The Overview

Some say young people don’t care about politics. Wrong. You care. And you care a lot. Apathy isn’t a problem here; it’s the barriers to getting to the polls.

New Majority’s Youth Perspectives Survey unearths what you — young and first-time voters — care about, what motivates you, and what keeps you from participating in elections.

Read on for a snapshot of your responses; what matters most and where you say change is most urgently needed. What’s more, we are amplifying our findings to the media, with our funders, canvassers, and our partners to ensure your voices achieve maximum impact.

This survey hits different

We’ve got three reasons why our approach to this survey is unique:

  1. We make it a priority to connect with those of you who typically don’t vote or don’t get asked to participate in political polls. Most online polls only reach people who are already willing to respond by phone or email.
  2. It’s driven by you and your peers. We worked hard to create genuine connections with respondents to ensure folks felt comfortable sharing authentically about their thoughts and experiences.
  3. Our survey focuses on reach. While many digital polls stop at 1,000 to 1,500 people, in 2024, we spoke to over 10,000 of you.

Young adults actively engaging in a voter registration event at a community center. individuals focus on filling out forms, assisted by volunteers. the atmosphere is vibrant with banners and tables creating a dynamic and inclusive environment.

💬 What you said

We connected with you on the ground, on campuses, at gyms and even festivals. Our survey was conducted by having real conversations — no throwing questions at you and walking away.

Here’s how we did it:

  • Total Respondents: 10,096
  • Regions Covered: British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick & Nova Scotia
  • How We Listened: In-person chats, surveys accessed by QR code
  • What We Talked About: Voting, barriers, who you trust, political and social issues that matter to you, and what keeps you hopeful about the future

We wanted the raw, real talk—and that’s exactly what we got. Let’s start with what you think about voting and our current political systems.

🗳️ Barriers to Voting

“I know voting is important, but no one explains how it actually affects my life.”
– Survey respondent, 22, BC

You didn’t hold back. And we love that.

We learned that the intent to vote might hover around 50% (read on for more), but the desire to vote is significantly higher at 97.6%. That’s where New Majority comes in to help reduce barriers in getting to the polls.

When we asked what kind of things would stop you from voting, you said:

  • “I don’t believe my vote will make a difference” (32.1%)
  • “I don’t trust politicians” (28.6%)
  • “I don’t have enough information” (25.3%)

Further, not knowing where, when, or how to vote are barriers:

  • 42% of you said you didn’t fully understand how democracy works
  • 32% of you said you wanted clearer, unbiased information about political parties and their positions
  • 42% of you mentioned online voting or polling station availability (like on campuses) as factors that would make it easier to vote

We’re empowered by these findings. Deepening our understanding about the real, practical barriers to voting supports our work and our partners’ work in dismantling them.

Next, you told us where you go to get the information you need.

ℹ️ Where You Get Your Information

Forget TV news. You told us you’re getting the information you need from your feeds and friends:

  • 64% of you said social media is your main source of political news
  • 41% said you also trust what you hear from friends and peers
  • Less than 25% of you mentioned traditional media

You’re not relying on just one source for information. You’re not all social all the time. We’ve found that you seek out multiple inputs before forming an opinion, thoughtfully combining insights from social media, friends and family.

We hear that, for many of you, hope and anxiety coexist. Activism and the potential for change keeps you motivated, while economic uncertainty and social issues remain a challenge.

✌ What really matters to you

“We talk about climate action, but rent is too high for me to even think about the future.”
– Survey respondent, 19, Ontario

Affordable housing is the number one issue for many of you, no matter where you live. The issue peaks for 35.6% of all youth surveyed in New Brunswick, but you’re feeling the pressure everywhere. Rising costs and economic instability are making it harder for you to imagine a secure future. We hear you tell us that access to affordable housing isn’t just an economic issue—it’s a mental health issue, a public health issue, and a future-planning issue.

Climate change is huge in BC (31.5%), where many of you are directly affected by wildfires and environmental changes. In BC and Ontario, climate concerns are tied to affordable housing, as some of you think about climate resilience in housing policy and the future development of housing. Mental health and access to services is another big concern. In Ontario (22.6%) and Saskatchewan (23.1%), it’s top of mind. Financial stress, climate anxiety, and political distrust weigh on your mental health, showing how deeply these issues are connected. It’s not just about coping—it’s about access to affordable, high-quality mental health services, which can feel out of reach.

“I want to care about politics, but sometimes just getting through the week feels like a lot.” – Survey respondent, 21, Saskatchewan

😐 Future feelings are mixed

You remain hopeful despite challenges. You believe in the power of community, incremental positive change, and finding resilience in connections with family and friends. Nature plays a role too.

When we asked what your biggest sources of hope were, you told us:

  • Youth engagement & activism (36.2%): You believe in your ability to drive change at the community level. Whether it’s organizing for the climate or advocating for better mental health resources, you see direct action as the way forward.
  • Potential for change (34.9%): You’re cautiously optimistic. It’s not about sweeping reform overnight but small, meaningful steps toward something better.
  • Personal life (31%): Many of you find resilience in your own experiences and the support of those closest to you—friends, family, and communities. When systems struggle, you turn toward your people to stay grounded.
  • Nature and the environment (31.3%): Getting into nature and being connected to the environment helps you feel connected and hopeful. This is further evidence why climate change is such an important issue for so many of you.

We also learned that your hopefulness depends on where you live:

  • British Columbia: 53.4% of BC youth said they planned to vote provincially*, and 55.1% intend to vote federally
  • New Brunswick: Provincial voting* intention was just 34.5%, and federal voting engagement was even lower at 36.2%.

So, what accounts for the variance across the country? A lot of factors: Political engagement, demographic composition, socioeconomic factors, and historical voting patterns — but we can’t impact all of that. New Majority is committed to challenging low turnout rates and activating youth toward improved engagement. We know that getting involved results in feelings of hope and connectedness.

So, what’s next?

We have our work cut out for us. And we’re here for it.

We conducted this survey from May to the end of November, 2024 before the political environment between Canada and the US shifted. We are more committed than ever to ensuring more young people like you are aware of how to vote, where to vote, and that your voice is heard. Protecting Canadian sovereignty and responding to the democratic issues of today begins with full civic involvement with as many young Canadians as possible.

Young people are the future — and the now. You’ve shown us you care. Deeply. About things like climate change, affordable housing, and mental health. Above all, you’ve proven you want your voice to be heard. And we hear that actually getting to the polls, and conquering the barriers for finding out where and how to vote are really, really important to making sure your voices are HEARD.

And we’re here to help with that. New Majority is dedicated to breaking down barriers, amplifying your voices, and making it easier for you to take action. Join us.

 

*Provincial elections for BC and New Brunswick happened on October 19th and October 21st respectively. We don’t yet have access to official turnout data. We remain curious to view the turnout data and will share it to our social media channels when available