CAP was the consolidation of federal-provincial programs based on means tests or needs test into a single program. It intended to meet needs regardless of cause for the need. This was a concept first introduced with the Unemployment Insurance Act (1956). CAP had the following characteristics:
 

	half the costs of all shareable items assumed by federal government provided a needs test is given
	meeting need regardless of cause
	assistance possible to working poor
	right to appeal decisions

For the government's view of the changes to CAP read this. To see what those opposed to the new CHST as a CAP replacement go to: www.nupge.ca/ss.html

St. Paul Street, Trois-Riveres, Quebec, 1959, National Archives Neg. no. PA152461.