Insights on Canadian Society - Special Edition Issue 2
Special edition, issue 2
Threads of change: Navigating Canada’s social fabric in times of transformation
A resilient Canadian society, like a well-woven fabric, maintains structural integrity through adaptive policies, social cohesion and economic stability.
Yet, as the pace of societal shift begins to increase, now more than ever, it is important to use social statistics to understand how people in Canada are doing and how this speaks to disruptions and evolutions in underlying structures.
This issue delves into the makeup of Canadian society in times of transformation, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future. Topics such as youth’s perception of their sense of belonging, trends in police-reported drug crime and the impact of U.S. tariffs on the Canadian labour market are examined.
Articles
Community and well-being: Exploring sense of belonging among youth
by Helen Foran
Nearly two-thirds of youth aged 15 to 19 reported a strong sense of belonging to their local community, compared with less than half of those aged 20 to 24 and 25 to 29. This article uses data from the Canadian Social Survey (2021 to 2024) to explore the characteristics of youth who are most likely to have a strong sense of belonging to their community. The relationship between a strong sense of belonging and other indicators of well-being is also explored.
Perceptions of labour market discrimination among persons with disabilities in Canada
Over one-quarter of Canadians aged 15 years and older had at least one disability in 2022, yet information on the experiences of labour market discrimination among persons with disabilities remains limited. This article uses data from the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability to examine characteristics associated with perceived labour market discrimination among persons with disabilities in Canada, drawing comparisons with 2017 when possible.
Trends in police-reported drug crime in Canada
by Adam Cotter and Shana Conroy
After 12 consecutive years of decline, police-reported drug crime increased from 2023 to 2024, but it remained well below its historic peak in 2011. This article uses data from the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey to examine trends in police-reported drug offences, including types of drugs, types of violations, clearance status and accused person characteristics.
United States tariffs and Canadian labour market trends
by Andrew Fields, Pippa O’Brien and André Bernard
In Canada, an estimated 1.9 million people worked in industries dependent on demand from the United States for Canadian exports in 2024. This study uses data from the Labour Force Survey and the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours to examine the characteristics of workers most vulnerable to the impacts of tariff-related trade uncertainty, as well as the impact that it may be having on the Canadian labour market.
Visuals
Youth participation in groups, organizations or associations
Just over half of Canadian youth participated in a group, an organization or an association from 2021 to 2024. Building on the related article, “Community and well-being: Exploring sense of belonging among youth,” this infographic focuses on youth participation in groups, organizations or associations and its impact on sense of belonging.
Migration of Indigenous people to and from First Nations reserves, 2016 to 2021
First Nations reserve communities occupy a unique political, legal and cultural place within Canada. Migration into and out of reserves can affect population size and composition in First Nations communities. This infographic uses data from the 2016 and 2021 Census of Population to provide updated information about the movement of Indigenous people into and out of First Nations reserve communities, with a focus on selected demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
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