As the federal government continues to extend substantial financial and humanitarian support overseas, analysts say Canadians are struggling with rising living costs and persistent poverty levels that are not reflected in the nation’s global giving figures.

On Dec. 27, 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada would provide an additional $2.5 billion in economic support to Ukraine to help Kyiv maintain financial stability and access international credit. This latest contribution underscores Ottawa’s continued engagement in supporting Ukraine’s economy amid ongoing conflict.

According to Canadian government data, since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 Ottawa has committed almost $20 billion in combined support for Ukraine, spanning financial aid, military assistance, humanitarian relief and development programs. More than $12.4 billion of that has been directed to financial stabilization, loans and broader economic support structures while military and security contributions exceed $4.5 billion.

Canada’s overall international assistance portfolio for the fiscal year covering April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 totalled roughly $12.3 billion, encompassing development, humanitarian and other official aid across dozens of countries worldwide. Ukraine remained the largest single country recipient.

In the Middle East, Ottawa has expanded its humanitarian engagement in response to the protracted crisis in the West Bank and Gaza. Since late 2024, Canada has committed more than $355 million in humanitarian and development assistance to civilians in the West Bank and Gaza through multilateral partners and targeted programs addressing food security, shelter, health and governance.

Global Affairs Canada reports that Canadian contributions helped support relief efforts reaching millions of crisis-affected people worldwide through organizations, including assistance delivered to more than 1.2 million Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. See here and here how they are thanking Canada for our support. (Please note some content may be disturbing for some viewers).

Domestic indicators paint a starkly different picture. Food bank usage in Canada has reached unprecedented levels, with nearly 2.2 million visits recorded in March 2025 — the highest in the history of the national HungerCount survey. Usage has climbed sharply in recent years as households contend with rising costs of essentials and stagnant incomes.

At the same time, official poverty statistics show that more than 3.9 million Canadians, or roughly 10.2 percent of the population, lived below the official poverty threshold in 2023. This marked an increase in the poverty rate for the third consecutive year, reflecting ongoing economic pressures for many households despite broader economic growth.

Many Canadians are struggling to reconcile the scale of federal spending abroad with the financial realities unfolding at home. When families in local communities cannot afford groceries, rent or utilities, it becomes increasingly difficult to justify the steady flow of billions of dollars to foreign governments and international organizations. While supporting allies and responding to humanitarian crises matters, Canada’s ability to help others depends on its capacity to first ensure economic stability and dignity for its own citizens.

Government officials argue that international assistance and domestic priorities can advance in parallel, pointing to global engagement as a means of promoting stability, humanitarian relief and Canadian values while also funding programs intended to reduce poverty and strengthen social support. In theory, those goals may coexist.

In practice, the contrast is stark. Record food bank usage and a rising number of Canadians living at or below the poverty line suggest domestic needs are outpacing the support available. Against that backdrop, the scale of foreign commitments appears increasingly disconnected from everyday realities. If public confidence in international aid is to be maintained, Canadians must see that their own needs come first — not as an afterthought, but as a foundational responsibility of the government.