The Weight of Winning

For younger Canadians, life feels like a constant competition where no matter how hard they try, they’re always one step behind. This pressure to always be achieving more means their life feels like a zero-sum game, but as a result, they’re rewriting the rules of the traditional life path.

Social Stage Fright

While they may be together in-person more often, Gen Z still doesn’t feel seen or valued. Fear of social scrutiny is leading to emotional walls, making it harder to build meaningful connections. As a result, they’re keeping their social circles small, focusing on quality over quantity relationships.

Hustle to Nowhere

Loyalty in the workplace is fading, with nearly one in three Canadians experiencing layoffs in their household. So, young workers are challenging the “rise and grind” mentality, choosing to set boundaries and prioritize their mental well-being.

Alexa, What is Critical Thinking?

Young Canadians (particularly students) are the biggest users of generative AI, yet they recognize its drawbacks. While AI offers short-term wins, it risks weakening long-term critical thinking skills, which raises an unsettling question—what happens when we don’t need to think for ourselves?

Welcome to/Bienvenue au Canada

The struggles of young Canadians are even more intense for newcomers, who face added pressures to prove themselves. Many are finding that Canada is colder than expected (in more ways than one), but their resilience keeps them pushing forward.