Montréal, June 17, 2026. – In Québec, 27% of people aged 15 and over are informal caregivers, or about 2,076,000 people. Most of them provide caregiving to someone aged 65 or over (71%).
These are the findings from the initial results of the Québec Survey on Caregiver Health and Well-being 2024-2025 conducted by the Institut de la statistique du Québec. This study provides an overview of caregiving in Québec.
Women and those aged 45 to 54 stand out in terms of caregiving
Women are more likely than men to be caregivers. In the overall population, 30% of women act as caregivers compared to 25% of men.
Approximately 40% of caregivers are between 45 and 64 years of age.
- 15-29 years: 13%
- 30-44 years: 21%
- 45-64 years: 40%
- 65 years or older: 25%
Most caregivers are employed
Work is the main occupation of 59% of caregivers.
A lot of time dedicated to caregiving
About 61% of caregivers spend an average of one to four hours each week providing help or support, while 10% spend 20 hours or more on caregiving.
The types of help provided range from transportation to personal care and emotional support
Nearly 84% of caregivers provide care receivers with emotional and psychological support, 70% help with transportation, 58% with housework, and 50% with meals.
How do caregivers perceive their own health?
Caregivers who live with their care receiver are less likely to perceive their overall and mental health as excellent or very good than those who do not live with their care receiver. They are also less likely to be very satisfied with their social life.
Caregivers carry out various activities to support without doing so for pay or as part of volunteer work. Support can take the form of help with transportation, errands, housework, personal care, help with paperwork, emotional support, or any other activities.
The Institut de la statistique du Québec is the public body responsible for providing reliable, objective statistics about Québec society. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and an essential source of information for all those wishing to learn more about Québec.