As the Bank of Canada cut interest rates, new polling shows young Canadians are increasingly worried about losing their jobs in a slowing economy.A survey by the Angus Reid Institute found 37% of Canadians aged 18 to 24 now rank jobs and unemployment as the top issue facing the country, more than double the 18% who said the same last December. Concern jumped nine points since June alone. More than half of young adults, 52%, fear they or someone in their household could lose work due to the economy.The weak summer job market for youth was among the worst since 2010, outside of the pandemic years. Job losses in August shifted to the core 25-to-54 age group, leaving nearly two-in-five Canadians overall — 40% — worried about household job security..While anxiety over housing has eased slightly compared to last fall, broader economic stress remains high. Nearly 57% of Canadians say they cannot keep up with the cost of living, a figure that has stayed stubbornly high since 2022. A quarter of Canadians say they could not handle an unexpected $250 expense, while half could cover at least $1,000.On the housing front, three-in-five Canadians now describe their costs as manageable, up six points from last year, while those struggling to pay have declined by seven points. Meanwhile, concern over tariffs and U.S. relations has plummeted, dropping from 41% in March to just 18% now.
