by Rick Crouch | Feb 3, 2026
The idea or notion repeatedly pops up—sometimes half-joking, sometimes not—that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state. As I write this, some Albertans are advocating the province should separate from the rest of Canada. This might sound playful, but for most Canadians, if you are like me none of this is a joke nor should it be taken lightly.
When you look at the data, it’s pretty clear why that would be more than just a bad deal for Canadians, including Alberta. More like a major shift to our very independence not to mention lifestyle if not the overall economy. The latter is going to change whether we like it or not, if Canada is to defend itself from any U.S. aggression and economic fallout from the trade tariffs that has been imposed against us.
This isn’t about anti-American sentiment or the recent movement to “buy Canadian.” It’s about measurable outcomes none of which are attractive and many seem oblivious to.
I never make a knee jerk reaction to anything and Canada becoming the 51st state is no exception. I lived in the U.S. for four years and learned first hand what living full time south of the border is like. While I had medical benefits through my employer it still cost me $6,000 to $8,000 per year out of pocket in order for myself, my wife and two kids to get the health care we needed. The property taxes on my home were significantly higher and property values in the U.S. do not appreciate anywhere comparable to homes in Canada which is both good and bad. That was only the beginning of what I experienced and learned.
Only my daughter attended school in the U.S. and while the school, its staff and the system on the surface seemed adequate, it’s tough to pass judgement when she was only in early grade school.
There is no shortage of data out there about how various countries rate in a variety of areas if you know where to look and put forth the effort.
One of the key sources to look at how countries are ranked in various categories is the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD which comprises 38 member countries committed to democracy and market economies, focusing on policy research, data analysis, and international cooperation. Key members include the USA, UK, Japan, Germany, Canada, and Australia, with recent additions like Costa Rica, Colombia, and Lithuania. Coincidentally I am in Costa Rica as I write this. Many Canadians have come to Costa Rica not only to holiday but for dental work, laser year surgery and more.
Let’s talk facts about day to day life in the U.S. and I have included the various sources from which I gathered some data.
Health Care: Highest Cost, Poor Outcomes
The U.S. spends more per person on health care than any country on Earth, yet delivers some of the worst outcomes among wealthy nations. This is not a rhetorical claim, rather it’s based on the total national healthcare spending divided by total population. Given recent cuts made by the current administration this number an only get worse.
- A West Health–Gallup survey found that only about 51 % of adults in the U.S. say they can access and afford quality health care — meaning nearly half cannot comfortably afford it. About 11 % (roughly 29 million adults) are classified as “cost desperate,” unable to pay for needed care or prescriptions.
- About half of U.S. adults say they would not be able to pay an unexpected $500 medical bill out of pocket without borrowing, going into debt, or not paying it at all — a common threshold used by researchers to measure affordability.
- More than a third of Americans report that they simply cannot afford quality health care, according to a national health poll.
💡 What this means in practice: Even with insurance, many people can’t pay out-of-pocket costs — deductibles, copays, and premiums — without financial strain or debt. Studies also show a significant portion of people skip medical treatment entirely because they can’t afford the costs.
- Life expectancy: last or second-last among high-income countries
- Infant mortality: far worse than peer nations
- Maternal mortality: worst in the developed world
📌 Sources: OECD, World Health Organization, World Bank
Canada, by contrast, delivers better outcomes at far lower cost.
Income Inequality & Social Mobility
The U.S. ranks near the bottom of OECD countries for income inequality, measured by the Gini coefficient. The Gini coefficient is the most commonly used measure of income or wealth inequality within a population and measures how far is a society from everyone having the same share of income or wealth?
- In the U.S. wealth concentration at the top is extreme by global standards.
- The Top 1% own about 32–40% of total U.S. wealth
- This small group holds as much wealth as the bottom ~50% of all Americans combined
Even more telling:
- A child born poor in the U.S. is less likely to move up economically than in Canada, Germany, or Scandinavia. In essence, working for and achieving a better standard of living is harder.
