Maple Report: Only 15 percent of Canadian family caregivers say the health-care system meets their needs all the time

A national survey of more than 1,500 caregivers reveals families across Canada are forced to fill the gaps in a health-care system struggling to meet their needs, often at the expense of their own health and well-being.

TORONTO, Nov. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new report from Maple, Canada’s leading virtual care platform, reveals the growing strain on families as parents, partners and adult children step in as caregivers across the country to bridge gaps in our health-care system. With 57 percent of Canadian caregivers reporting that the health-care system only sometimes meets their needs, the report explores how limited access and growing care demands are increasing pressure on families, many of whom struggle to keep up with the hidden costs of caregiving.

Based on a national survey of 1,525 Canadian caregivers conducted by Maple among members of the Angus Reid Forum, The Cost of Caring: The State of Caregiving in Canada, focuses on the perspectives and attitudes of Canadian caregivers. The findings show how limited access to primary care and children’s unmet health needs are driving caregiver burnout and workplace productivity losses, revealing a system-wide need for renewal.

“We launched this survey to better understand how Canada’s fragmented and overburdened health-care system is affecting families and caregivers. The findings are striking,” said Dr. Brett Belchetz, Maple’s CEO and co-founder. “Many Canadians are delaying their own care to prioritize someone else’s, and many say the strain has taken a toll on their mental health, finances and ability to work.”

Key findings from the report include:

• 67 percent of those in the sandwich generation – caring for both children and aging relatives – are concerned about the impact on their career progression.
• 60 percent of caregivers delay their own care to prioritize that of their dependants.
• 63 percent say caregiving has negatively impacted their mental health.
• 70 percent of Canadian caregivers want reduced wait times.
• 67 percent want improved access to specialists such as pediatricians.
• 88 percent of caregivers with children feel that emergency rooms are being used for issues that could be managed equally well through virtual care.
• 87 percent of Canadian caregivers say tech-enabled care would ease stress and save time, with 78 percent citing better coordination of care as the key benefit.
  

“These findings are not isolated incidents,” said Belchetz, an emergency room physician. “They represent a growing reality across Canada, one where the gaps in access are widening and the responsibility for care is increasingly falling on families. The impact extends far beyond households, into workplaces and across our economy.”

While the challenge is immense, the report also reveals a reason to be optimistic. Employers and governments can lead the change by expanding access to modern health tools and solutions. With 87 percent of Canadian caregivers saying that tech-enabled care would help reduce their stress and the time they spend caregiving, these investments can strengthen support for those quietly doing the most: caring for children, aging parents and entire households. 

"Maple's report helps fill an important gap in Canada’s understanding of the experiences of caregivers,” said James Janeiro, director of policy and government relations at the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence. “With one in four Canadians and half of all women acting as caregivers today, its insights are essential to advancing the support systems this population urgently needs.”

The Cost of Caring: The State of Caregiving in Canada is the latest in a series of reports that examine Canadians’ attitudes and perspectives toward our health-care system. The findings among caregivers align with the concerns of the half of Canadian women who say that the health-care system fails to meet their needs and the 81 percent of Canadians who report barriers to accessing early and proactive care.

Access the full report, The Cost of Caring: The State of Caregiving in Canada, here.

Media Contact

Marlee Socket
Communications Manager, Maple
press@getmaple.ca 

Survey Methodology

These findings are from a survey conducted by Maple from Sept. 23 to 29, 2025, among a representative sample of 1,525 online Canadians who are caregivers and are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.51 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About Maple:

Maple is Canada’s leading virtual care platform, improving access to timely, high-quality care. Guided by a clear purpose to meet the world’s health-care needs, our software enables patients to connect with Canadian-licensed physicians and nurse practitioners within minutes, 24/7, via secure text, phone or video. Since 2016, Maple has grown to support care for over 7 million Canadians and powers Nova Scotia’s provincially funded virtual care program. With a network of more than 2,000 health-care providers, Maple has extensive experience partnering with governments to deliver scalable, secure and integrated solutions within the public system.

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