Prairie residents lead Canada in hopelessness about democracy: StatCan
A new Statistics Canada study finds younger adults and Prairie residents report the least hope for democracy's future, data released just weeks before Alberta's separation referendum.
Why it matters
The findings land just weeks before Alberta's referendum on separation, a vote in which the province recorded the country's highest level of hopelessness about democracy.
A Statistics Canada study released Tuesday found that about a quarter of respondents aged 25 to 44 said they were "not at all hopeful" about the future of democracy in Canada, a higher share than among older Canadians. Those 65 and older were more likely to feel very hopeful (about 18 per cent) than completely without hope (about 10 per cent). Most Canadians 15 and older reported feeling a little or somewhat hopeful.
The data, drawn from a survey series conducted between 2022 and 2024 with a targeted sample of about 70,000 people, showed the Prairie provinces, including Alberta, had the highest proportion of respondents with no hope at all, at about 25 per cent. British Columbia had the highest share of very hopeful respondents, at about 15 per cent. The findings come as Quebec and B.C. hold provincial elections and Alberta holds a referendum on separation this October.
StatCan reported no link between hopefulness and voter turnout, but found those without hope were more likely to engage in political activity. Non-immigrants reported less hope than immigrants and non-permanent residents, and better self-reported mental health was linked to greater hopefulness.
Respondents with no hope in democracy also reported lower trust in scientific experts and institutions such as the news media and justice system, instead placing more trust in local businesses and police. Overall, greater hope in democracy correlated with higher trust in institutions including Parliament and the school system.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.