From 2015 to the present, Canada has shown an alarming trend of regression in several key areas, with stagnant economic growth, skyrocketing living costs, deteriorating public services, and rising crime rates...
This decade, the Conservative Party has labeled it "The Lost Liberal Decade," not only marked by dismal numbers but also having a tangible impact on the lives of every ordinary Canadian. Below, we will analyze this "decade disaster" through data.
Murder, violence, and gun-related crimes surge while prisons are being emptied
In 2015, Canada recorded 604 homicides. By 2022, this number had surged to 874, an increase of 270 lives lost.
Even considering population growth, the murder rate in 2023 reached 1.94 per 100,000 people, higher than 1.71 in 2015. If the 2015 level were maintained, 94 fewer people would have been killed in 2023 alone, and 216 fewer in 2022.
Besides, Statistics Canada's "Crime Severity Index" has been rising since reaching its low point in 2015, especially for violent crimes. In 2015, there were 28.6 gun-related violent incidents per 100,000 people; by 2022, this figure had risen to 36.7, an increase of nearly 30%.
Ironically, while crime has surged, Canada's prisons are being "emptied." The number of inmates per 100,000 people in federal prisons decreased from 53.6 in 2015 to 40.1 in 2024. The decline in provincial prisons was even more significant, once dropping to 61.6. For example, Okanagan Prison in British Columbia housed only 167 inmates in 2023, accounting for 20% of its total capacity of 800.
Refugee applications soar by 1700%, overwhelming the system
In 2015, Canada had 16,058 refugee applicants awaiting processing. By early 2025, this number had skyrocketed to 272,440, an increase of nearly 1700%. In January 2025 alone, Canada received 10,365 new refugee applications, averaging 14 per hour. These are still low-period figures.
House prices rise year after year, making homes less affordable daily
In 2015, the Liberal Party promised to make housing more accessible to middle-class and hardworking Canadians. That year, the national average house price was approximately 430,000 Canadian dollars (about 557,000 Canadian dollars in 2025 currency). By February 2025, the national benchmark house price had soared to 714,000 Canadian dollars. This means that every day under the Liberal government, the average house price increased by 43 Canadian dollars.
The collapse of healthcare: waiting half a year for surgery or dying in the emergency room has become routine
In 2015, Canada’s healthcare system was already showing signs of congestion but had not yet collapsed. That year, the median wait time for surgeries was 18.3 weeks. By 2024, this figure had soared to 30 weeks.
In 2015, patients dying in hospital waiting rooms in Canada was not common. By 2023, two people died in the emergency waiting area of a Montreal hospital over one weekend.
The cost is heavy. In 2015, 2,281 people in Ontario died while waiting for necessary medical care; by the 2023-24 fiscal year, this number had risen to 15,474 — almost seven times as many.
Canada's economy lags globally: each person could earn $4200 more annually
Canada's per capita GDP has stagnated. In 2015, Canada's per capita GDP was 43,594 Canadian dollars, accounting for 76.4% of the U.S. per capita GDP; by 2023, Canada's per capita GDP had only grown to 44,469 Canadian dollars, with the proportion declining to 67.5%.
According to calculations by economist Trevor Tombe of the University of Calgary, if Canada's economy had grown in sync with the United States, each citizen could have earned an additional 5,500 Canadian dollars annually. Statistics Canada also pointed out that if the 2015 trend had continued, we would now be earning 4,200 Canadian dollars more per year—enough to offset all government subsidies and benefits over the past ten years.
What is more worrying is that Canada is one of the worst-performing countries in the OECD in terms of per capita GDP growth over the past decade, better only than Luxembourg. By contrast, Poland grew by 40%, South Korea by 24%, and the U.S. by 18%.
Debt, expansion, and a bloated public sector
In 2015, Canada's federal debt was 612.3 billion Canadian dollars, equivalent to about 800 billion Canadian dollars in 2025 currency. By the end of 2024, it had exceeded 1.4 trillion Canadian dollars, an increase of 600 billion. This amounts to each Canadian taking on an additional 4.10 Canadian dollars in debt daily. A family of five has been "in debt" by an additional 20.50 Canadian dollars daily since 2015.
Meanwhile, the number of federal employees increased from 257,034 in 2015 to 367,772 in 2024, a 43% increase.
Shortage of military recruits and vessels unable to operate
In 2015, the Canadian military was short of only 900 personnel, whereas now the shortfall has reached 16,000. Recruitment difficulties have forced the military to lower standards, accepting applicants with asthma and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Due to a shortage of maintenance personnel, nearly half of ships, aircraft, and armored vehicles cannot serve. Only 45.7% of naval vessels meet training and combat requirements.
Surge in immigrant population strains resources
In 2015, Canada's population was 35.8 million; by 2025, it had reached 41.6 million, an increase of 5.8 million in ten years, with an annual addition of 580,000—equivalent to adding a city like Halifax annually.
Over the past decade, Canada added only 2.3 million new housing units, most of which were apartments, far from meeting the needs of the growing population. This directly led to housing shortages, soaring rents, and overstretched healthcare systems.
Lowest birth rates globally, young people find it unaffordable to raise children
In 2023, Canada's fertility rate fell to 1.26 children per woman, ranking at the bottom globally, just above South Korea, Spain, Italy, and Japan. In 2015, it was 1.6, though low, it was not as severe as the current situation.
Research shows that young Canadians still want more children but are unable to afford the costs of raising them. Housing, childcare, and healthcare have become significant burdens.
Decreased life expectancy, drug-related deaths increase sharply
In 2015, the expected lifespan of Canadians was 81.9 years. By 2023, it had dropped to 81.5 years. Although this is only a slight decline, it marks the first non-pandemic year in a century where life expectancy has decreased.
One of the main reasons is the sharp increase in drug overdose deaths. In 2015, 2,176 Canadians died from drug overdoses; by the latest statistics, an average of 21 people die each day due to this cause.
Looking back over the past decade, Canada's problems are systemic rather than isolated. From housing, healthcare, education, security to economic growth, military strength, and national debt, none have been spared. Behind each seemingly cold statistic lies the difficult lives of countless ordinary families. Ordinary people are paying the price for a decade of "missteps."
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7497033626079396352/
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