I’m a teenager, and this election, I care about how expensive life is for youth

Gas and school costs are expensive

First Person columns are personal stories and experiences from kids written in their own words. For more information and to learn how to submit your own piece, scroll to the bottom of the page. 

My name is Thivya Jeyapalan, and when I was younger, I thought being a teenager would mean more freedom! 

I was excited to do all the fun things advertised in the movies — staying out later, getting around the city on my own and buying things with my own money for an early taste of independence. 

But now that I’m in my last year of high school and just turned 18, I’ve realized something else. 

Being a teenager is getting really expensive. 

With the federal election coming up, I’m starting to pay attention to how government decisions can impact students like me.

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Getting around is expensive, even by bus

One of the biggest issues I’ve come to care about during high school is transportation. 

The cost of taking the bus keeps going up. 

In Toronto, a student Presto card costs $2.35 per ride. 

That might not seem like much, but I used to take the bus every day in the summer for my work at a pool, which added up really quickly. 

I would also take the bus to visit my friends, especially in the summer when we would want to go further to do fun activities. 

Taking the bus meant some of my money would go toward covering my fare, which meant less money in my bank account every month. 

The previous federal government under Justin Trudeau promised to spend billions of dollars on public infrastructure. 

But it would be helpful if they also promised to pay for people to get around, like the NDP did in 2021, when they said they would help municipalities make public transit free.

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I can finally drive! But I can’t go anywhere

It’s not just bus fares, though. 

Now that I can drive, I’m responsible for paying for my share of the insurance on the family car and gas whenever I use it. 

Gas prices are so high. It’s expensive for me to get to work, school, the library, the gym or even just to meet up with friends. 

This can be really frustrating, especially when all I’m trying to do is get to a group study session or drive to a club meeting after school. 

Some of this has to do with government policies on energy and taxes. 

With the Liberal government’s removal of the carbon tax, gas prices have already gone down, but I wonder if these changes will be permanent or if politicians think about how these decisions impact teenagers starting to drive?

Mark Carney made the removal of the carbon tax a large part of his successful campaign to lead the Liberal party, and the Conservatives campaigned for years to have it scrapped. 

This leaves me hopeful that the gas prices will continue to stay reduced, saving us over 17 cents per litre. 

Just being a student costs money

School expenses are another issue. 

Things like school supplies, field trips, sports teams and club fees get more expensive. 

A simple graphing calculator for my math class cost me over $100 since my school didn’t have enough supply. 

Throughout high school, I’ve saved up as much as possible from summer jobs and part-time work just to afford necessities and save for my future. 

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Some politicians talk about funding education, but what about the costs outside of post-secondary tuition? 

The Green Party is proposing free tuition for low-income students, the only party to mention it so far. 

In the current campaign, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh promised to cut the GST from cellphone bills and the internet, which could help students like me who have these monthly recurring phone bills. 

If we want more students to have equal opportunities, these extra costs need to be addressed.

I’m excited to vote for the first time because the decisions made in this election will affect me now and in the future. 

If politicians are talking about affordability, I hope they remember that teenagers are struggling too.

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TOP IMAGE CREDIT: Submitted by Thivya Jeyapalan, graphic design by Philip Street/CBC