Good morning. A Globe and Mail survey has found that Canadians aren’t feeling the love, but some of the results might surprise you. More on that below, along with heartbreak in women’s hockey at the Olympics and proposed protections for those who fall victim to fraud. But first:

• Former prince Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the province will hold a referendum in October about taking more control over immigration
• Both the U.S. and Iran are signalling that they are prepared for war if talks on Tehran’s nuclear program fizzle out

Hi, I’m Graham Isador. I cover health and wellness for The Globe. This month, I’ve been diving deep into love and romance. I chatted with a millionaire matchmaker about dating profile red flags. I spoke with a psychology professor and “singlehood expert” about the joys and challenges of remaining solo. There was even a Q&A in which freelance columnist Mira Miller and I offered information and advice about the pitfalls of modern relationships.

While I’ve always felt a bit miscast in the Carrie Bradshaw role, I’ve been writing about sex and relationships for the better part of a decade. Over the past few years, some big trends have emerged, suggesting broad shifts in the world of dating and marriage.

More people are single and some people have given up on dating altogether

StatsCan surveys showed that in 2021, 39 per cent of people aged 25 to 29 were in a relationship. That’s way down from when it was 68 per cent four decades earlier. A recent survey, commissioned by The Globe and Mail and conducted by Nanos Research, polled 1,077 Canadians and suggests romantic connections are not that much of a priority, with only 8 per cent of Canadians saying they’re actively dating.

Chatting with experts, there are a number of different reasons for the changes. Increased use of technology is said to be making people lonelier. The COVID-19 pandemic eroded our social habits. Affordability and the cost of living are also huge factors (including disagreements about who should foot the bill). Anecdotally, there were some recurring themes as well.

The reasons people are staying single vary between men and women

Recently, The Globe put out a call asking readers to share why they’ve decided to stop dating. I also asked a similar question on my social media. The sample size wasn’t huge, but among the few dozen responses, there were many similar answers.

Some men said they worried that women were only interested in their money (or suggested their inability to find a partner was owing to a lack of money). Some women said they didn’t want to pick up the slack in domestic roles for men and found that the people they dated didn’t ask them personal questions.

Differing politics played a role for both sides. In 2026, it feels like politics is impossible to ignore, and the disconnect feels broader than ever. Even dating apps have evolved to showcase these values front and centre.

I don’t think those responses are indicative of everyone who is dating – a tiny sample size that doesn’t reflect larger demographics isn’t enough to make definitive statements – but gauging the proverbial temperature of the room, it was pretty eye-opening. If you want to know more about the trend, columnist Mira Miller wrote a great article looking at why more women are deciding to stay single, which you can read here.

If you are looking to date, it might be time to get off the apps

The issue that came up most often while discussing singlehood and modern dating was dating app fatigue. The aforementioned Globe survey noted that nearly two in three Canadians who are dating would like to meet new people through hobbies and sports.

The matchmakers I spoke with pointed to run clubs and improv classes as places to meet new people, noting that a shared interest in an activity proves you already have something in common.

A cool suggestion I noticed for meeting new people is hosting (or attending) a singles party. Writer and friend Suzy Exposito has been hosting events where single people bring a single plus-one and everyone mingles. The friends-of-friends set-up has been a winning formula that creates a social environment and an interesting night out.

But perhaps my favourite idea for finding a potential partner came from a reader who suggested The Globe hosts a singles night. It’s a fun idea to consider. If we pull the trigger, I call dibs on the romcom movie rights. Working title: Love in the Headlines.

In an Olympics where few thought they could win, Canada’s women’s hockey team nearly did just that. Just more than four minutes into overtime, Megan Keller broke in on the Canadian net and put a backhand past goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens to win the game. But the heartbreaking loss wasn’t without a fight, and they almost pulled off the elaborate rope-a-dope against the U.S., writes Cathal Kelly. For all our latest Olympics coverage, go to tgam.ca/olympics-daily.