World Happiness Report 2026: Finland is the happiest again – but Canada plummets and Sweden slips
It's that time of the year again. The latest edition of the World Happiness Report is out, and as usual, it's the Finns who have the most reason to smile. For the seventh year in a row, Finland is crowned the world's happiest country. The Nordics, as always, dominate the top spots – but back home here in Sweden, we're seeing a slight dip. We've slipped down a few notches, even though we're still way ahead of most.
But it's not our neighbours to the east making headlines this year. Instead, look west, across the Atlantic. Canada, long seen as one of the most harmonious countries, is actually plummeting in the rankings. The country lands at 25th place out of 147 nations, which might sound okay until you look back – since 2013, Canada has tumbled a staggering 19 places. The question is, what's happening in the land of maple leaves and politeness?
Canada's crisis: from dream to nightmare?
I've been following these reports for a long time and can't recall such a dramatic drop for any Western country. To understand why, you really have to look at the bigger picture. It's not just one thing, but a puzzle of political turmoil and everyday problems. Here are a few pieces that many Canadians themselves are pointing to:
- The housing crisis in major cities: Buying a home in Toronto or Vancouver is a pipe dream for young people. Even the Prime Minister's official residence, Rideau Cottage, has been described as "inadequate" for a prime minister. When those in power don't even have proper housing, it's easy for people to lose hope.
- The cost of owning a car in Toronto: A new report shows Toronto is now one of the cities in the world where it's hardest to justify owning a car. Between insurance, parking, and gas, the car eats up a huge chunk of your salary – and without decent alternatives, daily life becomes a constant source of stress.
- Political cynicism: Right now, there's a heated debate going on in Ontario. Critics, including Tim Hudak who recently pointed out in a morning commentary, argue that Premier Doug Ford is "flooding the zone" – basically, overwhelming the news cycle with a bunch of other stuff to distract attention from a transparency scandal. When people feel politicians aren't being honest, trust erodes, and trust is a key ingredient for happiness.
Jeffrey Sachs warns of the price of negativity
The report's co-founder, Jeffrey Sachs, often highlights the importance of social bonds. This year, he's also commented on another aspect: the impact of negative people. Research highlighted in the report shows that negative people in your circle can actually make you age faster. It's about the stress, the worry, and that gnawing feeling of always being on edge. Maybe that's exactly the feeling spreading across Canada right now – a collective pessimism eating away from the inside.
Sweden – still among the happy ones
But let's not get too down back home. Sure, we've slipped a few spots this year – we've noticed – but we're still part of the exclusive club of countries where you can breathe easy. Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and the Netherlands are ahead of us, but we still beat most others. Maybe it's our openness, our sense of security, or just having access to nature and a decent work-life balance that keeps us doing well. Because even if we complain about the weather and the housing shortage in the cities, we've actually got it pretty darn good.
And one thing's for sure: when the next report comes out in 2027, we'll probably be comparing ourselves to our Finnish neighbours again. Until then, we'll just have to live with them being the world champions of happiness – and we'll settle for being among the top of the class. For a country in northern Europe, that's still pretty okay.