Making sense of public data

No opinions, just straight facts. We sift through reams of public data from Statistics Canada, the World Bank, the United Nations, OECD, and more to explain the trends that matter.

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What the data reveals

CANADA

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Elections, Local Government

How does voter turnout in Ontario compare across the various levels of government?

Elections, Local Government

Ontario’s municipal elections have a major impact on everyday life, yet voter turnout remains significantly lower than in federal and provincial elections. See how turnout in municipal elections compares with federal and provincial elections, and which cities had the highest turnout during the 2022 elections.

Elections, Local Government

What does it cost to operate the Toronto Public Library?

The Toronto Public Library (TPL) is more than a network of book-lending branches—it is one of the city’s most heavily used public services and a cornerstone of civic life. Learn about its funding and expenses, the scale of its branch network, and patterns of use across locations.

How much does the Ontario government spend on research funding?

In 2024-2025, Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities committed $148.5 million in research funding, $90 million less than the previous year. From 2019-2020 to 2024-2025, over $772 billion was committed to early- and advanced-stage projects.

Elections, Voter Turnout

What is the average turnout for Canadian general elections?

Elections, Voter Turnout

Curious about how many Canadians vote? Since 1867, the average turnout is around 70.4%. Peaks hit 79.4% in 1958 and dipped to a low of 58.8% in 2008.

Elections, Voter Turnout

What are majority and minority governments?

Following a general election, there are generally two outcomes: the formation of a majority or minority government. We break down what they are and how they function.

How is the United Nations funded?

On December 31, 2025, the UN General Assembly approved a regular budget of $3.45 billion for 2026. All members of the UN are required to contribute, but the amount varies. Learn who contributes the most and what happens when members fail to meet their financial obligations.

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INTERNATIONAL

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Economics, Trade

How much steel does the United States import?

Economics, Trade

The U.S. imported 22.9 million metric tons of steel in 2025, with Canada as its largest supplier. Explore U.S. steel import trends, top trading partners and the types of steel products imported.

Economics, Trade

What percentage of households have air conditioning?

Rising global temperatures are driving growing demand for air conditioning as people seek relief from increasingly frequent and intense heat. Global AC shipments reached a record 200 million units in 2024, while China saw the share of households with air conditioning rise from 53% in 2015 to 79% in 2025.

Which country is the largest source of U.S. oil imports?

In 2024, the United States imported 8.4 million barrels of oil per day. About 4.6 million barrels of oil per day came from Canada, making it to top supplier by a wide margin. See where other countries rank.

Economics, Geopolitics

Which countries owns the most US government debt?

Economics, Geopolitics

As of November 2025, U.S. government debt reached $36.2 trillion, with foreign investors holding $9.35 trillion—about 26%—through U.S. Treasury securities. Learn which country holds the most US debt.

Economics, Geopolitics

Economics, Technology

What percentage of the world uses the internet?

Economics, Technology

The internet has changed the way the world works, learns, and forms connections. In 2023, about 7 in 10 people globally had access to the internet via a computer, mobile phone, games machine, streaming services, etc. Learn about how access and usage trends have changed between 2015 and 2023.

Economics, Technology

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Dot plot showing five countries with the highest growth rates and five countries with the lowest growth rates between 2005 and 2024.

Choropleth map showing UN member's contributions to the annual regular budget for 2026.

Putting data about Canada into context

CANADA FACTS

ECONOMY

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Which provinces and territories have the most debt?

Servicing debt takes away much-needed funds that otherwise could be used to support programs and projects. Learn which provinces and territories have the most debt.

How much does the Ontario Government collect?

In 2024-2025, the Government of Ontario collected $226.2 billion in revenue. That’s more than a $20 billion or a 10% increase from the previous year. The largest source of revenue is personal income tax which reached $55.7 billion.

How much money does the Government of Alberta collect?

In the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the Government of Alberta collected $82.5 billion in revenues, up approximately 10.3% from $74.7 billion in the previous fiscal year.

What percentage of Canadians are falling behind on mortgage payments?

Across the country, the rising cost of living is straining Canadian bank accounts. For many, meeting their debt obligations, including mortgage payments, is becoming challenging. Learn what mortgage delinquency rate nationally, and how it compares from region to region.

How much does the City of Toronto collect and spend?

Toronto ranks eighth overall among all governments in Canada by budget size, ahead of many provinces and territories, and all other municipalities. Learn how much the city collects and where it spends its money.

How many electric car charging stations are in Canada?

Since 2016, Canada has been ramping up construction of key infrastructure to support Canadians switching from gas-powered vehicles to zero-emission vehicles, including electric charging stations. Dive into the data to explore how many electric charging stations there are across the country and which provinces have the most robust system.

