Ashley Casciato from Innisfil, Ont., says she’s struggling to make ends meet, yet still sees herself as middle class — and she’s not alone. With the federal election just a week away, many Canadians are feeling the pressure of a rising cost of living that’s putting homeownership and the traditional middle-class lifestyle increasingly out of reach. We explore how the definition of “middle class” is changing and what party leaders should do to make life more affordable.