Significance of Student Voters

Students are Canada’s future leaders, innovators and problem solvers. With over 2 million students enrolled in Canadian universities and colleges, you contribute significantly to Canada’s landscape through research, tuition, and local spending (1). Your vote influences policies that protect your financial future like student loan reforms, job creation, and support for startups. In addition, young and student voters are Canada’s most diverse generation, with your voices pushing for inclusive policies such as Reconciliation and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights (2). Voting amplifies your ability to build a future which reflects your values!

Key Issues

• As of 2023, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment nationwide was approximately $1,700, marking a 35% increase from five years ago (3). This surge in rental expenses is especially a challenge for younger Canadians and students aged 15-30 who typically earn less than their older counterparts. In 2019, the employment rate of young Canadians in 2019 stood at 67.3%, significantly lower than the rate for individuals aged 31 to 44 (83.7%) (4). 
• The cost of living for students has skyrocketed with rent in university towns like Waterloo and Guelph surging due to demand and limited supply (5). In Waterloo, Ontario, 63% of students reported difficulties in finding housing, while 45% said their expenses were higher than expected (6). 
• Student and youth unemployment is double the national average, as students and recent graduates are most impacted by recent underemployment trends in Canada (7). 
• On average, international undergraduate students paid $40,115 per year in tuition during the 2024/2025 academic year (8). This rate, with some programs charging international students up to three times more than Canadian citizens, helps to offset declining government funding for domestic students (9). Student unions contend that the reliance on international student fees exacerbates inequality and undermines educational accessibility (10). Increased government funding and equitable tuition models are urgently needed to reduce tuition fees and expand grants for both domestic and international students
• Women’s rights collectives point out how high tuition fees disproportionately affect women – particularly single mothers and low-income women as women are more likely to take on student debt and face longer repayment periods (11, 12).  This is due to the gender pay gap and career interruptions, such as unpaid or inadequately compensated maternity leave (11).  
• Disability advocacy groups emphasize that government underfunding limits the ability of institutions to provide necessary support, such as assistive technologies and accessible facilities (13).

Barriers and Challenges

“I don’t have the right ID or proof of address” 

• Proving identity or address remains a challenge for student voters. 
  • 28% of students between the ages of 18 to 34 tended to report electoral-process-related reasons (e.g. unable to prove their identity or address) for not voting, while the vast majority (94%) of voters in 2021 needed only one piece of ID (14).
• Elections Canada accepts a wide range and combination of IDs, including your driver’s license, proof of lease, bank statement, citizenship certificate, and a letter from a student residence (15). You can also vote by declaring your identity and address in writing and having an eligible voter vouch for you!

“I’m too busy with school and work”

• 17% of student voters in the 2021 federal election were more likely to report that they did not vote due to school-related conflicts, with 14% not voting due to living away from home (14). Data also shows that in 2021, 55% of voters aged 18-35 attending school were less likely to be familiar with their nearest voting location compared to voters older than 35 (14). 
• You can vote early in advance polls or by mail! Request a mail-in ballot – it’s as simple as filling out a form online and mailing it back. Some campuses also have polling stations open during the week, so you can vote between classes (15). Check with your student union or Elections Canada to find out where and when. 

“I don’t have trust or confidence in the electoral process”

• Following the 2021 federal election, 54% of voters between 18-34 were less likely to be satisfied with the workings of democracy in Canada (14).
• In 2021, student voters like you decided close races in ridings, such as in Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC and Charleswood, MB (16). In 2025, your vote could be the one that changes everything.