CBC The Stats of Life [Season 2 (2019)]

.

1of8: Working Life (2019.01.11)

This episode features Koa and Duffy who have a rapidly growing construction company leaving them with precious little time for their kids and each other. They also volunteer and have just embarked on a home renovation. They have a good working relationship but is it at the expense of their romantic one and time with their children?

We meet Paul and Cory who work full time but keep their weekends free. Free time is sacred, particularly in the summer when they want to spend as much time as possible at their cottage. For the last 12 years they have managed on one salary, but they have four kids who all play sports at a high level. The rising cost of fees and equipment proved too much for one salary so after a 12-year absence, Cory went back to work as a teacher. Money stress is reduced, but they are still trying to find the perfect work-life balance.

And finally we meet Jodi, a woman in her late 30s who dreams of making a success of her line of women’s work wear. In order to do that she has to juggle several jobs in the gig economy to support her dream — it is an uncertain existence and she is barely making ends meet. Can she make a go of it?

FAST STATS ABOUT CANADIAN WORKING LIFE

• 47% of Canadian professionals are unhappy in their current job.
• The gig economy (contract, freelance and on-demand jobs) officially makes up only 6% of the workforce, but experts predict it will jump to 45% by 2020.
• 46% of Canadian employees would leave their current job for more flexible work arrangements.
• Small businesses employ 71% of the total private labour force in Canada.
• Business survival rates for entrepreneurs with mentors are 88% higher than those without.

2of8: Technology (2019.01.18)

This episode features Anne Marie and Peter, a couple who struggle to control their three kids' screen time. Rules and systems are regularly established and just as regularly ignored. They have a camping trip coming up, and mom and dad are hoping they can enjoy time together as a family. Will the kids be able to resist their screens or will the trip dissolve once again into a fiesta of bickering and recrimination?

Another couple, Lee and Jordan, encourage their kids to be as tech-savvy as possible. They both work in the high-tech world and worry their kids will be left behind in the job market because their school system doesn’t teach enough tech. Their 12-year-old daughter is already into coding and they couldn’t be prouder, but their 11-year-old son seems more interested in hockey, and that’s got them worried. Can they dazzle their son with the fun possibilities of technology to get him excited for the future of tech that his parents have embraced?

And finally, Aly's off-the-grid lifestyle is her ideal way of life despite the lack of creature comforts: no running water and no electricity. But she has to make a living and her soap-making business cannot be done without on-the-grid technology. She purchased her first solar panel. Can she get her business off-grid too?

FAST STATS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY IN CANADA

• Average age of the Canadian video gamer is 39.
• Canadians average 5.6 hours of screen time a day outside of work or school.
• Email continues to be the number one online activity for 89% of us.
• 21% of Canadians won’t go outdoors if there’s no Internet.
• Canadians typically check social media seven times a day.

3of8: Pets(2019.02.01)

“Finding their happy” is the motto of this family who specializes in rescuing senior dogs and gives them a decent end to their lives. They have nine of them, a limit set by her husband, but there are no limits on what Angela will do to give her pooches a happy ending. There is an end of life bucket list which includes a frolic in a private park, ice cream and a favourite toy.

Charlene and Pierre are another couple who have one dog that has over 25,000 Instagram followers. He is a husky mix rescue named Tacoma. His fame gives his owners a limited amount of sponsorship, such as a monthly box of treats, but Tacoma needs many more followers to make his fame profitable. Already keeping his fans interested requires a constant stream of freshly creative posts. His owners wonder if it’s worth it? Or is it simply a burden?

And finally, sacrificing everything for her seven cats is not a question for this cat owner. Michelle spends every penny she earns on her show-stopping cats. Getting prizes for her cats is all that matters — whatever the cost. Can she break her record and get them on the winner’s podium at the upcoming grand cat show?

FAST STATS ABOUT PETS IN CANADA

• 62% of Canadians have at least one pet.
• 50-60% of pets are overweight.
• 88% of pet owners think their pet is the cutest, but only 19% of pet owners would enter their pet in a competition.
• 46% of pet owners prefer their pets over their partner.
• 31,000 dogs are taken into shelters each year but only 48% of them are adopted.

4of8: Selling Homes (2019.02.08)

It is time to downsize for Wilf and Christine — a retired couple. It makes sense financially but emotionally it is way tougher than they imagined. The hardest part is letting go of a lifetime of keepsakes and memories. And they worry they will not get the price they need for a comfortable retirement.

Graham and Angela want a bigger house and a bigger yard for their two kids and two dogs, and they are confident their house will sell fast. Their small town has just landed a huge contract to build a natural gas plant worth $40 billion. The population will double and people will need somewhere to live. Six hours after they list their home they get an offer. They worry did they price it too low? Will the offer go through?

And finally, Matt and Alex are conflicted. They don’t want to leave their supportive community, but the 45-minute commute to work is taking its toll. They also want to enroll their daughter in a French immersion school. They decide to forego an agent and sell their house themselves. But the market is slow and after a few months of little activity they wonder if they have made the right decision. Should they consider an agent?