📌 Sources: OECD, World Bank
Canada consistently outperforms the U.S. on economic mobility.
Gun Violence & Public Safety
No surprise here. Americans love their guns clinging to their Second Amendment rights which was ratified in 1791. Personally I don’t understand the validity in a 235 year old law in today’s world and as noted below it is producing dire consequences.
- Gun death rate: #1 among high-income countries
- Homicide rate: dramatically higher than peer nations
- Mass shootings: uniquely frequent
- According to preliminary data from the Gun Violence Archive, there were about 14,655 shooting deaths in 2025.
📌 Sources: World Health Organization, United Nations crime statistics
Canada’s firearm death rate is a small fraction of the U.S. rate. In 2024 (the most recent numbers) there were 280 firearm deaths reported in Canada.
Children & Families
For a wealthy country, U.S. outcomes for children are shockingly poor:
- Child poverty: U.S. ranks in the bottom 5 in the OECD
- Child mortality: worse than any European peers
- Food insecurity: very high
📌 Sources: UNICEF, OECD
Worker Protections: Dead Last
Among advanced economies, the U.S. ranks last for basic worker protections.
- Paid maternity leave: U.S. Federal Law: No Guaranteed Paid Leave
- Paid sick leave: There is no guaranteed paid sick leave nationwide in the United States.Here’s what that means, plainly and clearly 👇
- Paid vacation: There is no federally mandated minimum paid vacation in the United States.
- According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics: UAW autoworkers earn, including healthcare, pensions, and other legacy benefits, in the $50–$60+ per hour. Little wonder the big three auto companies have often struggled needing government bailouts.
Canada already provides protections Americans are still debating. Many European countries such as Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, France, Spain and others have strict worker protection laws. Canada ranks 5th out of 30 countries in terms of work/life balance. The U.S. is not even on the list.
📌 Source: OECD & Ranking Royals
Incarceration
This came as a bit of a surprise although it perhaps shouldn’t given the crime rate and firearm deaths. The U.S. incarcerates more people than any country in the world:
- ~20% of the world’s prison population
- ~4% of the world’s total population
📌 Sources: United Nations, World Prison Brief
Infrastructure, Environment & Education
Despite massive spending, the U.S. underperforms in key areas:
- Infrastructure quality: ranked middle to lower tier
- Environmental performance: bottom half of wealthy nations and this will no doubt get worse under the current U.S administration that regards climate change as a “hoax.”
- Education outcomes: high spending, mediocre results, with extreme inequality between districts
- As a Canadian I was frequently asked questions that reflected many Americans have limited knowledge outside their own country.
📌 Sources: World Economic Forum, Yale Environmental Performance Index, OECD
Bottom Line
Canada already outperforms the U.S. on the following and more:
- Health outcomes
- Social mobility
- Public safety
- Child well-being
- Worker protections
- Environmental performance
Becoming the 51st state wouldn’t raise Canadian living standards—it would pull them down toward weaker systems and outcomes.
Some key questions to consider”
- Are people in the U.S. “friendly neighbours?” Absolutely, they are some of he nicest people you will ever meet.
- Do we have “shared values?” Often but differences and priorities do vary.
- Do we share a “political merger” the formal process by which two or more separate political entities combine into a single governing unit, on one shared political system. No! Currently there is a growing division in the U.S. and this is happening at a time when Canadian patriotism is growing and at an all time high.
Based on this data and other similar information, Canadians has every reason to maintain if not fight to retain our sovereignty.
In Part 2 of this post I will outline how Canada becoming the 51st State could impact the Canadian real estate market and the what many of us cherish the most, home ownership.
NOTE: The author is a Broker, Market Value Appraiser-Residential with Sotheby’s International Realty Canada and a Past President (2008) of the One Point Association of REALTORS®.
Rick
RICK CROUCH – Broker, MVA (Market Value Appraiser – Residential)
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