Canada’s economy is losing $100B a year to illness and caregiving: report

HEALTH Canada’s economy is losing $100B a year to illness and caregiving: report By Uday Rana Global News Posted September 22, 2026 12:22 pm 2 min read WATCH ABOVE: Calls for more support to alleviate caregiver burden – Aug 4, 2026 LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE Poor health among workers and gaps in caregiving caused Canada’s economy to lose more than $100 billion in 2025, a report by Deloitte Canada estimated on Tuesday. Canadian workers are being “sidelined by illness, poor mental health, or caregiving responsibilities,” said Michelle Theroux, national health leader at Deloitte Canada. “Productivity is one of Canada’s most pressing challenges, yet health is rarely considered part of the productivity agenda,” Theroux said, adding that Canada could “cannot expect technology, AI, or workforce upskilling to solve Canada’s productivity challenge.” The report identifies two kinds of healthcare gaps that are dragging the economy down. The first is the “prevention gap,” which reflects productivity lost to preventable illnesses. Time away from work due to illness caused $55.1 billion in economic losses, it found. The second gap is the “participation gap” which reflects workers missing work due to “chronic disease, mental health challenges and caregiving responsibilities.” STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT The Canadian economy lost $48.5 billion in 2025 in labour income lost due to unpaid caregiving responsibilities, the Deloitte report added. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. SIGN UP FOR WEEKLY HEALTH NEWSLETTER GET STARTED BY PROVIDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO GLOBAL NEWS' TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY. Another $1.1 billion was lost because of “premature mortality” during the period required to replace and train workers, it added. Reducing health-related barriers to workforce participation could recover more than $25 billion annually, it said. The report recommends enrolling every Canadian in a “Health Home” or an integrated system of primary and preventative care. It also recommends providing financial tools for disease prevention and reducing barriers to participation for people dealing with chronic illnesses and caregiving challenges. 1:53 Vaccine-preventable respiratory illness…