Canada is the second-largest country in the world and covers more than half of the northern hemisphere. In March 2026, the Federal Housing Advocate released a report on the homelessness crisis across the nation. This report revealed that the number of homeless people in Canada had increased by 107% in recent years, with an estimated 85,000 people living without shelter in Ontario in 2025. This figure, representing a significant portion of the province’s total population, highlighted the severity of the humanitarian crisis and prompted organizations such as United Way Centraide Canada to increase efforts to help citizens struggling with poverty. Here is information about the top three organizations fighting poverty in Canada.

Canada Without Poverty

Canada Without Poverty is a nonprofit, charitable organization that lobbies the government to introduce policies that help struggling individuals access housing, employment and income security.

The organization has used systematic advocacy to successfully lobby for the legislation of Canada’s first National Housing Strategy and National Poverty Reduction Strategy. This was achieved by collaborating with more than 700 organizations, including Citizens for Public Justice, and more than 11,000 individuals.

In recent years, it has worked to introduce the Lived Experience Community 2030 Project. The major initiative focuses on bringing together individuals across the ten provinces to share their personal experiences with poverty and homelessness.

By providing a platform for victims of poverty to voice their experiences, the project aims to reshape how Canada’s government conducts consultations and ensure that those most affected by poverty can inform the path toward achieving the United Nations’ (U.N.) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Campaign 2000

Based in Toronto, Campaign 2000 was founded in 1991 to address child poverty. With more than 120 partners across Canada, the organization focuses on improving the living situations of families by advocating for public policy solutions and education. Campaign 2000 publishes research on child poverty on its blog to educate the public about the indicators of and solutions for child poverty. The blog releases resources such as:

• Discussion Papers, records of the organization’s public policy and investment proposals.
• An annual Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Canada, detailing any progress toward eliminating child poverty in Canada.

For more than 35 years, the information released by Campaign 2000 has consistently helped push the Canadian government to make significant changes, such as introducing the Canada Child Benefit in 2016. Its work is credited with raising public awareness and helping to guide legislative change, making it one of the most influential organizations fighting poverty in Canada.

United Way Centraide Canada

United Way Centraide Canada tackles poverty with a more hands-on approach by breaking the issue down into the following elements:

• Food: Volunteers help run food banks and school breakfast programs, providing affordable, healthy food to those who cannot access these vital resources.
• Housing: The United Way Centraide Canada team invests in emergency shelters and helps people in need access safe and affordable housing through Housing First programs. These strategies have helped the organization feed more than 1.6 million Canadians.
• Employment and financial stability: Through connections and training programs, United Way Centraide Canada helps people find jobs where they can thrive and teaches them how to achieve and maintain financial stability.

Since its founding in 1917, United Way Centraide Canada has mobilized $600.1 million annually and supported 8 million people in need, making it one of the most successful organizations fighting poverty in Canada.

Looking Ahead

Although poverty continues to be a significant issue nationwide, the dedication and perseverance of organizations like Canada Without Poverty, Campaign 2000 and United Way Centraide Canada offer not only hope but opportunity. Indeed, as these organizations continue to grow their reach and influence, sustained public support through donations and volunteering will be essential to building a more equitable future for Canadians living in poverty.

– Ruby Fraser

Ruby is based in Cannes, France and focuses on Global Health, Politics for The Borgen Project.

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