A System Falling Short: Men’s Experiences with Mental Health and Substance Use Services in Canada
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MHRC data and complementary research examine where men are being missed, what happens when they reach care and what can help services keep them connected.
Men are seeking help. What happens when they reach care matters.
We’ve partnered with the Movember Institute of Men’s Health and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) on A System Falling Short: Men’s Experiences with Mental Health and Substance Use Services in Canada, a report examining how men experience mental health and substance use services in Canada. Our national polling estimates that 1.3 million men over 16, around one in eleven, have unmet mental health support needs. The report brings MHRC evidence together with research from Movember and health-system analysis to examine where men are being missed, what happens when they reach care and where services can respond better.
Encouraging men to seek help earlier remains important, but the findings show that access alone is not enough. Services also need to be designed to reach men earlier, respond effectively when they arrive and keep them engaged in care.
Key findings
Our national polling estimates that 1.3 million men over 16, around one in eleven, have unmet needs for mental health support.
In MHRC polling, 17% of men needed mental health or substance use support in the past year. Twelve per cent reached services and a further 5% needed support but did not access it.
In Movember’s national survey of men in Canada, 54% of men who sought care reported barriers to receiving effective care, including rushed appointments, difficulty communicating symptoms, feeling dismissed and a lack of empathy.
In the same survey, 67% of men satisfied with their first healthcare encounter said they would seek help again, compared with 26% of those who were not satisfied.
Among younger men in MHRC research, 44% did not receive the support they needed and 49% left care before their needs were met.
Ontario administrative data analyzed by independent ICES-accredited researchers at CAMH shows that more than 85% of males with an identified mental health problem accessed no publicly funded mental health or addictions service within one year. Males were also more likely than females to enter care through emergency departments rather than planned outpatient services.
Why does this matter?
Men are reaching services, but too many needs remain invisible and care does not always retain those who get through the door. The findings shift attention from help-seeking alone to how systems are designed, including the quality of first encounters, follow-up after acute care and pathways into support for men facing the greatest barriers. Better evidence can help health systems identify where men are being missed and strengthen existing services so they reach men earlier, respond more effectively and keep them connected to care.
Continue the conversation
The Better Mental Health Briefing — October 22, 2026 at 1 p.m. ET
The upcoming webcast will continue the conversation, drawing on findings from A System Falling Short alongside broader perspectives on men’s mental health, help-seeking, substance use and care. In partnership with Movember, we’ll bring together research and expert perspectives on the pressures affecting men’s mental health and the barriers that can stand in the way of care. Join us!
About the findings
This report was led by the Movember Institute of Men’s Health and developed in partnership with Mental Health Research Canada and CAMH. It draws on several complementary sources of evidence, including MHRC’s national population polling, Movember research and linked Ontario administrative health data analyzed by independent ICES-accredited researchers at CAMH.
MHRC’s national polling is conducted online by Pollara Strategic Insights among people in Canada aged 16 and older, with results weighted by age, gender and region. The report draws on polling conducted across multiple waves, including our National Polling Initiative July 2022 and May 2026. Ontario administrative findings are specific to Ontario and should not be interpreted as nationally representative.
