Cost of living is driving a mental health care crisis in Canada
Among people with severe anxiety, 72 per cent said they ended care before completing it; for those with moderately severe-to-severe depression, that figure rose to 74 per cent. Meanwhile, only 14 per cent of people with severe anxiety said care fully met their needs, compared with 29 per cent across the broader survey population.
“What stands out in this wave is how clearly the pressures connect,” said Michael Cooper, vice-president of data and partnerships at MHRC. “Economic strain, the ways people cope, whether they feel connected and what happens when they enter care are not separate mental health stories.”
These dynamics matter for advisors because the link between financial planning and mental wellbeing is well established and clients experiencing untreated mental health conditions are more likely to make reactive or emotionally driven financial decisions.
Coping strategies and the connection gap
The survey also examined how Canadians manage stress. The most common approaches were keeping busy or pushing through on their own (43 per cent), taking time alone or distancing from others (42 per cent), and talking with a friend, family member or partner (39 per cent). Just 11 per cent identified seeing a counsellor, therapist or other mental health professional as a coping strategy. Twenty-one per cent reported at least one potentially harmful coping behaviour.
Social connection data reveal a meaningful gap between close relationships and community ties. While 68 per cent of Canadians reported meaningful interactions with family at least weekly and 57 per cent with friends, only 28 per cent reported the same with neighbours and 21 per cent with community or organized groups. Among those with fewer social connections, 24 per cent identified mental health challenges as a barrier — second only to lack of time at 28 per cent.
