The 2025 federal election delivered an unexpected result before a single ballot was counted: young Canadians showed up. Turnout among Canadians 18-24 jumped nearly 10 percent from 2021, a shift significant enough to warrant attention. Did outreach and civic engagement efforts finally move the needle, or did the “elbows up” moment – the visceral backlash against the suggestion that Canada could become the United States’ “51st state” – galvanise a generation that had largely sat out previous elections?  What we do know is that the information environment young Canadians navigate every day is becoming harder to trust – and that poses a quieter, more structural threat to the engagement gains of 2025 than anything happening at the ballot box.

Canada’s elections are widely regarded as secure and professionally administered. Yet democratic legitimacy depends on more than procedural safeguards. It also depends on whether citizens trust the information environment that shapes political judgment. For younger Canadians navigating a digital ecosystem increasingly shaped by social media and AI-generated content, that trust is becoming harder to sustain.

This improvement should not lead to complacency. Sustaining youth voter engagement will require continued attention, particularly because turnout declines further in provincial and municipal elections. Addressing youth voter turnout therefore requires confronting more than apathy. It also requires confronting declining trust in the information environment that shapes political judgment. 

The Trust Gap in Canada’s Elections 

When we think about the integrity of Canada’s elections, we tend to focus on procedural safeguards: secure and secret ballots, an independent process free from interference, and equal treatment for candidates. These elements matter deeply. Canada’s election administration is strong by international standards. But integrity is not only procedural. It is also participatory. A system can be secure on paper and still struggle to inspire engagement. 

Accessibility is embedded in Canada’s Electoral Integrity Framework. This includes physical access to the ballot, but also access to reliable information and an inclusive process. Democratic resilience ultimately depends not just on sound administration, but on public confidence. 

Youth voter turnout in Canada has historically lagged behind older cohorts, however, trust in the mechanics of elections remains relatively strong. Trust in the broader political system, and........

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