FAST STATS ABOUT SELLING HOMES IN CANADA

• The average size of a new house has almost doubled since the 1970s from 1050 square feet to 1950 square feet.
• 43% of homeowners would sell their home without an agent.
• 16% of buyers are interested in buying a house that needs work.
• 4/5 baby boomers move out of their home to save money.
• 64% of home sellers expect full asking price.

5of8: Marriage (2019.02.15)

Brandon and Natasha grew up in a challenging environment with few opportunities. They want their kids to have more. Leading by example, they believe hard work and taking advantage of opportunities is key. They are both working on post-graduate degrees in addition to their jobs. This leaves them with little time to spend with their kids and as a family. Will something have to give?

Mark and Carol in their 50s and have been married for ten years, but live apart in separate apartments. It seems to be working for them, but recently Mark is hankering for more time together. Carol is a travel writer and who is often away, but does not want to cut down on her trips. Can they stay the course or will changes have to be made?

And finally, Ben and Kaitlin are a young couple who have been living in a van so Kaitlin can pursue her online yoga business. It is a cramped, but until now, successful arrangement. However Ben's videography business is growing and they are also thinking about starting a family. What compromises will they have to make? Will they have to abandon the van and move into a house?

FAST STATS ABOUT MARRIAGES IN CANADA

• 16% of married Canadians have a date night at least once a week
• 22% of couples think breakups are contagious
• 40% of marriages end in divorce
• 54% of Canadians agree that spending time apart strengthens their marriage
• 97% of married Canadians agree that compromise is key to a successful marriage

6of8: Retirement (2019.02.22)

Bev is a 72-year-old widow who was tired of coming home to an empty house, so she came up with an alternative. She bought back the large family home where she and her husband raised seven children, and placed ads seeking like-minded women to form an "intentional community." Five women now live together. It saves on costs and provides companionship and support, but Bev finds she still carries most of the responsibilities. How can they divide them up? Can they turn their intentional community into an official co-op?

Janet is an 82-year-old woman whose schedule is full with all her various activities — which includes volunteering. She wants to add even more onto her volunteering plate but her health, particularly her eyesight, is failing, and her children want her to slow down. She doesn’t.

And finally, Roger and Jennette are a couple in their 60s who planned every aspect of their retirement, including moving to their dream retirement town. Now they have one more thing to take care of and it’s not easy: talking to their children about their end of life plans. How will that go?

FAST STATS ABOUT RETIREMENT IN CANADA

• The average Canadian retires at the age of 64
• The average Canadian will enjoy 22 years of retirement
• 66% of Canadians planning to retire in the next 12 years have not saved enough to retire comfortably
• 62% of retired Canadians have an employer pension, but only 10% of Canadians under 30 currently have an employer pension
• 2% of retirees prefer to live in a retirement home

7of8: Savings & Debt (2019.03.01)

Toyin and Josh are a remarkably frugal couple who once experienced the stress of being in debt but now vow to never spend more than they earn. As a debt counselor, Toyin spreads their gospel: only buy something new if you can afford three of them. Now, Toyin and Josh want to buy a custom-built house. How can they do that without going into debt?

Another couple, Ben and Chantale, are just managing to balance their budget. They both earn a decent wage and have a solid nest egg of savings. Childcare is their biggest expense and with a second baby due soon, they worry that will tip the balance. Will they manage to still enjoy the occasional special night out? Or will a second child mean they incur more debt than they can manage?

Finally, Jessi and Tahza both earn a good wage, but spend beyond their means. In order to bring in some extra cash, they have a rental property, but the cost of fixing it up is higher than they expected. They are running out of time and money and are drowning in debt.

FAST STATS ABOUT SAVINGS AND DEBT IN CANADA

• The average Canadian saves 5% of their income.
• 48% of Canadians were never taught money management as children.
• Canadian university students typically graduate with a debt load of $27,000.
• A healthy credit score is between 600-900. The average Canadian scores around 600.
• 48% of Canadians live paycheque to paycheque.

8of8: Raising Kids (2019.03.08)

It takes a village for this young couple and their four kids under the age of six. Courtney and Dan have a lot of help from their family. They are raising their kids to be open and liberal — a stark contrast to how they were raised in an Evangelical Christian community. When their eldest kids started expressing opinions that were downright judgmental, they left the church. Now they are wrestling with how much of the old value system they should keep in play.

Art and Mandy moved from Toronto to a small town for work where they are raising their two kids aged eight and six. Mandy worries about the lack of culture in their town, but Art is more laid back. A trip to a museum reveals their different approaches. Their biggest difference in opinion: what to do once their kids become teenagers. Should they move back to the city, or to a bigger town nearby?

Finally, Monique is a single mother who chose to have a child on her own. Her 5-year-old son is beginning to act out, and she is questioning her parenting style. Will her network of friends and family be enough to provide her with the support she needs?

FAST STATS ABOUT RAISING KIDS IN CANADA

• The average cost of raising a child to 18 years old is $257,364.
• 22% of families have a permanent stay-at-home parent.
• 33% of parents prefer to raise their kids in the country, while 26% prefer the city.
• 71% of parents are raising their kids differently than they were raised.
• 66% of parents would consider moving for better opportunities for their children.