An aging democracy needs youth voices

The most comprehensive studies lowering the voting age have found that 16- and 17-year-olds match adults in their ability to evaluate their voting decisions.
Appetites for extending voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds are already well established in Canada, write Aleksi Toiviainen and Erika De Torres. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion
BY ALEKSI TOIVIAINEN, ERIKA DE TORRES
February 16, 2026

In 2026, Canada is becoming a “superaged country.”

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