For it’s newly launched “Act On Care” campaign, the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE) is pivoting its messaging from awareness to advocacy. The campaign, which was launched in collaboration with agency partner Pilot PMR, calls on the federal government to adopt a National Caregiving Strategy for Canada.

That need was informed by the statistic that one in four Canadians – more than eight million people – are caregivers, and a growing number are experiencing significant health, social and financial consequences due to their caregiving roles, according to the CCCE.

These challenges include mounting financial stress, mental health issues and insufficient workplace support. The campaign was co-created through consultations with thousands of caregivers, care providers and policy experts on the frontlines of caregiving across Canada, according to the CCCE.

The media mix includes a national digital and print advertising campaign, media relations and a dedicated “Act On Care” campaign page, where visitors can send letters to their local MPs, key ministers, upcoming federal election candidates and the leaders of all major political parties.

Pilot PMR CEO David Doze tells MiC there was “a significant shift” in the CCCE’s media mix.

“Previous initiatives prioritized earned media and partner-led engagement, focusing on education and raising awareness,” Doze says. “For Act on Care, we intentionally pivoted toward a direct advocacy model. The goal is not only to inform but to activate – motivating Canadians at scale to take action by contacting their federal members of parliament. This shift in approach is reflected in the heavier investment in paid digital advertising and targeted outreach.”

Doze explains the CCCE and Pilot PMR are using a multi-channel approach to ensure broad reach and engagement. This includes advertising placements in The Globe and Mail, National Post and Hill Times to reach both a national and policymaker audiences and a campaign landing page directing Canadians to send letters of support to their MPs and federal ministers.

It also includes digital campaigns across Meta platforms (Facebook and Instagram) and LinkedIn, targeting both the general public and professional communities, Doze adds.

“We entered the campaign with a clear strategy to prioritize Meta as our primary platform, and that approach has remained consistent. Our media spending is tracking to plan, with Meta delivering strong returns on investment in terms of reach, engagement and conversions. We continue to allocate the majority of our digital budget there based on performance.”

Success for “Act on Care” is defined by citizen action, Doze points out.

“Our primary KPI is the volume of letters of support delivered directly to government ministers and local MPs, urging the adoption of a national caregiving strategy. We are also closely tracking partner engagement – measuring how actively partner organizations are amplifying the campaign through their networks – recognizing that partner mobilization is critical to driving broader awareness and participation.”

The CCCE is a program of the Azrieli Foundation that supports initiatives to improve access to quality care.