Group Z

World Setting

Year

2034

City

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Overview

Our new world is set in the Toronto of 2034 - ten years into the future, but what feels like a lifetime away. The city has a familiar energy to today, with the iconic CN Tower still gracing the skyline, though there is a marked increase in the density of high-rise buildings spreading outward from the city centre as the purchase of a fully-loaded "smart" condo in the sky has more appeal to many than the prospect of renovating an older "dumb" home. Familiar challenges of housing, transit, and climate persist, though incremental strides have been made to address them, including the locally-relevant completion of the long awaited Ontario subway line. The streets have seen a gradual decline in commuters - certainly by car - but by foot and bicycle as well, as Toronto adapts to a world where work, socializing, and education - in particular - have become increasingly remote and interconnected. New and more accessible technologies - like virtual reality - bridge the gap between physical and digital life, weaving the city into a networked hub where once distinct neighbourhood lines (a former Hallmark of the 6ix) have blurred and blended somewhat seamlessly with global communities.

State of Society

Political Climate

The political landscape is marked by tension between tradition and transformation - the swinging of the political pendulum from one extreme to another has persisted, with less tolerance for middle-ground grey. The government is grappling with balancing the needs of increasingly diverse urban populations, while addressing the persistent challenges of housing affordability, wealth inequality (which is becoming more pronounced and visible as the digital divide rises to the surface of nearly every interaction at home, work, and school), and climate change. Public trust in traditional political institutions remains fragile, and grassroots political movements are becoming more popular and gaining steam at an increased rate given the advanced digital platforms available to connect those who, 10 years ago, would not normally have been connected. In particular, these grassroots movements are looking for far more transparency and accountability from their elected leaders. Global issues like climate change, cybersecurity, and AI regulation are regular topics on the domestic political agenda - local, provincial, and federal - as leaders find themselves navigating these interconnected challenges. Youth of 2034 have a more vested interest and involvement in civic engagement overall, as new technologies have allowed them the ability to participate more directly, reshaping what it means or looks like to be politically active. Youth voting is at an all-time high as Gen Alpha seeks to drive Toronto toward a future that truly reflects their priorities for equity, innovation, and sustainability.

Social Justice

Social justice is a central force of the political landscape of 2034. Historically marginalized communities have increased access to more advanced communication tools to help amplify their voices, expose systemic inequities, and demand change in real time. However, technical advancements in AI and surveillance technologies (see surveillance section below) have the possibility to be weaponized by government to suppress perceived dissent. This isn't necessarily a new practice in 2034, but rather a practice that is slowly becoming more prevalent in Western society.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Overview

Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is increasingly woven into the social fabric of 2034 Toronto, shaping education, media, and workplace culture in meaningful ways. Gradual progress over the past decade has led to more normalized and authentic representations of diverse identities and experiences in daily life. From school textbooks featuring math problems that include 2SLGBTQ+ families, to literature and media highlighting the stories of trans individuals, disabled persons, and those from underrepresented cultural backgrounds, the narrative of inclusion is now subtly integrated rather than being the exception.

In the education sector, classrooms reflect this progress with curricula that champion intersectionality and celebrate diverse histories and voices. Teachers are equipped with resources to foster inclusivity, and many students grow up seeing themselves - or others unlike themselves - represented in ways that once seemed groundbreaking. However, this normalization has not come without pushback.

For some, EDI initiatives have sparked significant polarization. Critics, often driven by personal, cultural, or religious beliefs, argue that such inclusivity undermines traditional values or promotes ideologies they oppose. This tension has led to a rise in alternative education pathways, with more parents opting out of public schools in favor of private or secular institutions that align with their worldview. Given the increased prevalence of remote learning, there is less capital expenditure required to "build" these institutions as they can - and many do - exist solely remotely, creating situations of extreme homogeneity and isolation which could become problematic as time passes.

Despite these divides, the broader societal shift toward inclusivity continues to gain momentum. Organizations and institutions increasingly recognize that EDI is not just a moral imperative but also a driver of innovation, empathy, and progress.

EDI and Technology

Technology both reflects and drives EDI in 2034. Products and platforms prioritize inclusive design principles, thus creating spaces where all individuals can fully participate. Augmented reality for virtually impaired individuals, language translation apps that include traditional indigenous languages, and digital media that showcase diverse avatars, etc. are all examples of what is normal in 2034. Algorithmic bias in AI still exists, though the public is more educated and aware, and thus companies are being held to higher standards to establish stricter oversight mechanisms to check and reduce bias.

Impacts of Technology

Social Media

Use of social media continues to be widespread in 2034. Social norms and expectations drive social media use among youth. With the emergence of VR technology in the classroom and more online classes, social media has become a way for youth to connect with friends and participate in social activities inside and outside of schools.

While tech addiction, cyber-bullying, high self-criticisms and isolation are still prevalent, schools are working with parents to establish parental controls and network access to minimize these risks and facilitate better support and community engagement.

