Canada's Knowledge Economy Dreams Dashed by Declining Math Scores

Canada's ambitions for a knowledge economy have stalled due to declining math skills among its youth. Despite promises from politicians and economists, students' performance in mathematics has deteriorated over the past two decades. According to data from the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), between 2009 and 2025, Canadian students' math scores declined across all provinces.

The decline was most pronounced among weaker students, with those at the 10th percentile losing approximately 2.5 years of learning. In contrast, stronger students experienced a loss of around 1.1 years of learning. This disparity has significant implications for Canada's future talent pipeline, as it indicates that fewer students are reaching the higher levels of mathematical proficiency required to pursue post-secondary STEM education.

The data shows that by 2025, only one-quarter of Canadian 15-year-olds were ready for post-secondary STEM study, down from nearly half in 2009. New Brunswick had the smallest share of STEM-ready youth at about 16 per cent, while Quebec retained the largest share at around 34 per cent.

These findings highlight the need for provincial governments to take action and address the decline in math skills among Canadian students. The consequences of inaction will be severe, with an estimated 66,000 fewer young people per year ready for post-secondary STEM study by 2025.