Albertans are the least satisfied with life of any Canadian province
Albertans have the lowest life satisfaction of any province in Canada, according to new data released Friday from Statistics Canada.
The report asked Canadians to rank their overall life satisfaction on a scale from zero to 10. In Alberta, 29.1 per cent of respondents rated their satisfaction between zero and five, the highest proportion in the country.
Meanwhile, 38.1 per cent gave a life satisfaction rating of six or seven, while 38.1 per cent reported high life satisfaction with a score between eight and 10, the lowest among provinces.
More men than women in Alberta reported feeling dissatisfied with life. About 30.4 per cent of men ranked themselves in the lower satisfaction category, compared to 27.7 per cent for women.
Albertans also reported some of the country’s highest rates of lacking a sense of meaning and purpose. Nearly one in five respondents, or 19.8 per cent, said they rarely or never felt a sense of meaning or purpose in their lives, second only to Manitoba.
But despite the low satisfaction numbers, many Albertans still expressed optimism about the future. More than half, 52.3 per cent, said that they always or often felt hopeful about the future, while 32.9 per cent said they sometimes felt hopeful.
Another 13.9 per cent reported they rarely or never had a hopeful outlook.
Statistics Canada
Nationally, Canadians reported improved well-being compared to the same period two years ago. High life satisfaction rose 5.7 per cent from Q2 2024, while feelings of meaning and purpose increased by 4.6 per cent. The percentage of Canadians who reported having a hopeful outlook on the future also rose by 2.9 per cent.
But the report also found that Canadians between the ages of 25 and 64 consistently reported lower life satisfaction levels compared with older age groups, while Canadians aged 65 and older reported the highest satisfaction levels overall.
Statistics Canada
Quebec reported the highest levels of life satisfaction in the country. More than half of respondents, 57.3 per cent, rated their life satisfaction between eight and 10, while 14.8 per cent reported low satisfaction scores between zero and five.
You can find the full report on the Statistics Canada website.