Strategically allocating resources to palliative care will enable the Canadian health care system to deliver the care patients desire and benefit from, while ensuring effective use of the country’s finite resources. Palliative care has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression, improve quality of life and, in some cases, extend life. As importantly, the provision of palliative care enables more efficient and appropriate use of the country’s heath care resources, by reducing the costs of caring for people with life-threatening chronic illnesses and freeing up much needed hospital beds. In this document, the Canadian Society of Palliative Care physicians highlight recently published studies that examine the economics of palliative care and that reaffirm the economic, health and social benefits for providing this vital service to Canadians.