By Dan Clement, President & CEO, United Way Centraide Canada
Across Canada, the latest trade disruption is being felt in communities already stretched by economic uncertainty, rising costs and declining household confidence. The breakdown of recent negotiations between Canada and the United States, followed by new U.S. tariffs and Canadian countermeasures, is more than an economic story: it is a community story. We see uncertainty show up in grocery aisles, at kitchen tables, in workplaces and in the local services people rely on when times are hard.
At United Way Centraide Canada, we know that economic disruption quickly becomes social disruption. Tariffs and counter-tariffs can affect jobs, business costs, household budgets and the price of everyday essentials. And because these pressures are not felt evenly, we are especially attentive to workers in trade-exposed sectors, rural economies, and households already living close to the edge with little room to absorb another financial setback.
We know how vulnerable many households are. The United Way Centraide Canada (UWCC) Financial Anxiety Index poll shows that 60% of people in Canada feel anxious about their personal finances, while 46% say they could cover basic expenses for only one month or less before falling into debt. Two in five people are struggling to put food on the table and the same proportion report losing sleep because of financial stress, while 42% could cover their basic expenses for a month or less if they lost their main source of income or faced an unexpected expense. Behind each of these numbers are real people making difficult choices: workers worried about their future, and neighbours turning to community supports for food, rent support and other services to get through the month.
This is where Canada’s community sector has an essential role to play. United Way Centraides are rooted in 5,000 communities in every region of Canada, mobilizing $600 million annually through 3,800 partner agencies to serve 8 million people. We work with local agencies, governments, donors, labour partners, employers and volunteers to understand what people are experiencing and to respond where support is needed most. When economic stress increases demand for food programs, mental health supports, housing services, employment help or emergency assistance, our network helps ensure people have access to the right services at the right time.
The federal government has announced counter-tariffs and new supports for workers and businesses affected by the trade dispute. These measures matter. At the same time, we need to make sure support reaches people on the ground and the community organizations they turn to. Community services are first responders to social upheaval, and demand is already outpacing service capacity: in 2025, 73% of charities reported demand exceeding their capacity and 75% reported higher demand than the year before. As Canada works to mitigate the negative impacts of the trade war, essential community services must be part of the response.
This is a moment for strong partnerships, flexible funding and practical action close to home. We need to protect essential community services, support frontline workers in the care economy, strengthen community service navigation through 211, and make sure people affected by layoffs or reduced hours can access benefits, training, employment transitions and community supports. The 211 service is free, confidential, available 24/7/365 and offered in 150+ languages in most regions of Canada by phone, web and text. By acting together now, we can help people through immediate uncertainty while strengthening the community infrastructure Canada will need for the future.
There is also an opportunity for all of us to make choices that build resilience. Businesses, institutions and individuals can look for ways to buy local, support Canadian producers, invest in community economic development and strengthen neighbourhood-based initiatives. Local procurement, community benefit agreements, volunteering and donations all help sustain jobs, protect services and reinforce the connections that hold communities together.
Uncertain times can bring out both unity and division. We have seen, again and again, that Canadians are caring, generous and ready to stand with one another. That spirit is one of our greatest strengths. It is how communities respond to crisis, and it is how we build a more inclusive and prosperous future. At a time when many people are anxious about what comes next, we must reject division and focus on what we can do together: caring for our neighbours, supporting local organizations, listening to people most affected and ensuring that no one is left to face hardship alone.
United Way Centraide Canada will continue to monitor policy developments, engage with governments and sector leaders, and work alongside our local United Way Centraide network as this situation evolves. We will keep bringing forward what we hear from communities, because effective responses must be grounded in local realities.
Canada has faced uncertainty before, and our communities have shown remarkable resilience. That resilience does not happen by chance. It is built through relationships, shared responsibility and sustained investment in the programs and people who make communities stronger. As trade tensions continue, United Way Centraide will remain focused on what matters most: helping people meet urgent needs today while building stronger, more connected communities for tomorrow.
