Time flies, and another year is about to pass.
The Angus Reed Institute, a public opinion research firm, said that when Canadians look back on the past 12 months, there are mixed reviews for 2023.
The 1,516 Canadian adults surveyed, who are members of the Angus Reid Forum, were surveyed between Dec. 15 and 19. The survey found that 70% of people said they would either feel happy or very happy at the end of 2023, taking into account factors such as their health, well-being and finances. At the same time, 27 percent said they were "not very happy".
After a year of financial hardship for many Canadians, 44 per cent said they were unhappy with their financial situation. Predictably, financial dissatisfaction is higher among low-income groups.
When it comes to mental health, 32% of respondents said they are not satisfied with how they are feeling at the moment. This rate is higher among young women, with 45% saying their mental health could be better.
The main factor of life satisfaction
To measure the level of satisfaction of Canadians, Angus Reid divided respondents into four groups based on their responses, which they called the "Life Satisfaction Index," which included very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, and very dissatisfied.
According to the survey results, the biggest variables influencing life satisfaction include age, income level, and whether respondents have children.
The majority of respondents said they were happy with their financial situation, but 44% were unhappy or very unhappy with their financial situation.
More than half of households earning less than $50,000 say they are unhappy with their financial situation and have an annual income of less than $2Forty-eight percent of $50,000 households said they were very dissatisfied.
Differences between different groups
Canadians with children are also less likely to express satisfaction with their lives, especially when it comes to how they feel about their physical health, leisure time, and finances.
Canadians aged 54 and over seem to be most satisfied with their lives, regardless of gender. According to Angus Reed, this is partly related to income levels, as older people are more likely to be financially stable, own a home and other "stable lifestyle factors."
The fourth important factor is whether the respondent identifies as a minority. Among ethnic minorities in Canada, 65 per cent responded that they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied overall. Among non-minorities, the proportion is much smaller, at 48 per cent.
Much has happened since the Angus Reid Institute last surveyed Canadians in 2016 about their level of life satisfaction, and that's clear.
Seven years ago, before COVID-19, when the economic environment was more stable, 79% of respondents said they were very happy or quite happy. In 2023, that percentage dropped to 70 percent, with a nine percentage point increase in the number of people saying they were "not too happy" with their lives.
The percentage of people who are satisfied with their stress levels also dropped by five percentage points during this time. Despite economic uncertainty and months of inflation, respondents' financial satisfaction with them rose by one percentage point in 2023 compared to 2016, from 56% to 57%.
Keywords of the year 2023
Ultimately, through the choice of 15 positive and negative words, we can see that Canadians have a different way of feeling about 2023. The two most commonly chosen words are "grateful" and "exhausting", followed by "anxious," "satisfying," "frustrating," "normal," "blissful," "dull," "melancholy," "pleasant," "boring," and "exhilarating."
What's your keyword of the year?
The new year is coming, looking back on the past, everyone has their own ups and downs, and the past has passed after all, in 2024, I hope each of us can become better!