STUDENT BUDGET CONSULTATION The Student Budget Consultation is a project of This project is supported by
DEBT & DEFICIT Students want to reduce the debt 66% of students agree that reducing the debt should be a priority. DEBT BALANCE THE BUDGET? 48% of students believe that the budget should be balanced at any cost. Only 16% do not believe that the budget needs to be balanced.
JOBS & PROSPERITY 7/10 students believe that there is a Classifieds Classifieds Q: When you finish your schooling, how confident are you that you will find a job that interests you within Canada? 70% of students are confident they ll be youth able to easily obtain a unemployment problem in Canada. 54% summer job. 33% 10% 3% Very confident Somewhat confident Not very confident Not at all confident Students believe that achieving prosperity will be more challenging than their parents generation. 60% said that it will be more difficult for them to raise a family. 49% said that it will be more difficult to climb the social ladder.
HELPING YOUTH & FAMILIES #1 STRATEGY Reduce student debt and make education more affordable. Q: Q: What is the most important step the government could take to deal with youth unemployment? What is the most important step the government could take to help families? Making post-secondary education more affordable & accessible 44% Lowering personal income taxes 25% 9% 11% UNIVERSITY DEBT Make student debt more manageable Raise access to high quality jobs upon graduation Raise awareness of which sectors have the most jobs Increase training for 21st century careers 31% 27% 17% 14% Supporting access to affordable daycare More tax credits for children s activities
BUDGET PRIORITIES Protecting the Environment Post-Secondary Education Transfers Health Care Transfers Innovation/R&D Social Infrastructure (child care) Employment, EI & Skills Training Indigenous Youth/ Communities Infrastructure National Defence Arts & Culture Spending increases for the environment & education Spending cuts for arts & culture 61% 31% 9% 58% 33% 9% 47% 47% 6% 45% 46% 6% 43% 47% 10% 42% 50% 8% 41% 42% 18% 36% 54% 10% 32% 52% 16% 14% 54% 32% Thinking Local 36% of students want greater spending on affordable housing in their local communities. Spending should be increased Spending should be the same Spending should be decreased
INCLUSIVE GROWTH A majority of students feel that income inequality is a concern. 52% agreed that wealthy people have a greater obligation than 61% feel that the gap between those with high incomes everyone else to help those who are in need. and those with low incomes is too large. Q: How much should wealthier people pay in taxes? 63% 9% 28% More Less About the same as now
TAXES STUDENTS FAVOUR HIGHER TAX RATES FOR CORPORATIONS. Q: How much tax should corporations pay? 39% 35% Students are either split or undecided on whether Canada should impose a carbon tax. 14% much more somewhat more about the same as now 9% 3% somewhat less much less NEUTRAL 36% 41% 22% Students are divided on BIG GOVERNMENT VS. SMALL GOVERNMENT 52% Higher taxes & more government services 48% Less taxes & fewer services
BACKGROUND & METHODOLOGY is a civic education and financial literacy program for high school students across Canada. The process gives young people an opportunity to learn about government and public policy, debate varying viewpoints and offer their own opinion on the priorities of the federal budget. In conjunction with the 2017 Federal Budget, Canadian high school students were consulted on budget priorities using online and paperbased questionnaires. In total, 7,201 students from every province and territory in Canada participated between November 2016 and March 2017. Canadian census data has been used to weight the findings to reflect the actual population distribution by province of Canadians between the ages of 10 and 19. GENDER BREAKDOWN: 50% 48% 2% MALE FEMALE OTHER REGIONAL/PROVINCIAL BREAKDOWN: BC & NORTH 18% AB 10% SK 1% MB 3% ON 53% QC 13% ATLANTIC 2% DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN: 37% SUBURBAN 36% URBAN 27% RURAL is a national registered charity dedicated to building the habits of active and engaged citizenship among young Canadians. CIVIX provides experiential learning opportunities to help young Canadians practice their rights and responsibilities as citizens and connect with their democratic institutions. is the flagship program of CIVIX, is a parallel election for students under the voting age coinciding with official elections. In the 2015 federal election, 922,000 elementary and secondary students cast a Student Vote ballot from approximately half of all schools in Canada.