Baby Boomers and Gen X have little confidence the country is headed in the right direction

/EIN News/ -- TORONTO, July 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new report by GHD, a global professional services company operating in the water, transportation, environmental and energy markets, reveals a marked contrast between younger and older Canadians in levels of optimism about the future when it comes to challenges such as climate change, housing affordability, and transportation. The results show a clear concern that increasing demand from a declining number of resources will result in the prospect that future generations will be worse off.

GHD’s CROSSROADS report is based on a survey conducted across 10 countries: Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. A total of 13,000 adults, sampled to be representative of age, gender and region, participated in the survey in May 2024. The survey explored views on various aspects of infrastructure and intergenerational equity, aiming to uncover shared hopes and potential future solutions.

When asked to look 30 years in the future, Gen X and Baby Boomers in Canada skew toward a less optimistic view of the future, particularly Gen X, while Gen Z skews more positive in this sentiment.

CROSSROADS found that Canadians lead among their global peers in recycling (80 per cent) and repairing products instead of buying new (56 per cent) as some of their actions to reduce the impact of climate change. Canadians also ranked high globally in reducing their water usage (51 per cent), purchasing second-hand products instead of buying new (44 per cent) and walking or cycling to replace driving (38 per cent).

“Achieving intergenerational equity is about partnering, collaborating, and ensuring diverse voices and social perspectives form the basis for ideation and decision making,” said Tina Marano, GHD Future Communities Lead in Canada. “CROSSROADS’ findings highlight the differing needs and expectations of the various generations, and generally that citizens want to engage and put in the work to create positive change for the future.”

Despite ranking high among global respondents, there is a significant divide among Canadian generations on environmentally friendly behaviours such as recycling, composting and repairing products. The study found that younger Canadians are less likely to recycle, compost, or repair products. In contrast, almost nine out of ten (87 per cent) of Baby Boomers recycle and compost versus 58 per cent of Gen Z. Also, three out of five (61 per cent) of Baby Boomers repair products instead of buying new versus 39 per cent of Gen Z respondents.

GHD’s research also reveals Canadians of all ages perceive affordable housing as the country’s number one priority (53 per cent of respondents), followed by building a sustainable economy (41 per cent) and transforming existing land or buildings into new community facilities or housing (37 per cent). Conversely, only 42 per cent of Canadians think the country is heading in the right direction when planning for communities’ future needs, even if it means spending more money now.

At a global level, the report’s findings highlight the importance of affordable housing, climate action, and mobility for all generations. The call for increased access to public transport and safer, more sustainable mobility options resonates across all countries surveyed, reflecting a global consensus on the need for infrastructure supporting both environmental and social prosperity.

Marano continued, “CROSSROADS compels us to act: to embrace the challenge to look at infrastructure delivery through a truly intergenerational lens, confident in the knowledge that, with an enhanced focus on value in design and the adoption of human-centric technologies, we can create the positive legacy and lasting benefit our communities are counting on.”

About GHD’s CROSSROADS research

Sample size: 1,000 respondents per country for most countries, with a larger sample size of (4,000 respondents) in the US. The data from the US was weighted to represent one-tenth of the total survey, ensuring a balanced and proportional reflection of the overall population.

Demographics: Adults aged 18 and above, encompassing a wide age range, covering Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers. The sample also included diverse ethnicities and Indigenous voices to ensure representativeness.

About GHD
GHD is a leading professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Committed to a vision to make water, energy, and communities sustainable for generations to come, GHD delivers advisory, digital, engineering, architecture, environmental and construction solutions to public and private sector clients. Established in 1928 and privately owned by its people, GHD’s network of 11,000+ professionals are connected across 160 offices located on five continents. www.ghd.com.

GHD in the Americas
GHD has long-standing client relationships, a significant project and economic footprint in the Americas and represents 40 percent of GHD’s global workforce with nearly 4,000 professionals in over 130 offices in the US, Canada, and Chile. In 2023, our Canadian business was named one of Canada’s Top 100 employers. GHD ranks #9 in international design firms operating in the US and #6 in Canada according to Engineering News-Record’s 2023 annual survey of key market segments. GHD’s operations in Canada, the US and the UK were named as a 2024 Best Places To Work for disability inclusion by Disability:IN. These rankings reflect the size and significance of our growing Americas businesses. To find a local office, click here.

Media contacts:

Sarah Howell, GHD
sarah.howell@ghd.com
+1-224-234-6389

Angela Pinzon, Pilot PMR
angela.pinzon@pilotpmr.com
647-295-0517