TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new national report released today by Pathways to Education Canada exposes a widening equity gap driven by Canada’s affordability crisis—one that is hitting young people in low-income communities hardest and putting their futures at risk.
Drawing on community insights from the most extensive Program Review in the organization’s 25-year history, conducted in partnership with the Students Commission of Canada (SCC), the report captures the lived experiences of youth, families, and youth workers across 31 low-income communities.
“The message was loud and clear—young people in low-income communities are facing increasingly complex barriers that are limiting their chances of success,” says Subagini Sivapatham, Chief Impact Officer of Pathways to Education. “Many of them are still working to overcome the lasting effects of the pandemic. The world has moved on, but they’re still behind.”
Key findings from the report include:
- Academic needs are intensifying as systems struggle to keep up. Students are falling behind in core subjects like math and science and are struggling to stay motivated.
- Growing financial strain is impacting every part of student life. Rising costs limit access to essentials, and students are questioning their ability to afford a future.
- Social and emotional well-being needs are escalating. Youth are feeling increasingly anxious and disconnected and struggle to adjust to life post-pandemic.
Despite these pressures, the findings also point to a powerful counter-narrative that early, community-driven supports can change outcomes.
“While this report describes a Canada in which youth, particularly those living in marginalized communities, are falling further behind, it also provides a solution: partnership,” said Sharif Mahdy, CEO of the Students Commission of Canada. “After all, it takes a village.”
For nearly 25 years, the Pathways Program has worked alongside its network of community partners to help youth overcome these barriers. The program provides tutoring, financial supports, and one-on-one mentoring to help young people graduate from high school and build an early foundation for long term success. During the Program Review, students described the Pathways Program as a safety net for their emotional well-being, seeing program staff as some of the few trusted adults they can rely on.
But the report warns that community-based supports are stretched thin. Demand for these programs is growing faster than the resources required to sustain them.
The report concludes with a collective call to action for governments, corporate partners, and other youth-serving organizations, calling for sustained investment and coordinated action across sectors to close the equity gap for Canada’s most vulnerable youth.
“We have proof that early support works to change the narrative for students,” said Sivapatham. “We are calling on partners across sectors to stand with us to ensure no young person is left behind.”
The full report is available at www.pathwaystoeducation.ca
About Pathways to Education Canada
Pathways to Education is a national, charitable organization breaking the cycle of poverty through education. The award-winning Pathways Program provides youth with a holistic combination of academic, financial, social, and one-on-one supports proven to help them overcome the barriers they face. What began as a single program in Toronto’s Regent Park has grown into a national social innovation supporting over 9,000 students in 31 low-income communities across 8 Canadian provinces. The program is brought to life through a network of 29 community-based Program Partners who have the knowledge, expertise, and relationships to meaningfully support local youth in their respective communities.
About the Students Commission of Canada (SCC)
SCC is a national, intergenerational charitable organization that ensures young people’s voices are heard, valued, and acted upon. Since 1991, SCC has championed youth engagement through partnerships, research, and programming that supports young people in creating positive change and transitioning successfully to adulthood. Its national initiatives include Take Our Kids to Work™, the #CanadaWeWant Conference, and a range of youth-led projects across the country.
Media contact
Nicola Marr, Senior Manager of Communications
[email protected]
416 523 0181
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