Canadian Youth: A social values perspective

Background

The two youngest generations of Canadians – most often referred to as Generation Z (ages 9 to 24) and Millennials (25 to 40) – are the largest in the country’s history, and together make up a substantial proportion of the population (over 40%). These generations play a dominant role in today’s economy, both in the workforce and as the principal consumer market in many industries. At the same time, their influence is much less significant when it comes to how the country is governed, in terms of politics and policy. Most of the positions of power in Canada are filled with people in older generations, who often appear to not appreciate or give credence to the priorities of younger people. Because younger Canadians are less likely to vote in elections, they lack political clout to demand greater attention.

But today’s youth are already assuming leadership roles that will expand rapidly over the next few years. It is in everyone’s interest that their voices be heard and fully incorporated into society’s collective decision-making. Their world context and life experiences are distinct from those of their parents and grandparents, and they assume leadership roles tasked with addressing the difficult challenges facing society. This makes it important to understand who they are today, in terms of their values, priorities and life experiences.

A major impediment to understanding Canadian youth is the prevailing tendency of lumping an entire generation into a single group, the implicit assumption being that age alone is the defining characteristic.

Most of what passes for analysis of these generations of Canadian adults amounts to little more than anecdote and stereotype. Aside from data on youth unemployment, student debt and the embrace of everything digital, the Canadian conversation is remarkably devoid of solid evidence about how Generation Zers and Millennials live, what they think, what they value, what they want, or what they hope to achieve. Are they motivated strivers facing a tough job market, or entitled brats who are too picky to accept an unfulfilling job? Are they talented digital innovators or just screen addicts? Have they been nurtured by their Gen X and Boomer parents’ loving encouragement, or are they entitled narcissists poisoned by a lifetime of unearned praise? Newspapers, newsfeeds and dinner tables teem with opinions.

This type of shorthand misses the important insights revealed by Michael Adams two decades ago in his landmark book Sex in the Snow. In that bestselling analysis of Canadian society, Adams showed that demography is no longer destiny, and that every generation is composed of distinct subgroups, each defined by a unique constellation of social values by which individuals orient themselves to the world and their lives.

In 2016, The Environics Institute for Survey Research partnered with Apathy is Boring and other leading organizations to conduct a groundbreaking survey of Canadian Millennials to reveal for the first time a portrait of this generation through the lens of their social values.

The Research

In 2020, the Environics Institute once again partnered with Apathy is Boring to conduct a new study on the social values of Canada’s youth, to update the portrait of Millennials and introduce the leading-edge of the next emerging generation, Generation Z. The purpose of this research is to gain new understanding and insight into these generations through their social values as they pertain to:

• Personal identity
• Current life circumstances
• Life goals and aspirations
• Confidence in the country’s democracy and institutions
• Perspectives on global and Canadian issues
• Personal engagement with issues, politics and local community

The research consisted of an in-depth survey conducted online with a representative sample of 5,264 Canadians ages 18 to 40 across the country, encompassing leading edge Gen Zers (ages 18 to 24) and Millennials (25 to 40) between September 8 and November 9, 2020. The sample included over-samples of individuals who self identify as Black or Indigenous, to provide for sufficient representation of each group for analysis.

Executive Summary

Canadian youth – Millennials (ages 25 to 40) and the leading-edge of the Generation Z (18 to 24) – are now making their way in a world very different from the ones their parents and grandparents navigated in their own time. Today these younger generations enjoy unprecedented opportunities and freedoms while at the same time face unprecedented challenges in areas of employment and housing, as well as confronting such domestic and global threats as climate crisis, widening inequality, systemic racism, and most recently a major pandemic that has put much of their lives on hold. It is in this context that the research portrays the lives and perspectives of Millennials and Gen Z Canadians in terms of their personal identities, circumstances, life aspirations, and perspectives on democracy, global issues and civic engagement. As a whole, youth are doing well, especially in light of the global pandemic which was already six months old when the research was conducted.

But circumstances and outlook are by no means uniform within these generations, and there are significant differences across a number of dimensions. As has been documented in previous Institute research, education emerges as one of the strongest differentiators among youth in Canada; those with a post-secondary degree are doing noticeably better and expressing more a positive future outlook in comparison with those with no more than a high school diploma. By comparison, household income does not make as much of a difference. Positive circumstances and outlook is also closely linked to feeling connected to one’s local community, suggesting that many youth in this country are struggling with social isolation.

Canada’s youth are the most ethnically and racially diverse generations in the country’s history, and this factors into most of the topics covered in this study. South Asian youth stand out as among the most successful and optimistic, a function in part of having the highest level of educational attainment. Black youth also express notable motivation and confidence, when it comes to pursuing
post-secondary education, and looking ahead to their future careers and income. By comparison, Indigenous youth are not faring as well as in some areas.

The study reveals that social values play a significant role in the circumstances, experiences and outlook of Canadian youth, above and beyond demographics like education and ethnic-racial background. Social values - organized into six Millennial and seven Gen Z groups – provide important insight into these generations’ orientation to life, career, politics and civic engagement. Among Millennials, it is Diverse Strivers – the most ethnically diverse group of this generation – who are the most successful, engaged and optimistic. Engaged Idealists and Critical Counterculturists are also doing well in terms of education and employment, and are among the most actively engaged in local and global issues. Bros & Brittanys make up the largest group in this generation and as such tend to define the average in most areas. Lone Wolves (comprising one-sixth of Millennials) make up the group who most likely to be struggling in their lives and who exhibit the most negative outlook for the future.

A similar pattern can be seen among leading-edge Gen Z youth. The most successful groups in this younger generation are also the most ethnically-diverse - Hustling Hedonists in particular, but also Dutiful Accomplishers. Egalitarian Idealists are in many ways similar to the older Engaged Idealists, and share much of the same outlook and aspirations. In this generation, the least success and optimism is found among Reflective Realists (the group with the least education and income, as well as a critical lens to many aspects of life), and Optimistic Observers who share many of the same values but a different socioeconomic profile. Two other Gen Z segments – Earnest Strivers and Guarded Independents – occupy a space somewhere in between.

This social values typology offers a valuable framework for understanding Millennial and Gen Z Canadians, and determining how best to consider their priorities andinterests with respect to marketing, public policy and citizen engagement. As revealed through this research and other studies like Apathy is Boring’s Together We Rise, youth are not a monolithic group. This makes it essential to appreciate the diversity of youth perspectives and experience, and in doing so provide more than just space to encourage their activation in their communities and in the democratic process more broadly. Creating new types of opportunities for youth will enable them to more easily connect to their communities and emerge as decision makersand leaders in their own right.