As I am propelled closer and closer to adulthood, I’ve found myself, perhaps predictably, worrying over what the future holds. And it’s not unique to me. Rising unaffordability in particular has many youth contemplating the fact that the life past generations have achieved is drifting further and further out of the realm of possibility. I can’t blame them.
This climbing cost of living is forcing young people to reconsider their life goals, and what leading a successful life means to them. In decades past, the idyllic, somewhat stereotypical idea of success, with two cars and a house in the suburbs, was achievable to most of the population, often on just a sole income. Today, this is far from the case.
Recent reports from Statistics Canada have found that young people are struggling financially more than their older counterparts. The most recent data from spring 2024 indicates 55% of people aged 25 to 44 said increasing prices were “greatly affecting their ability to meet day-to-day expenses” (Statistics Canada, 2024). These figures can be partially explained by the fact that one simply accumulates greater wealth throughout their life. Still, it’s undeniable that young people are having to stretch themselves financially to acquire things that came more easily in the past.
This is not to say young people should have the life they want handed to them on a silver platter – absolutely not. Yet, achieving the same things that our parents and grandparents often did seems more and more out of reach.
This phenomenon is not lost on the politicians of the day, who are increasingly capitalizing upon youth’s hopelessness as a political tactic against incumbent governments. In the recent B.C. provincial election debate, I couldn’t help but notice Conservative leader John Rustad’s repeated punchline that “half our youth are considering leaving our province” due to affordability concerns.
Nonetheless, some youth are redefining the definition of success to move beyond the confines of economic accomplishments. Given our present-day cost-of-living crisis, many youth have begun to prioritize other means of fulfillment in their lives, such as building meaningful relationships with others, finding purpose in their work and personal lives, and making a positive impact on the world around them.
Despite this expansion of perspective, life has a bottom line. Today, many young people are struggling to afford basic necessities, as well as the pleasures that make life full. Whether prices will come down enough to make traditional “success” attainable for youth, or if we will have to reconsider what we’re working towards, only time will tell.
Kilian Jungen is a student at Stelly’s Secondary School.
