Middle-Class Optimism Plummeting in Canada, Survey Suggests

Less than a third of the population is optimistic about the future of Canada’s middle class, according to a new poll, which found that optimism has plummeted since 2020. Released by Pollara Strategic Insights on Dec. 17, the survey said that only 31 percent of respondents expressed confidence in the future of the country’s middle class, reflecting a 22 percent decline from the 53 percent reported in 2020. The survey also found that Canadian parents are increasingly pessimistic about their children’s future. Just 52 percent of parents said their children could attain a middle-class or higher status through hard work—marking a substantial drop from the 79 percent reported in 2020. Additionally, the survey found a prevailing notion that the Canadian middle class is “shrinking,” with 77 percent of respondents expressing this belief....