Brief description of its relationship with SDG-1

Canada maintains a strong and structured commitment to SDG 1 (No Poverty), aiming to reduce poverty by 50% by 2030 relative to 2015 levels, using the Official Poverty Line as its benchmark. Through Opportunity for All—the country’s first national poverty‑reduction strategy—and targeted benefits such as the Canada Child Benefit, Canada surpassed its interim 2020 target and achieved a major milestone in 2021, when the poverty rate fell to 7.4%, down from 14.5% in 2015.

CURRENT CHALLENGES AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Despite notable progress, Canada continues to face significant challenges in fully achieving SDG 1. Rising inflation and the increasing cost of living place pressure on vulnerable populations, affecting food security—which impacted roughly 19% of Canadians in 2023—and worsening housing affordability. Persistent systemic barriers also affect low‑ to middle‑income households. Key national initiatives include the Canada Child Benefit (supporting about 3.5 million families), the Canada Workers Benefit, and enhancements to Old Age Security, all aimed at strengthening income security and reducing poverty risks. 

LIST OF REFERENCES AND USEFUL LINKS

United Nations Association in Canada. (n.d.). United Nations Association in Canada. Retrieved May 26, 2026, from https://www.unac.org/

Statistics Canada. (n.d.). Canada Indicators for the Sustainable Development Goals. Retrieved May 26, 2026, from https://sdgcif-data-canada-oddcic-donnee.github.io/

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division. (n.d.). SDG country profile: Canada. United Nations. Retrieved May 26, 2026, from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/dataportal/countryprofiles/can

Sustainable Development Solutions Network. (2026). Canada. Sustainable Development Report 2026. Retrieved July 10, 2026, from https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles/canada/