First report card on mental wellness reveals concerning patterns in the city
TORONTO – The mental health of Torontonians is getting worse, show the findings of Toronto’s first-ever report card on mental wellness in the city.
In 2022, just 52 per cent of people reported having good mental health, down from 73 per cent in 2015. Furthermore, 31 per cent reported that their mental health had worsened since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Concerning trends and inequities in mental health are emerging,” says report card co-author, Dr. Kwame McKenzie, CEO of Wellesley Institute, who helped produce the report on behalf of Thrive Toronto. Thrive Toronto is a multi-sector partnership of leading groups active in mental health in the city.
Among the trends:
- Children and youth were less likely to report good mental health.
- Fewer people identifying as 2SLGBTQ+ reported good mental health compared to the rest of the population.
- People who reported experiencing discrimination or adverse childhood experiences were less likely to report having good mental health.
The report card also found that while mental health services and supports in the city are meeting the needs of those who can access them, too many Torontonians cannot get access to them. Demand for support services is rapidly rising, with waitlists nearly doubling between 2020/2021 and 2022/2023 alone.
Many stressors linked to lower mental health were uncovered in the report card:
- Working conditions, financial difficulties and time pressures were among the top reported stressors in Toronto.
- Groups facing greater social and economic challenges were less likely to say they had good mental health.
- 46 per cent of young people reported feeling depressed about the future because of climate change.
“Mental health is one of the most important aspects of life. We all benefit from improved mental health and we all lose when it deteriorates,” says Dr. McKenzie.
In uncovering mental health inequities in our city, the report card also demonstrates that it’s possible to build a better future for Toronto. Meaningful action on the social determinants of health, on well-being and for equity-deserving groups by policymakers, governments, the broader public service, employers, the community sector and by everyone living in Toronto can enhance mental well-being.
“We can see what the problems are, and we know what will work to make them better. It’s time for action,” says Dr. McKenzie.
The Thrive Toronto Advisory Committee is made up of senior leaders representing the Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), City of Toronto Social Development Division, Family Service Toronto, Strides Toronto, Toronto Public Health, United Way Greater Toronto, Wellesley Institute and the YMCA of Greater Toronto.
This report card, the first in a series, is also significant because it represents an agreed-upon way to measure mental health in Toronto.
“This first-ever report card offers the baseline information from which future reports will measure success or identify problems,” says Dr. McKenzie.
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About Thrive Toronto
Thrive Toronto brings together organizations from across sectors to take action that improves the mental wellness and psychological health of Torontonians. Our mission is to transform Toronto into a city where everyone can thrive. Learn more at thriveto.ca.
About Wellesley Institute
Wellesley Institute works in research and policy to improve health and health equity in the Greater Toronto Area through action on the social determinants of health. More than a think tank, we’re a catalyst for change.Visit us at wellesleyinstitute.com.
For more information or to arrange interviews:
Judy Noordermeer
Director, Communications and Partnerships
judy.noordermeer@wellesleyinstitute.com
647-830-9024
Meri Perra
Communications Specialist
meri.perra@wellesleyinstitute.com
416-972-1010 x275