State of the Nation · 2026

State of the Nation

We are not yet the most prosperous country on earth. But we could be.

Economy

GDP per capita
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, chained 2017 dollars
Canada
$30,000$40,000$50,000$60,000$70,000198020032026
Source · Statistics Canada (table 36-10-0706)
Unemployment by age
Unemployment rate by age group
25–54
15–24
55–64
0%10%20%30%40%198020032026
Source · Statistics Canada (table 14-10-0287)
New Business Creation
New businesses started per 1,000 people
Entrants per 1,000
3.544.555.5198020032026
Sources · Statistics Canada (table 33-10-0087) · Statistics Canada (table 17-10-0009)
Wage growth
Real hourly wages, average vs median (2026 dollars)
Average
Median
$25$30$35$40198020032026
Source · Statistics Canada (table 14-10-0064)
Inflation
Inflation (CPI) vs 2% target
Inflation (12-month)
2% target
-5.0%0.0%5.0%10.0%198020032026
Source · Statistics Canada (table 18-10-0004)

Government Sustainability

Net debt
Government net debt (excl. CPP/QPP), share of GDP
Net debt (excl. pensions)
20%40%60%80%100%120%198020032026
Source · Statistics Canada (tables 10-10-0015 and 36-10-0104)
Public vs private jobs
Employment share by class of worker
Public sector
Private sector
Self-employed
0%20%40%60%80%198020032026
Source · Statistics Canada (table 14-10-0288)

Housing

Housing Affordability
Mortgage debt service ratio, % of disposable income
Mortgage debt service ratio
4%5%6%7%8%9%198020032026
Source · Statistics Canada (table 11-10-0065)
Housing Starts
Housing starts per 1,000 people
Starts per 1,000
246810198020032026
Sources · CMHC via Statistics Canada (table 34-10-0126) · Statistics Canada (table 17-10-0009)

Immigration

Canadians Leaving Canada
Emigrants, net of returning Canadians
Net emigration
020,00040,00060,00080,000198020032026
Source · Statistics Canada (table 17-10-0008)
Admissions to Canada
Permanent residents admitted to Canada per year
PR admissions
100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000198020032026
Source · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Are we missing something?

We’re trying to answer the question: are we on the right track?

It’s a nuanced question. We can be growing our economy, but if our young people can’t buy a house and start a family, we’re not really prosperous. We care about prosperity in the broadest sense — so come tell us what we’re missing on X or email us at [email protected].