A growing number of young Canadians are calling on the government to lower the voting age to 16. Their demands come after the United Kingdom recently signaled it will allow 16-year-olds to vote. This move has renewed discussions in Canada about youth involvement in democracy.
Among those leading the push are 18-year-old twins Jason and Jerry Song from West Vancouver. They recently spoke to a parliamentary committee in British Columbia. The committee is reviewing possible changes to the voting system.
Jerry Song said the U.K. has taken a big step forward in modernizing democracy. He believes Canada should not fall behind. “Canada has two options right now,” he explained. “It can keep up, or it can explain to the youth why they’ve been left out again.”
A Gradual Approach Suggested
The Song twins support a step-by-step change. They suggest letting 16-year-olds vote in local school board elections first. They believe this would help younger people learn about civic duties in a manageable way.
They also argue that age should not be a barrier to voting. Jason Song pointed out that adults are not tested on their political knowledge before voting. He said, “What we do is give people the opportunity to learn by participating. Lowering the voting age actually builds political literacy.”
Global Examples of Youth Voting
Canada is not alone in facing this debate. Countries such as Austria, Brazil, and Argentina already allow 16-year-olds to vote. Supporters say these changes help create lifelong voting habits.
Stewart Prest, a political expert at the University of British Columbia, supports this idea. He said young people who vote early are more likely to become regular voters. “We have strong research showing that early voting, in a supportive setting, helps people build lasting habits,” Prest noted.
Not Everyone on Board Yet
Despite growing support, the idea is not being actively considered by Canada’s leaders at the moment. Premier David Eby told reporters this week that changing the voting age is not currently on the table. “We are not currently looking at changing the voting (age),” Eby said. However, he added that the government would keep an eye on how the change plays out in the U.K.
Still, some local officials support the idea. Patrick Johnstone, the mayor of New Westminster, says it makes sense to trust 16-year-olds with the vote. He highlighted the many things youth are already allowed to do in British Columbia.
“We trust 16-year-olds to drive cars,” Johnstone said. “They can do most kinds of supervised work. They can pay income taxes. The legal age of consent is 16.”
Ongoing Review and Public Input
Even though the provincial government is not making any promises, the discussion continues. A special committee on democratic reform has been traveling across the province. It has been gathering public feedback on voting age and other electoral changes.
Advocates hope that more young voices will be heard. They believe that letting 16-year-olds vote could lead to stronger democratic engagement for years to come.
