STUDENT
BUDGET
CONSULTATION
The Student Budget Consultation is a project of
This project is supported by
BALANCE THE BUDGET?
49% of students
believe the government should balance the budget this year
despite the decline in oil prices and government revenues
29% said it was okay if the government did not balance the budget
How should the Government balance the budget?
Increase corporate taxes
27%
Cut government spending
25%
Delay tax cuts/childcare benefits
Use the contingency fund
12%
28%
BALANCED BUDGET
Increase personal taxes among the highest earners
8%
2015 HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT TO DO WITH A SURPLUS?
PAY DOWN THE DEBT
Students allocated a larger percentage of
the possible surplus towards paying down
the federal debt than any other option
Pay down the
federal debt
12.9%
Purchase new
equipment for the
Canadian Forces
8.6%
Increase health care
transfers to provinces
7.8%
Increase social
transfers to provinces
for post-secondary
education
7.3%
Cut personal
income taxes
7.1%
2015 HIGHLIGHTS
BUDGET PRIORITIES
Spending increases for post-secondary
education, the environment and healthcare
Post-Secondary Education Transfers
Spending cuts for increased sentences
& prisons and arts & culture
56%
Protecting the environment
29%
36%
54%
Healthcare Transfers
43%
Innovation/R&D
3% 7%
45%
6% 7%
45%
38%
7%
7% 4%
40%
50%
Employment, EI and Skills Training
8%
7%
10%
Vulnerable Groups
37%
44%
13%
6%
National Defense
37%
43%
15%
5%
Crime Prevention Programs
35%
48%
10%
7%
Infrastructure
35%
Tax Credits or Benefits
22%
52%
46%
7% 7%
20%
17%
45%
29%
8%
Arts & Culture
17%
46%
28%
9%
Canada Post
17%
22%
Spending
should be
the same
Spending
should be
decreased
Don’t know
12%
Prisons/Increased Sentences
53%
Spending
should be
increased
8%
2015 HIGHLIGHTS
HELPING FAMILIES
28%
Lowering personal income taxes and
subsidizing the cost of post-secondary
education are the most important
26%
Q: What is the most important step the
government could take to help families
?
13%
9%
Lowering
personal
income
taxes
Subsidizing
postsecondary
education
Tax credits
for children’s
activities
National
child care
program
7%
7%
Income
splitting
among
parents
Extending
parental
leave/
benefits
2015 HIGHLIGHTS
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
Q: What is the most important step to increase youth employment ?
1
2
3
4
5
38%
16%
14%
12%
6%
Lower tuition
Training programs
to fill skills shortages
Jobs grants or tax
credits for businesses
Increased awareness
about available jobs
Lower taxes
on businesses
Q: What is the biggest challenge that you face in starting your career ?
20%
Cost of education
19%
Career
uncertainty
11%
Job competition
9%
Location
8%
University
program
competition
7%
Limited jobs
5%
Lack of
guidance/
support
2015 HIGHLIGHTS
CELEBRATING CANADA’S 150TH
Q: Canada will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2017.
Which is the best way for the Government to mark this occasion ?
Create a new scholarship program
for post-secondary students
28%
Create new national parks
and protected habitats
21%
Fund local community
celebrations and events
15%
Build new public cultural and sporting
facilities across the country
12%
Create new programs in cooperation
with schools and teachers to improve
teaching about Canadian history
Spend money on advertising to
raise awareness about Canadian
achievements in the past 150 years
Other
10%
6%
9%
2015 HIGHLIGHTS
METHODOLOGY & BACKGROUND
is a civic education and financial literacy program for high school
students across Canada. The process gives young people an opportunity to learn about government and public policy, debate varying
viewpoints and offer their own opinion on the priorities of the federal budget.
In conjunction with the 2015 Federal Budget,
Canadian high school students were consulted on
budget priorities using online and paper-based
questionnaires. In total, 6,189 high school students
from every province and territory in Canada
participated between December 2014 and April 2015.
The most recent Canadian census data has been used
to weight the data to reflect the actual population
distribution by province of Canadians between the
ages of 12 and 19.
is a non-partisan, national
registered charity building the capacity and
commitment of young Canadians to
participate in our democracy. Our vision is a
strong and inclusive Canada where all young
people are ready, willing and able to contribute
to their country.
Gender
Breakdown
50%
50%
Grade
Breakdown
Grade 7
1% Grade 8
Other 2%
3%
Grade 12
21%
Grade 11
13%
MALE
FEMALE
Grade 9
24%
Grade 10
37%
Regional/Provincial
Breakdown
BC & NORTH
15%
AB
23%
SK
10%
MB
9%
ON
37%
QC
3%
ATLANTIC
3%
, the flagship program of
CIVIX, is a parallel election for students
under the voting age coinciding with official
elections. In the 2011 federal election, more
than 563,000 students cast a Student Vote
ballot from nearly 3,800 schools throughout
Canada.
2015 HIGHLIGHTS