These provinces reported the lowest life satisfaction in Canada
Several provinces are reporting the lowest levels of life satisfaction, according to a recent report by Statistics Canada.
Each quarter, Statistics Canada publishes its report on the quality of life in Canada, asking participants to rate three key factors: how they feel about the future, their sense of meaning and purpose, and how satisfied they feel with life.
The most recent report is from the second quarter of 2025 and offers a snapshot of Canadians’ well-being. It appears that overall satisfaction is on the rise — 46.1 per cent reported being very satisfied with life, a 5.7 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Meanwhile, 55.7 per cent of Canadians said they felt a strong sense of meaning and purpose, up 4.6 per cent. When it comes to the future, 55.9 per cent reported being highly optimistic, an increase of 2.9 per cent.
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But not all provinces are feeling the same way.
Participants ranked their satisfaction levels from zero to 10, where eight to 10 indicates high satisfaction. Scores of six to seven reflect moderate satisfaction, while anything from zero to five suggests low satisfaction.
According to Statistics Canada, Quebec leads the country in overall satisfaction, with 57.3 per cent of residents reporting high satisfaction and just 14.8 per cent indicating low satisfaction.
New Brunswick follows closely behind, where 53.4 percent of residents said they are highly satisfied, compared with 18.9 percent who report low satisfaction.
At the lower end of the rankings, Albertans record the lowest overall satisfaction, with only 38.1 per cent reporting high satisfaction and 29.1 per cent indicating low satisfaction.
Ontario ranks second lowest, with 42 per cent of residents reporting high satisfaction, and 25.5 per cent said they are not satisfied with life.
Saskatchewan sits just above Ontario in the rankings, but still below British Columbia. In the province, 43.8 per cent of residents report high satisfaction levels, while 26 per cent said they’re not satisfied with life.
Slightly ahead of Saskatchewan, in B.C., 44.8 per cent of residents report high satisfaction and 23.5 per cent report low satisfaction.
Here’s how Canadians ranked in satisfaction levels by province:
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1. Quebec
High satisfaction: 57.3 per cent
Moderate satisfaction: 27.9 per cent
Low satisfaction: 14.8 per cent
2. New Brunswick
High satisfaction: 53.4 per cent
Moderate satisfaction: 27.7 per cent
Low satisfaction: 18.9 per cent
3. Newfoundland and Labrador
High satisfaction: 51.3 per cent
Moderate satisfaction: 26.7 per cent
Low satisfaction: 21.9 per cent
4. Prince Edward Island
High satisfaction: 50.1 per cent
Moderate satisfaction: 28.7 per cent
Low satisfaction: 21.2 per cent
5. Nova Scotia
High satisfaction: 49.1 per cent
Moderate satisfaction: 28.9 per cent
Low satisfaction: 22 per cent
6. Manitoba
High satisfaction: 45.6 per cent
Moderate satisfaction: 27.3 per cent
Low satisfaction: 27 per cent
7. British Columbia
High satisfaction: 44.8 per cent
Moderate satisfaction: 31.7 per cent
Low satisfaction: 23.5 per cent
8. Saskatchewan
High satisfaction: 43.8 per cent
Moderate satisfaction: 30.1 per cent
Low satisfaction: 26 per cent
9. Ontario
High satisfaction: 42 per cent
Moderate satisfaction: 32.5 per cent
Low satisfaction: 25.5 per cent
10. Alberta
High satisfaction: 38.1 per cent
Moderate satisfaction: 32.8 per cent
Low satisfaction: 29.1 per cent
Looking at age groups, the survey shows clear differences in how Canadians feel about their lives.
Canadians aged 65 and older report the highest levels of satisfaction, with 60.5 per cent stating they are very satisfied, followed by those aged 55 to 64 at 51.5 per cent.
Younger Canadians tend to report lower levels of satisfaction overall. Among those aged 15 to 24, 46 per cent said they are very satisfied with life, compared with just 37.8 per cent of Canadians aged 25 to 54.