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Apathy is Boring transforms Canadian democracy by making politics accessible to young people

Nearly 1/3 of Canadian voters are under 35, yet often face systemic and social barriers to engaging in the democratic process. Apathy is Boring is turning that challenge into the future of democratic leadership.

September 15, 2025

6 min read

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The challenge: reversing democratic disengagement

Nearly a third of Canada's electorate is under 35, yet young voters consistently report feeling disconnected from democratic processes; not from lack of interest, but due to systemic barriers and overwhelming political complexity. Enter Apathy is Boring (AisB), a nonpartisan, charitable organization dedicated to equipping young people to be active and contributing citizens in Canada’s democracy.

Since its founding in 2004, the mostly Montreal-based team has worked to address underlying issues that lead to youth disengagement, recognizing that choosing apathy over participation often stems from structural obstacles.

"We do hear a lot from young people about… why they sometimes feel apathetic toward democracy and politics," says Ash Montgomery, Director of Communications & Strategic Engagement. "They cite protection for mental health, wanting to take a step back because there's just so much going on in the world." For many, the sheer volume of issues and information can feel overwhelming, making disengagement seem easier than participation.

The solution: digestible content and programs that build leaders

To address this challenge, Apathy is Boring developed “The Feed,” a bilingual weekly digest that breaks down complex policy developments into accessible insights. Its tagline says it all: “Making Democracy Digestible. One Bite at a Time.” The Feed helps young people understand how national decisions connect to their daily experiences; with over 4,000 active subscribers nationwide, it’s becoming a trusted entry point for young people who want to stay informed without feeling overwhelmed.

Alongside this bite-sized content initiative are two in-depth, flagship programs: RISE and BUILD. Both provide practical tools, mentorship, and community to transform how young people engage with democracy.

Through its RISE program, Apathy is Boring gives young Canadians the structure, skills, and resources to turn ideas into measurable community impact. RISE is intentionally designed for those aged 18–34 with little to no prior volunteer experience. Over 15 weeks, participants in eight cities collaborate to design and launch projects that address barriers to civic engagement, whether social, environmental, or rooted in everyday challenges their peers face.

With mentorship, training, and a dedicated budget, participants not only learn how to organize but also co-create tangible initiatives that strengthen democratic culture at the local level. Beyond measurable outcomes, RISE fundamentally shifts participants' sense of agency and possibility within Canada's democratic landscape. “70% of alumni told us that RISE expanded their awareness, knowledge, and perception of what constitutes civic engagement, as well as who has the agency and power to be a civic actor,” says Montgomery. And 99% of RISE participants form lasting friendships through the program.

Where RISE is rooted in local, city-based hubs, BUILD offers a fully virtual path for young people to design and lead civic projects. This more self-directed program connects participants nationwide, providing mentorship and resources, culminating in an in-person retreat, to ensure that, whether online or in person, young people have the tools to step into leadership.

"BUILD is almost all virtual... we essentially just equip them with the tools they need to lead their projects on their own," says Montgomery.

What unites RISE and BUILD is a commitment to inclusion and democratic skill-building. Participants don’t just manage projects. They practice civic dialogue, consult their communities, and tackle shared barriers head-on. The result is alumni who leave confident in their abilities, who carry their leadership forward and keep driving impact long after the program ends. Alumni of both programs sustain engagement long after program completion, often pursuing careers in public service.

"We've also seen a lot of alumni from our programs go on to organize within their communities and start up their own initiatives. Seeing that ripple effect is just a reminder of why the work matters and why it's impactful."

Upholding nonpartisan integrity

A cornerstone of these programs is helping participants develop core democratic skills. In today’s polarized environment, Apathy is Boring’s steadfast commitment to nonpartisan education distinguishes their work. Their focus is on empowering participation, not persuasion.

"We always reiterate that when it comes time to casting a vote, we're not telling you who to vote for, which party to support. We're simply laying out the facts, encouraging people to care, and to go out and cast their votes and to have an opinion.

A big part of what Apathy is Boring does in our programming and in our curricula is teaching young people how to engage with folks that share a different perspective and opinion from them in a respectful way."

Ash Montgomery, Director of Strategic Engagement at Apathy is Boring

Ash Montgomery, Director of Communications & Strategic Engagement

Powering scalable civic engagement

To manage their broad scope of programs and outreach, Apathy is Boring relies on NationBuilder as its central platform for engagement, powering everything from program registrations to advocacy campaigns. Their team uses NationBuilder for registration forms, newsletter distribution through The Feed, regional outreach, and as the foundation of their website.

"Everything's centralized on NationBuilder for us. We rely on it a lot," says Montgomery. "NationBuilder has helped us bring all our outreach under one roof, from event RSVPs to program applications to targeted emails.

Having a centralized platform has saved us time and made it easier to see the full picture of how people are engaging with us. The ability to tag, segment, and track engagement has been especially helpful in building stronger relationships with our community. It's allowed us to scale our efforts without losing that personal touch."

This integrated approach has been essential as Apathy is Boring has grown from a local initiative to a national movement. The platform's comprehensive functionality allows them to maintain the community-centered relationships that define their work while operating at the scale required to reach young people across all 343 federal ridings.

Looking ahead: ambitious goals for engagement

Their latest initiative, Table Topics in Your Neighborhood, aims to host community conversations in every riding, a bold vision to strengthen democratic culture at the grassroots. "For us," says Montgomery, "it’s trying to give young changemakers the tools that they need and the mentorship they need to support and address those local issues, build civic engagement from the ground up, and [help them] feel empowered to be a part of all of that."

For this project, Apathy is Boring even created an interactive map where folks can mark where their democracy conversations are happening across the country. The tool visually showcases how young people across the country are coming together to discuss the future of their democracy.

Redefining youth civic engagement

Apathy is Boring shows that when young people are equipped with the right tools, mentorship, and digital infrastructure, they engage meaningfully with democracy. Through evidence-based programming, innovative outreach, and an unwavering commitment to nonpartisan principles, they have created a model for revitalizing democratic participation.

“It’s so valuable to have those kinds of conversations and dialogue, actually learn from folks that grew up in a completely different way than you did," says Montgomery. "You can have constructive conversations and maybe disagree, but do it in a way where you walk away with a new perspective or a new understanding. Not necessarily having your mind changed, but opened and broadened. That’s at the heart of why we work with this next generation of Canadian leaders.”