Can I sponsor a family member who does not fit any of the usual categories on humanitarian grounds?

The standard federal family class sponsorship categories are fixed — spouses, common-law partners, dependent children, parents, grandparents, and a few narrow exceptions. There is no general "humanitarian" override to bring in a relative who does not meet these criteria through the family sponsorship stream.

However, there is a separate federal mechanism called a Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) application, which allows a person already in Canada to request permanent residence based on their establishment in Canada and the hardship of returning to their home country. This is not a sponsorship — your relative would need to apply from within Canada, and the application is assessed against H&C factors, not family class criteria.

Additionally, in exceptional circumstances, the Minister of Immigration has discretion to grant permanent residence for public policy reasons. This is very rarely used and not a practical path for most families. If your family member does not fit a standard category, the most realistic options are economic immigration streams for which they may independently qualify, or applying under H&C grounds if they are already in Canada. An immigration lawyer can assess what realistic options exist.