June 16, 2026 – In Pollara’s 28th wave of bi-monthly mental health tracking research for Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC), many national mental health indicators appear stable, but below the surface the story is more complex and concerning. 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.
This latest report in MHRC’s Understanding the Mental Health of Canadians Series looks beyond national rates of anxiety and depression to show the pressures people feel when coping with mental health challenges, how they use support and if it meets their needs, and the impact of screen engagement and community connections. Together, these explorations offer a fulsome picture of how Canadians may be struggling and where support systems and communities may need to respond.
This study is based on an online survey conducted on behalf of MHRC by Pollara Strategic Insights. A total of N=4,044 adult Canadians were surveyed between April 29 and May 13, 2026. Results were weighted by gender, age and region using the most current census data to ensure the sample is representative of the Canadian adult population as a whole. Online surveys cannot officially be assigned a margin of error. A probability sample of this size carries a margin of error of +/-1.5%, 19 times out of 20.
Key findings from the report include:
- While self-rated high anxiety and depression remain stable, at 11% and 9% respectively, other indicators point to continued strain. Signs of moderate or severe anxiety increased to 18%, up from 15% in the previous survey wave, while 62% of Canadians rated their ability to manage and bounce back as excellent or good, down from 66%.
- Among Canadians who accessed mental health support, 56% say they ended care earlier than planned or needed. The most common reasons were not seeing real-world progress, not feeling understood during care and unclear goals.
- Canadians who spend four or more hours per day scrolling social media, playing video games or watching entertainment are about twice as likely to report severe anxiety symptoms or depression symptoms compared with those spending less than four hours per day.
- Canadians remain split on community belonging: 48% report a strong sense of belonging to their local community, while 41% report a weak sense of belonging. Those who participate in group activities are more likely to feel a strong sense of belonging.
- Together, these findings show why Canada’s mental health picture is about more than rates of anxiety and depression. The data also point to how people are coping, whether support is meeting their needs and how everyday factors such as screen habits and belonging may help us better understand mental health strain.
Visit the MHRC website to read the full and executive summary versions of the study report. In addition, please see MHRC’s recent special reports, based on research conducted on their behalf by Pollara, on the following important topics:
- From Silence to Support: Better Mental Health Support for Young Men– A special report examining why young men aged 16 to 29 are not always seeking, accessing, or staying engaged with mental health supports, and what needs to change.
- Behind the Care: The Mental Health Impact of Supporting Others – A special report offering a comprehensive understanding of why and how paid and unpaid caregivers are more likely to struggle with mental health and substance use challenges.
- From Experience to Evidence: How Lived Experience can Shape Better Substance Use Policy – A special report providing insights gathered from 30 in-depth interviews with Canadians facing challenges with alcohol or cannabis use.
- Mind the Gap: Mental Health Disparities across Canada’s Employment Sectors– A special report revealing the current state of mental health across the different sectors of Canada’s economy, with a special focus on rates of burnout and the gaps between mental health needs and access to support.
While at the MHRC website, visit their Pollara-managed interactive data hub, which houses the data from their bi-monthly mental health tracking survey.
