Federalism and Social Policy Expansion in Canada during the Justin Trudeau Era

Canadian federalism entrusts subnational entities with responsibility over most social policy areas. Yet, the federal government wields influence over social policy through different institutional paths, including the ability to spend in policy areas located outside its jurisdiction. In this article, we analyze the relationship between federalism and social policy during the successive Justin Trudeau Liberal governments by examining key areas that have witnessed expansion, including childcare, pensions, and health care. Illustrating all three models of federal-provincial social policy relations identified by Banting (2005), these policy areas feature varied institutional configurations that point to the diversity of the relationship between federalism and social policy expansion in Canada. Building on the work of Graefe and Fiorillo (2023), we show that—despite communicating a desire for collaboration and cooperation—the Trudeau governments have advanced a top-down federal social policy agenda in key policy areas.