Number of people in Ontario needing mental health support increasing, survey finds
More people in Ontario are accessing mental health support than at any other time during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey suggests.
The Canadian Mental Health Association poll indicated 24 per cent of respondents have sought help for mental health challenges, compared to 17 per cent last winter and nine per cent almost two years ago.
Camille Quenneville, the association's CEO, said the survey results are worrying as they indicate the mental health of those living in the province is not improving.
"We've conducted four polls during this pandemic because we wanted to get a sense of how people are doing nearly two years in," she said in a written statement.
"Needless to say we're very concerned that the numbers are going in the wrong direction."
The poll surveyed 1,001 Ontario adults between Jan. 10 and Jan. 17, and carries a margin of error of 3.1 per cent.
The Canadian Mental Health Association conducted three similar surveys earlier in the pandemic -- in April 2020, July 2020 and February 2021.
In the latest survey, nearly half -- 48 per cent -- of respondents said their mental health has worsened since the pandemic began, compared to 36 per cent at the start of the pandemic
Thirty two per cent of those surveyed said they are struggling with high levels of stress and 31 per cent have high levels of anxiety.
Accessing mental health support appears to be a challenge as 43 per cent of survey respondents indicated it was difficult to get help, up from 37 per cent at the start of the pandemic.
About 65 per cent of those surveyed said mental health supports are helpful, down from 77 per cent near the beginning of COVID-19.
"We will continue to monitor these trends because, as we know, mental health is a continuum and people's moods and feelings can change with a return to normalcy," Quenneville said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 7, 2022
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6968271.1721298812!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Former safety minister wants 'protective zones' for MPs' offices as threats increase
Former public safety minister Marco Mendicino is calling for the creation of 'protective zones' around political constituency offices to shield members of Parliament and their staff from a rising tide of threatening behaviour.
Vance's night but Trump's party, Jan. 6 curtain call, Trump health still under wraps: RNC Takeaways
Republicans welcomed JD Vance as Donald Trump's running mate on the same night devoted to blasting U.S. President Joe Biden's leadership on the world stage. Here are some takeaways from Day 3 of the RNC.
Two deaths in listeriosis outbreak linked to plant-based milk recall
Two people have died after an outbreak of listeriosis triggered a national recall of certain plant-based milks, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Wednesday.
John Deere ends support of 'social or cultural awareness' events, distances from inclusion efforts
Farm equipment maker John Deere says it will no longer sponsor 'social or cultural awareness' events, becoming the latest major U.S. company to distance itself from diversity and inclusion measures after being targeted by conservative backlash.
Rare photos reveal uncontacted tribe in Peruvian Amazon as loggers move in
Rare images of the Mashco Piro, an uncontacted Indigenous tribe in the remote Peruvian Amazon, were published on Tuesday by Survival International,
NEW 'No more barriers in CAF' as Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan to be officially named head of military
Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan will become the first female to lead the Canadian Armed Forces following a ceremony in Ottawa today.
Teens could face charges after homes damaged in 'ding dong ditch' pranks, B.C. RCMP say
Authorities are asking parents to speak with their teenagers following a "frenzy" of recent door-knock pranks in Surrey, B.C., that have escalated into property damage.
JD Vance introduces himself as Trump's running mate and makes direct appeal to his native Rust Belt
Introducing himself to the nation after being tapped as Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance used his Wednesday night address to the Republican National Convention to share the story of his hardscrabble upbringing and make the case that his party best understands the challenges facing struggling Americans.
Quebec filmmaker denied replacement hand after airplane propeller accident
The War Amps is speaking out after one of its members who lost most of his hand in an airplane propeller accident was denied coverage by Quebec for a mechanical hand.