Individual Pages

Tracy

Reflection on the "Grounding: Building Core Leadership Skills Through Doing" Electives Trip

I think the trip was fun now that I am home and now I have the time to reflect on the experience. It was a bit of struggle adjusting and adapting to the new environments we were in, though I think having friends and doing this with classmates made it more fun than if I were to go with my parents. I learned more about my friends and classmates and saw different sides of them than I would normally at school or online. I think I’ve also learned a lot about myself and how I view nature and I definitely have a new appreciation for the technology and comforts I have at home now.

I’m not sure if the teachers deliberately didn’t disclose the details to shock us but I was definitely not expecting the facilities and activities that we had when we got to the location. We were told in the itinerary that a week would be spent on a remote farm and some water based activity would occur at the lake, and another week would be spent camping in a forest. We were told that phones would be useless since we would have no reception, but I’m pretty sure we all brought them anyway. We were also told not to bring any pocket knives but I’m glad my friend B did because we would have been screwed if he didn’t bring his flint/steel and pocket knife.

I guess I shouldn’t have expected the farm accommodations to be like the usual cottage sort of house/ airbnb that my family would get during the holidays. It didn’t make sense that a cottage would have enough space for 30 kids. Still, I didn’t expect to sleep in a barn. Even though it was clean I didn’t know how to feel about it when we were told to set up our sleeping bags in our designated barn. They separated us into 2 barns for boys and girls and we had Ms. A with us in our barn and Mr. C in the other barn. Even though I wasn’t too happy with the barn situation I wasn’t expecting some of the other girls to be complaining to Ms. A and demanding better sleeping arrangements. There weren’t any actual lights in the barn and the outhouse thing we had to use was kind of dark and didn’t have any hot water so I kind of agreed this was unpleasant but secretly I was glad someone else was complaining and not me. It wasn’t nice to shower in the cold and sort of dark open shower space and I had to shower in the morning because I didn’t want to sleep in wet hair and make my sleeping bag damp. It was also so weird not being able to go onto TikTok and Insta at the end of the day and wind down. I fell asleep because I was bored and it was also weird being conscious of everyone else around me. I felt like I had no privacy.

Even though this was a challenge to adapt to, I found myself actually enjoying waking up the next day to the sound of chickens clucking around and seeing the sun start to appear. I have never actually woken up at dawn before and I think not being able to use my phone really helped me connect with nature. During the first week we basically just did a lot of planting and farm work. It was kind of cool to feed the animals and follow the farm people around to help them. I felt like I was earning the food I ate at the end of the day and it was really fulfilling. I also was so tired at the end of the day I fell asleep right away. I think it’s the same for everyone because when it was bedtime nobody was talking or complaining anymore. I heard a few girls say they wished they could take pictures of this experience. I do too, but I would like to take pictures of the animals. I didn’t know cows and horses were actually so big! They were kinda scary. I always thought chickens were mean but I didn’t know they actually like to be petted.

The water activity we had to do was kind of fun. We basically just kayaked across the lake to reach the forest area we would be camping in for the second week. The camping part was the most interesting and probably also the most disastrous part. The camping instructor showed us how to light a fire, but let's be honest nobody could do it after just watching it once and we had to split up into teams to tackle the evening tasks. B and I were in charge of the fire, D was in charge of filtering water for us and E was in charge of setting up the tent with G. We didn’t really appoint a leader or assign tasks, we kind of just decided what was needed and volunteered for it. We all struggled. I had a hard time finding dry branches and kept getting splinters. Even though B lent me his pocketknife it was still hard to find logs and peel off the wet parts. He also struggled because the wood was mostly damp so it felt like forever to get the fire going and we were so tired and hungry. D didn’t have a good time because he said his back hurt from bending over the lake and he almost fell in so his feet and shoes were wet. E and G were arguing about setting up the tent because it kept falling over and didn’t come with instructions. I think it would have been great if I could just watch a video or even ask AITA how to do this stuff because I just didn’t know how to.

Even though we were used to little electricity and light from the farm, I realized very quickly that we would have zero light once night hit us. I suggested to my team we should probably light a fire and start cooking dinner before we weren’t able to see anything. Surprisingly, everyone agreed. I actually felt like a leader for once and delegated tasks for the cooking since I usually cook at home. Because we started cooking first, one of the camp instructors came over to help us, I guess to make sure we cooked everything properly and didn’t get food poisoning. The food was kind of simple, baked potatoes that G wrapped with foil and put into the fire. We didn’t have any dietary restrictions so we picked pork for our protein and the instructor showed us how to make a soup over the fire with veggies inside so we had kind of a stew. It was simple, but surprisingly tasty. I think we were all super hungry and tired because nobody complained even though it was dark when we ate.

I felt like I took on more of a leadership role in the camping part of the trip, with the fire lighting and the cooking. I think my group listened to me because I explained my points and made sense of our situation, and also didn’t tell people what to do. I asked which tasks they would like to take on and I think that really helped because I wasn’t close friends with everyone and I think it might have caused a problem if I just told people what to do. I think this was a fun experience and I learned a lot about working with each other and solving issues together.