With an election around the corner, ordinary Canadians are speaking up. We are facing multiple overlapping crises — skyrocketing rent, unaffordable groceries, student debt, and a climate emergency.

Take some time to read the powerful stories below from people across the country. Then, join us to call on all Canadian Federal Party Leaders to build a future that works for all of us.

Read the Stories

Demand Better

Fed Up? You’re not alone.

Keep scrolling to read powerful stories from people across Canada who are courageously sharing why the status quo is not working for them.

 

“Having to choose between rent and groceries shouldn’t have to be a choice one is forced to make. The stress and burden of making less and spending more has caused extreme anxiety for me and my family.”
– Ben, 29

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Having to choose between rent and groceries shouldn’t have to be a choice one is forced to make. The stress and burden of making less and spending more has caused extreme anxiety for me and my family.

I have hopes and dreams of living comfortably and sustainably one day, but it seems like each day that passes puts those desires one step further beyond my grasp.

It has been an extremely discouraging time given the most recent US election, where it seems like the ones who do the most damage to the things we strive to improve on are always getting away with it.

We need to stop letting the wealthy few rule over the rest of us. It starts with the choices we make. A collective effort can go a long way, and while things are financially tough right now for most, it’s important to continue the fight in making the most ethical choice available to us as consumers.

Ben, 29

“Just like that Carolyn was gone. I had been mowing Carolyn’s lawn every Thursday for the past eight years. She was a lovely lady who didn’t deserve to die like that. I still miss her today. We need to address climate change now.”
– Amber

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The heat dome of 2021 in BC started on June 18th and lasted until July 14th. There were 619 heat-related deaths during that time.

I remember it was a Thursday afternoon in July. I was mowing lawns that day for my customers in Chilliwack. I pulled up to Carolyn’s house. She was 87 years old. She was a widow and lived alone. She loved her garden. Her two daughters were standing out in the front yard. They both looked visibly upset. I approached them with concern and asked what was wrong? The eldest daughter told me that Carolyn’s air conditioner had stopped working during the night and that she “boiled to death in her sleep.”

I was speechless. I cried. Just like that Carolyn was gone. I had been mowing Carolyn’s lawn every Thursday for the past eight years. She was a lovely lady who didn’t deserve to die like that. I still miss her today.

We need to address climate change now. It’s real and it’s destroying our people, communities, and our planet. Enough already!

Amber

“I was laid off and entitled to maximum EI benefits. However, the maximum EI amount did not even cover my monthly rent, forcing me to further rely on debt until I could find more work.”
– Anonymous, 27, Alberta

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I entered the workforce straight out of high school. I followed the adage of work hard and work your way up. I did that as well, moving from $16/hour to $80,000 per year in only 4 years.

Despite this, my finances never improved and even declined due to the cost of living. This was further exacerbated when I was relocated to Ontario for work. I lived 89 KM away from my primary work location, having to drive from Brantford to Mississauga everyday due to Brantford being the only semi-affordable location. Then, I was laid off and entitled to maximum EI benefits. However, the maximum EI amount did not even cover my monthly rent, forcing me to further rely on debt until I could find more work.

After depleting my resources, I was forced to move to Alberta into my uncle’s house in order to avoid becoming homeless. The debt has now developed into a self-perpetuating cycle due to interest rates, and the prospect of renting is now unimaginable; despite having a job as soon as I arrived in Alberta.

Anonymous, 27, Alberta

“He said to me, “Grandma, I feel like the whole world is burning and no one is worried about it.”
– Susan, 72, Surrey

 

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When my 9-year-old grandson’s soccer practice was canceled, due to wildfire smoke, he said to me, “Grandma, I feel like the whole world is burning and no one is worried about it.” I told him that I was worried and I was trying to get the government to act faster. I have 5 grandchildren and I am worried about the kind of world they are going to grow up in. I may not solve anything in my lifetime, but I want my grandchildren to know that I tried.

It’s time for our governments to create a tax on the ultra-wealthy. Let’s use the money for not-for-profit housing and to promote more renewable energy projects.

Susan, 72, Surrey

“I can’t afford to eat 3 meals a day, and some days I skip eating altogether.”
-Anonymous, 26, Kingston

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I’m disabled and queer, I live off of provincial disability support. It’s becoming harder and harder to live authentically and publicly. I can’t afford to eat 3 meals a day, and some days I skip eating altogether. I can’t leave my house when the sidewalks and roads aren’t plowed of snow due to my disabilities, and I can’t leave the house in the summer when it’s too hot for the same reason. I have to spend so much money on cooling in the summer that I don’t have money for transportation, clothing, or most food.

I’ve been homeless and I know that it’s easier to be hungry than it is to find housing. I’m worried that going without needs for so long won’t matter and that I’ll end up homeless despite how careful I’ve been with money. In order to prevent my mobility from getting worse, I need to be able to go to occupational therapy and physical therapy, neither of which are covered by the provincial disability program. In Ontario we disabled only get a maximum of $1358 in financial support, which is 56% of the poverty line and far beneath what we need to thrive.

The fact of the matter is that the cost of living, housing, and climate crises are all interconnected. The wealth gap is so large and poverty is so pervasive that people with multiple full-time jobs are experiencing destitution. Allowing disabled people, “unskilled” people, and families to suffer while resources and money are concentrated in so few people’s hands is injustice.

I desperately want to be of use and to contribute to society, but even if I had no way to, I should be able to live with dignity and respect. In order to work, I need more financial support for enough food for energy to concentrate, adequate clothing, and housing needs.

I don’t have the financial support that I need to escape the cycle I’m stuck in, and I don’t have the supportive programs I need to stabilize my disabilities to get better. I need to have hope that there will be a future where the planet is protected, people can afford to thrive, and no one is unhoused.

Anonymous, 26, Kingston

“It can be hard to enjoy your life when you’re  financially further behind than previous generations.”
– Brenna, 28, Moncton

Let’s demand better.

Mega corporations and billionaires are hoarding wealth, exploiting workers, and harming our climate for their profits. They profit, we pay. Among them, the fossil fuel industry, is raking in obscene profits while destroying our planet and future. Now, the looming trade war with the U.S. makes our reliance on corporations, especially the oil and gas sector, a ticking time bomb.

All of us are fed up with this rollercoaster ride. It’s time to take our future into our own hands with a Green New Deal that ensures everyone’s basic needs are met, strengthens local economies, follows Indigenous leadership, and reduces our exposure to both fossil fuel volatility and U.S. economic bullying. If we tax billionaires and Canada’s largest, price-gouging corporations, we can fund a future that works for all of us.

It’s time for political leaders to choose people over corporations and deliver a Green New Deal for a Resilient Canada.

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Protect People not Corporations: Deliver a Green New Deal for a Resilient Canada

Canada’s political parties are gearing up for the next election—let’s demand bold action for a fairer future.

While billionaires and Big Oil rake in record profits, everyday people are are left behind.

By taxing billionaires, Big Oil, and Canada’s richest corporations, we can generate billions for our families and communities.

It’s time to prioritize people over profits.


 

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Thank you!

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in this project. We appreciate your honesty and your vulnerability. Thank you for reminding us that we are not alone in these heavy times and we all deserve better.  

 

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