for children; a new national plan might duplicate existing efforts or delay action.