Canada’s youth are discovering that the only thing scarcer than affordable housing is a job that pays enough to afford said housing. Armed with degrees, diplomas, and crippling student debt, many are now funnelling résumés into the digital void, only to receive automated rejection emails faster than food delivery.
Economists insist the economy is “resilient,” which is a polite way of saying “good luck, kids.” Employers, meanwhile, are demanding five years’ experience for entry-level positions and offering wages that barely cover bus fare. Parents are bracing for the inevitable: adult children boomeranging back into basements, inflating electricity bills and snack budgets.
Some optimists suggest youth should embrace the “gig economy,” where Uber Eats drivers earn just enough to buy the meals they’re delivering. For now, the only growth industry appears to be unpaid internships. Canada’s economy may not be in freefall, but for its young people, the landing already hurts.
