The recently released World Happiness Index for the years 2021-2023 has shed light on significant disparities in the well-being of Canadians, particularly highlighting generational divides and regional trends. The index, which ranks countries based on self-assessed life evaluations, has sparked concerns over the happiness of young Canadians, with implications for policy and societal well-being.
According to the index, Canada ranked 15th globally in overall happiness, falling behind nations like Austria and Kuwait, but notably ahead of the United States, which ranked 23rd. Finland ranked 1st followed by Denmark and Iceland.
However, when examining age-specific rankings, a stark contrast emerges. Canadians aged 60 and above ranked 8th in happiness, while those youth under 30 ranked a concerning 58th.
However, this discrepancy is not unique to Canada but is part of a broader trend observed in countries like the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, where the happiness of young people has notably declined. In fact, the group comprising these nations saw a decrease in happiness across all age groups, with the most significant impact felt among the young, but the biggest discrepancies can be seen in the United States and Canada where the gap is 50 places or more.
This also led to a notable shift, as the younger demographic now ranks as the least happy age group in 2021-2023. This marks a substantial departure from the period of 2006-2010, when the youth reported higher levels of happiness compared to middle-aged individuals and were nearly as content as those aged 60 and above. The decline in happiness among the young was approximately three-quarters of a point, with females experiencing a more pronounced decrease than males.
Specifically, Canada ranked 121st in terms of changes in happiness from 2006-2010 to 2021-2023, indicating a notable decrease in overall well-being.
Ranking 1st on this rubric is Serbia with an increase of 1.847 points from the last happiness index.
Regional variations in happiness changes also drew attention, with Central and Eastern Europe experiencing the largest increases, while South Asia saw significant declines. In the Middle East and North Africa, happiness fell notably, with middle-aged populations bearing the brunt of the decrease.
Across all age groups, negative emotions are more prevalent among females than males, particularly among those under 30. What’s striking is that, unlike anywhere else except Western Europe, negative emotions are most prevalent among the young in the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand region, while being least frequent among the elderly.
The rankings were surveyed during the years 2021-2023, covering the third term of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. These results came in despite his government’s measures catered to the Canadian youth.
In the recently tabled 2024 federal budget, spearheaded by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Ottawa aims to tackle economic inequality among Canadian youth by introducing new tax measures targeting top earners. Dubbed “Fairness for Every Generation,” the budget allocates $39.2 billion towards new spending initiatives, prioritizing housing supply and social supports while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
“Our renewed focus today is unlocking the door to the middle class for millions of younger Canadians,” Freeland wrote. “Because that is what you have earned, and that is what you deserve. And that is what your parents and grandparents want for you, too.”
But does it matter to politicians?
Voter turnout in Canada is gradually decreasing. The official turnout for the 44th general election held on September 20, 2021, stood at 62.6%. This figure represents a 4.4 percentage point decrease from the previous general election in 2019 and is only 3.8 percentage points higher than the all-time low recorded in 2008. When considering eligible voters instead of registered electors, the national turnout for 2021 drops further to 62.2%, marking a 4.8 percentage point decrease from 2019.
Analysis reveals a clear trend of increasing turnout with age groups, starting from 46.7% for those aged 18–24 and peaking at 74.9% for individuals aged 65–74, before declining to 65.9% for those aged 75 and over. This pattern is consistent across all provinces and territories and has persisted since 2004.
However, voter turnout in Canada is lowest for young voters. Of particular concern is the declining participation of voters aged 18–24, with turnout decreasing by 7.2 percentage points from 2019 to 2021. Furthermore, first-time eligible voters in 2021 voted at a rate of 44.7%, marking a 9.9 percentage point decrease compared to their counterparts in 2019.
Information for this briefing was found via the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
One Response
Surveyed during the pandemic. Grain of salt on these results. Not once is there a mention of this overriding factor that seriously affected this age group.