Youth-Powered Data Reveals What It Will Really Take for Young People to Thrive in Canadian Cities

On International Youth Day, Youthful Cities calls for stronger local investment in youth-driven solutions—and offers the data to make it happen.

Young people across Canada are eager to build dynamic careers, strong communities, and equitable futures—but they’re also clear-eyed about the barriers. Today, on International Youth Day 2025, Youthful Cities is releasing ten key insights from its latest report, Building Bridges: Connecting Youth Skills to the Future of Work—a deep dive into what young people need to succeed, drawn from the voices of thousands of youth across the country.

The report is part of DEVlab, a national research project led by Youthful Cities and Tamarack Institute, that uses local data and youth-designed surveys to map what it really takes for young people to thrive in a post-pandemic world. The findings reflect youth experiences in 30 Canadian cities and emphasize the need for city-level solutions—not just national strategies—to address youth employment, education, and equity.

“In a year that celebrates youth leadership on the Sustainable Development Goals, these findings spotlight the urgent need for local governments and employers to co-create solutions with youth—bridging the gap between policy and practice,” said Sarah Armouch, Senior Director of Research and Innovation at Youthful Cities.

Top 10 Findings from DEVlab:

1. 86% of young people want AI and related technical skills to be part of their education curriculum.
2. 54% would leave their role after 6 months for a better opportunity or stronger workplace culture.
3. 63% of youth believe poor leadership makes an organization unattractive to work with and 65% believe that a ‘stable’ organization is what matters the most.
4. Youth say high salaries (69%) and flexibility (63%) are the top traits of an attractive employer.
5. 60% of young people want to start their own business—rising to 74% among Black youth.
6. 49% of Black youth and 43% of racialized youth believe their jobs could be eliminated by AI within a decade.
7. Over 33% of youth want to shift away from traditional institutions and nonprofits, preferring large for-profit companies.
8. Youth are most interested in jobs in business, finance, green industries, and digital technology.
9. Youth want Indigenous knowledge meaningfully included in education and organizational practices—and call for real investments in justice and reconciliation over performative EDI.
10. Youth with disabilities place high value on mental health support (64%) and inclusive practices (48%).

These findings and others are featured in the flagship Building Bridges report, launched as part of the national webinar series, Bold Futures: Built by Youth. Powered by Skills. The series brings youth and employers together to explore meaningful pathways to work—and has sparked critical conversations about affordability, mental health, equity, AI, and Indigenous innovation.

“The data shows young people aren’t waiting for change—they’re building it. But to succeed, they need communities, governments, and employers who are ready to co-create a future of work that’s inclusive, local, and resilient,” said Robert Barnard, co-founder of Youthful Cities.

Youth Data for Action

All findings are showcased on the Youth Data Lab—Canada’s only open-data platform built by and for youth. The tool allows users to explore data by city, topic, or identity group, providing real-time insights for municipal governments, policymakers, youth organizations, and employers.

Youthful Cities invites journalists, decision-makers, and organizations to use this data to inform policies and programs aligned with the sustainable development goals—and with the needs of youth who live them every day.

Disponible en français ici >

Media Contact:
Cathy Bogaart
Communications Lead
Youthful Cities
cathy@youthfulcities.com