Canadian governments should invest in ways that support Canadians of all ages to thrive, and raise revenue in ways that support all generations to contribute a fair share.

Governments are doing a good job protecting healthy retirements by growing investments in public pensions and medical care. These investments matter, and they’ve helped make seniors the least likely age group to be poor. But we’re not investing as urgently in things that matter for younger people, like affordable homes, family supports, and climate action — even though they face growing financial insecurity, greater mental ill health, and declining happiness and hope for the future.

Governments often sidestep hard questions about how to pay for the Canada we want, because talking taxes is unpopular. We should have learned by now the risks of not being honest with Canadians. Past governments’ failure to plan adequately to cover the rising costs of an aging population has left a big hole in the budget. Governments are compensating in generationally unfair ways, like growing public debt and squeezing investments to reverse the deteriorating wellbeing of younger people.