One Year On: Has Canada Kept Its Promise to Future Generations?

Young people and future generations generally don’t get a vote. But last year, the UN gave them a voice.

In September 2024, the United Nations held its first-ever Summit of the Future. Out of it came a milestone in global governance: the Declaration on Future Generations.

For the first time, countries around the world pledged to “safeguard the needs and interests of future generations” and urged today’s leaders to “seize the opportunity that present generations possess to leave a better future for generations to come.”

Generation Squeeze joined voices from around the globe in celebrating this achievement. The declaration marked a turning point: recognition that short-term politics won’t solve long-term challenges like climate change, unaffordable housing, or ballooning medical costs.

But a declaration is only the beginning. What matters now is action.

When Canada signed on, the timing seemed right. The 2024 federal budget promised “Fairness for Every Generation,” raising hopes for real progress.

Since then, an election, US economic threats, and global conflicts have consumed the national agenda. Yet the pressures facing younger Canadians haven’t gone away. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre continues to talk about a “generation screwed.” Prime Minister Mark Carney wants to "restore the bargain that allowed other generations of Canadians to succeed.”

Words matter. But they’re not enough.

With the next federal budget coming in November, the question is clear: Will Canada live up to the promise it made at the UN — or will short-term politics win out?

Every budget decision Canada makes today either protects or undermines the future. Over-extracting from our economy and our planet to cover current spending leaves younger and future Canadians with the bill. As our colleagues at the School for International Futures in the UK put it:

“The Declaration on Future Generations is a milestone in global governance. It signals widespread recognition that short-term crisis management is insufficient for today’s challenges, and it invites governments and multilateral organisations to instead prioritise long-term thinking in policy, planning, and action to secure better outcomes for current and future generations.”

Canada signed that declaration. Now we need to act like it.

That’s why we’re calling on governments across Canada to safeguard the wellbeing of all generations with legislation.

Legislation is the only way to ensure these principles don’t disappear when it’s politically convenient. Embedding fairness for all generations in our decision-making processes would:

• Lock in accountability through monitoring and reporting,
• Protect the advances we’ve already made toward a Canada where all ages can thrive, and
• Ensure that decisions made today don’t ignore the needs of younger and future generations

Join the Call

Our kids, and the generations that will follow them, can't vote for the future they want. That’s why we must raises our voices for them.

One year after the UN milestone, it’s time for Canada to match global promises with national action. Let’s make generational fairness a permanent part of our political DNA — so we leave not just words, but a lasting legacy.

Add your voice to our call for legislation to safeguard the wellbeing of all generations.

Support our call for legislation