2 in 3 Canadians would rather be born in 1950 than in 2026

If Canadians could choose their birth year, many would apparently trade smartphones for switchboards and TikTok for transistor radios. New polling suggests a striking nostalgia for a bygone era: nearly two-thirds of Canadians would prefer to have been born in the mid-20th century rather than in the present day. The survey by Abacus Data found 62 percent of respondents would choose to be born in 1950 if given the option, while only 38 percent would select 2026. The results, say pollsters, reflect growing anxiety about stability rather than mere nostalgia. David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data and co-host of the Hub Politics podcast, says the preference appears to signal deeper concerns about economic security and whether hard work still leads to a decent life. “It is not that people want to go backward. It is that people want to feel safe,” Coletto wrote in his analysis. “This is the disillusionment of adulthood. Not a rejection of modern life, but a growing sense that the ‘deal’ has changed,” he explained. The findings reveal sharp generational and political divides. Among Canadians aged 60 and older, 81 percent would rather be born in 1950. That figure drops to 64 percent for those aged 45 to 59, and 54 percent for those aged 30 to 44. Younger Canadians are the outlier. Among those aged 18 to 29, only 40 percent would choose 1950, making them the only age group where a majority still prefers the present day. Coletto describes this as a generational split between hope and frustration. Political affiliation also shapes preferences. Conservative voters strongly favour being born in 1950, with 74 percent choosing that option. Liberal voters are evenly split at 50-50. Race and ethnicity play a significant role as well. Visible minority Canadians are more likely to choose 2026 over 1950, with 57 percent selecting modern times. Coletto suggests this reflects both expanded opportunities and a realistic understanding of the prejudice minorities faced in the 1950s. The survey also asked Canadians to choose between being born in 1930 and today. In that scenario, 76 percent chose the present day, overwhelmingly rejecting being born right after the Wall Street crash of 1929 and the following Depression era and lead-up to the Second World War. Coletto says the contrast between 1950 and 1930 responses reveals the true driver behind the numbers. “Canadians are not blindly drawn to the past,” he wrote. The preference for 1950 appears to be what he calls a “proxy vote for stability” at a time when the belief that “hard work leads to a decent life” was generally true. According to Coletto, the results point to a fundamental shift in public perception about whether social and economic systems still deliver on basic promises. That sense of loss is grounded in more than sentiment. Statistics Canada data show that in the early 1950s, the average Canadian home cost roughly $12,000 in ‘50s’ cash—about three times the average nominal household income ($3,335) when incomes for the most part were barely taxed, if at all. By contrast, the average home price at the end of 2023 was $657,145, which translates to nine times the median after-tax household income of $74,200. No wonder Canadians would rather be in the time period of keeping up with the Joneses than the era of keeping up with the Kardashians. Meanwhile, consumer prices have risen more than twelvefold since 1950, outpacing income growth. While Canadians had much to worry about when it came to the Cold War, 1950s prosperity allowed a single income to reliably buy a home, raise a family, and build savings. Canadians’ preference for 1950 Canada, then, looks to be less about longing for rotary phones or a simpler way of life than for an economic model that offered predictability, affordability, and a clearer, more secure path in life. The Canadian dream, some might say. “Canadians are telling us, loudly, that they miss the feeling that the system worked,” explained Coletto. The online poll of 1,800 Canadians was conducted between Jan. 22 and 25. This article was prepared using NewsBox AI.