The facts are in:Canada’s health and prosperity are in jeopardy.
We have identified four critical factors unique to our country that threaten our future. A rapidly aging population and low birth rate will put an enormous strain on our infrastructure, primarily healthcare. Canada’s productivity lags our global peers, while GDP per capita has stagnated for over a decade. Finally, we have a weak culture of innovation and entrepreneurship; currently, we rank 15th in the world. The U.S. is number one.
15th
63%
10th
*not including small countries with populations under 1 million
<span class="markText markYellow inspiringMark">Galvanize a new generation</span> of young Canadians to greater productivity by inspiring them to be <span>b<span class="starIcon"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/purple-star.svg" alt="Star3" role="presentation" class="rotateIcon"></span>ld,</span> <span>inn<span class="flowerIcon"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/green-flower-icon.svg" alt="Flower1" role="presentation" class="rotateIcon"></span>vative</span> and <span>ambiti<span class="crackerIcon"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/orange-star.svg" alt="Cracker3" role="presentation" class="rotateIcon"></span>us,</span> to <span class="markText markYellow inspiringMark">take risks, try</span> <span class="markText markYellow inspiringMark"> new ideas <span>and dare. </span></span>
Galvanize a new generation of young Canadians to greater productivity by inspiring them to be b
ld, inn
vative and ambiti
us, to take risks, try new ideas and dare.
![A 90s style photograph of a hand reaching out from a bush holding an inflated red balloon.](https://shiftcanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ballon.jpg)
Our starting point? Shifting the Canadian perspective on success from undermining to celebrating it.
If we want our young people to reach for the stars, we need to build a culture that will support them on their journey and celebrate them when they succeed. How do we galvanize that social change? The answer, as quantified in a 2018 study on tipping point theory published by the University of Pennsylvania, is to shift the mindset of 25% of our population.
Teaching young people about the most powerful ally to success
Fostering a new generation of entrepreneurial thinkers begins by equipping them with skills to take risks – to try, fail and try again until they succeed. Shift Failure is a new experiential educational program for grades 5-12 that teaches youth critical skills such as perseverance, grit, resilience and determination through the lens of failure. More than 4,000 educators have brought the program into their classrooms in 2023/2024, impacting more than 100,000 students.
![A 90s style photograph of three women interlinking and laughing together as they shift Canada's innovation for a brighter and bolder future.](https://shiftcanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/girls.jpg)