Ontario has an extensive public transit system, serviced by 106 municipal transit authorities and two provincial transit authorities, funded by revenues from fares and subsidies from municipal, provincial, and federal governments.

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How is Ontario’s public transit system funded?

How many Canadians have Registered Retirement Savings Plans?

Many Canadians rely on additional sources of income, such as Registered Retirement Savings Plans or RRSPs, to fund their retirement. Learn how many Canadians have RRSPs.

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POPULATION

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How do Canadian students’ PISA scores compare with those of their international peers?

Canadian students rank among the top performers globally in science, mathematics, and reading, according to the results from the 2025 edition of PISA. However, their scores were the lowest recorded since the international assessment began in 2000. Learn more about Canada’s performance.

What does it cost to operate the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)?

In 2024, the TTC recorded more than 419 million passenger trips. For many Toronto residents, it’s their primary mode of transportation getting them to and from neighbourhoods throughout the city. Explore what it costs to operate such a large public transit network.

How Ontario’s public transit system is funded

What are the most commonly spoken languages in Canada other than English and French?

Canada is a diverse country, and this is reflected in the number of different languages spoken by Canadians. In 2021, 3 in 10 Canadians reported being able to speak another language other than English or French.

What is the fastest growing city in Canada?

Discover Canada's fastest-growing cities (2015–2024) — from West St. Paul’s 77% surge to top gains in Ontario, Quebec & BC. Explore trends and insights.

How fast are provinces getting older?

How fast are Canadian provinces aging? Track changes from 1971 to 2024—and discover why Atlantic Canada surged while Alberta stayed young.

HEALTH

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Which provinces and territories spend the most on healthcare per capita?

Across Canada, healthcare spending varies by province and territory. Learn which region of Canada spends the most per capita on healthcare.

What are the top reasons people are admitted to hospitals in Canada?

Discover what lands Canadians in the hospital most often. In 2023–2024, the top causes were childbirth, COPD/bronchitis, heart failure, pneumonia, and knee osteoarthritis.

How much is spent on health care in Canada?

Canada’s health care costs reached $336 billion in 2022, averaging $8,645 per person. See how spending has shifted since 1975 and what public funds cover.

Which province has the highest life expectancy?

Who lives the longest in Canada? In 2023, the longest life expectancies are in Quebec, Ontario, BC, while Manitoba, Newfoundland & Labrador, and Saskatchewan rank lowest.

ENVIRONMENT

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What are the main causes of wildfires in Canada?

Canada's wildland fires can affect communities, wildlife and air quality far beyond where they begin. Wildfire trends, causes and burned areas reveal that while humans start more fires, naturally caused fires account for most of the land burned.

What are conservation authorities?

Ontario is the only province or territory in Canada with Conservation Authorities. There are 36 across the province — 31 in southern Ontario with 5 in northern Ontario responsible for protecting land and water from natural hazards such as flooding, drought, erosion, and deforestation.

What are critical minerals and where are they found in Canada?

Canada is a global mining powerhouse, boasting abundant reserves of the critical minerals that underpin tomorrow’s technology. It has active mines, smelters, refineries, and a robust pipeline of advanced‑stage projects in every province and territory except Prince Edward Island.

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The average cost of milk in Canada inches upward

The average price of 2 litres of milk across Canada in February 2026, was $5.47, up $0.06 from the month before, and $0.13 more expensive than the same period from a year ago. Explore how the price of milk has changed across provinces.

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TRENDLINES

Exploring topics shaping the world

Featured

How much steel does the United States import?

The U.S. imported 22.9 million metric tons of steel in 2025, with Canada as its largest supplier. Explore U.S. steel import trends, top trading partners and the types of steel products imported.

What percentage of households have air conditioning?

Which country is the largest source of U.S. oil imports?

Which countries owns the most US government debt?

Featured

How are students across the OECD performing in science, reading and mathematics?

Data from the 2025 PISA reveals that student performance in science, reading and mathematics across OECD countries continues to decline, with reading and mathematics reaching the lowest average ever recorded.

How many people live in the United States?

The United States had a population of 341.8 million in 2025, making it the world’s third-most populous country. California was the most populous state with 39.4 million residents, while Wyoming had the smallest population at 588,753.

Which country has the largest population?

India and China are the world’s most populous countries, together accounting for more than 3 in 10 people globally. The world’s top 10 most populous countries are home to 57% of the global population.

What is the median household income in the United States?

The median household income in the United States in 2024 was $81,604. Learn how it compares across household types.