Many rich kids in Canada are encouraged to work—often in family businesses or prestigious internships—to maintain the appearance of responsibility. However, the safety net beneath them changes the meaning of risk. They can pursue unpaid internships, launch startups with family funding, or take time to “find themselves” without the financial consequences most young people face.
It’s important to note that Canadian wealth is not monolithic. Rich kids come from diverse cultural backgrounds, including immigrant families who built wealth within one or two generations. For these families, success is often closely tied to sacrifice, discipline, and reputation, leading to stricter expectations and less visible luxury. Indigenous wealth, though less common and often misunderstood, also exists and is shaped by unique legal, cultural, and historical contexts that differ from traditional Western models of inheritance.
