New MHRC findings show why Canada’s mental health picture cannot be understood through anxiety and depression rates alone.

While many national mental health indicators appear stable, our latest findings suggest Canadians’ ability to cope remains under pressure. Anxiety and resilience indicators point to added strain, and more than half of those who accessed mental health support say they left care earlier than planned or needed.

Our latest report in the Understanding the Mental Health of Canadians series looks beyond national rates of anxiety and depression to show how people in Canada are coping, using support, engaging with screens and staying connected to their communities.

Key findings 

Stable topline numbers, deeper pressure: Self-rated high anxiety and depression remain stable nationally, at 11 per cent and 9 per cent respectively. But other indicators point to continued strain. The findings suggest that stability at the surface does not necessarily mean Canadians are coping well underneath.

• Eighteen per cent of Canadians report moderate or severe anxiety symptoms, up from 15 per cent in the previous survey wave.

• Canadians’ ability to manage and bounce back has also declined, with 62 per cent rating their resilience as excellent or good, down from 66 per cent.

Many Canadians who access support leave care early: More than half of Canadians who accessed mental health support say they disengaged from care earlier than planned or needed. This points to a practical challenge for mental health support, which must be clear, responsive and useful enough for people to continue.

• Not seeing real-world progress (19 per cent), not feeling understood during care (16 per cent) and unclear goals (13 per cent) are the most cited reasons.

• Ending care early is more common among those who report severe mental health challenges, including people reporting severe anxiety symptoms (68 per cent) or severe depression symptoms (77 per cent).

Screen habits may signal mental health strain:  Screen use is not the whole story, but it may be one signal of how people are coping, especially when these activities are passive, frequent or used for longer than intended.

• Forty-six per cent of passive social media users, 40 per cent of entertainment viewers and 35 per cent of gamers report spending more time than intended.

• Sixty-four per cent of young women aged 16 to 24 say they scroll or watch videos to cope with stress or emotions. Forty-two per cent of young men say they use video games for the same reason.

• Canadians who spend four or more hours a day scrolling social media, watching entertainment or playing video games are about twice as likely to report severe anxiety or depression symptoms. 

Belonging and connection matter: Community connection is closely tied to how people cope and manage stress.

• Half of Canadians (48 per cent) took part in group activities in the past year, most commonly through sports and cultural activities, as well as professional, political or religious engagement.

• Forty-eight per cent of individuals describe their sense of belonging to their local community as strong.

• People with a strong sense of belonging report better mental health indicators. They are less likely to report severe depression symptoms, 2 per cent versus 7 per cent, and less likely to feel burned out, 18 per cent versus 36 per cent, than those with a weak sense of belonging.

Mental health pressure is also showing up in daily life: Findings point to pressure in work, finances and everyday functioning.

• Mental health-related missed work has not become more common, but employees who miss work are missing more days. One in four employees also report being impaired at work because of their mental health.

• Financial pressure remains a major factor. Forty-five per cent of Canadians say the cost of living is negatively affecting their mental health, while 36 per cent cite concerns about not being able to pay their bills.

• Burnout also remains widespread, with 26 per cent of Canadians reporting feeling burned out most of the time.

Why this matters

Canada’s mental health story is more complex than topline rates of anxiety and depression can show.

The latest findings point to pressure in how people cope, whether support meets their needs, how screen habits may reflect strain and how community connection may shape mental health. Together, these indicators offer a fuller picture of where Canadians may be struggling and where support systems and communities may need to respond.