Young Canadians are now less happy than seniors, and the gap is getting worse.

The latest World Happiness Report shows Canadians under 30 have fallen to 71st in the world for life satisfaction, while Canada’s overall ranking has dropped from 5th to 25th. In this episode, Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern break down what’s driving the decline — from housing affordability and falling “option freedom” to expectations, social media, and why the drop is concentrated in countries like Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and Australia.

We also explain how the World Happiness Report actually works, why expectations matter as much as income, and what policy choices may be making young Canadians feel like they’re playing by a different set of rules.

Chapters

00:00 Intro: The U-Shape of Happiness and Midlife Crisis

00:51 Canada's New Phenomenon: Young Adults Are Less Happy

01:48 From 5th to 25th: Canada's Global Happiness Ranking

03:00 How Happiness is Measured: The Gallup Poll Ladder Question

04:43 The Fundamental Equation of Happiness: Expectations vs. Reality

06:11 Canada's Mixed Ratings: Inequality and "Option Freedom"

07:18 Social Media's Impact: Passive vs. Communication Platforms

08:50 The Real Solution: Fixing Middle Class Housing and Policy Choices

Research/links:

World Happiness Report 2026 | The World Happiness Report

https://www.worldhappiness.report/ed/2026/

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.