A new survey conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) shows that psychological distress among Ontario youth has decreased since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, although it remains higher than it was a decade ago. The findings, released in 2026, offer the first indication that the surge in anxiety and depression that followed the pandemic may be easing, but they also highlight that young people in the province are still experiencing more mental‑health challenges than they did ten years earlier.
CAMH researchers collected data from a broad sample of Ontario youth to assess current levels of psychological distress. Compared with the peak levels recorded during the pandemic, the latest results point to a modest improvement. However, the survey also confirms that distress levels have not returned to the baseline measured before the pandemic began, suggesting that the effects of the health crisis continue to linger among the younger population.
Mental‑health officials have been closely monitoring youth stress since the onset of COVID‑19, noting a sharp rise in anxiety, depression and related symptoms as schools closed and social routines were disrupted. The pandemic period was marked by an unprecedented increase in reported distress, prompting a series of public‑health initiatives aimed at supporting young people's mental well‑being. The recent decline observed in the CAMH survey is being viewed as a potential sign that those interventions, along with the gradual return to normal schooling and social activities, may be having a positive impact.
Despite the downward trend, the persistent gap between current distress levels and those recorded ten years ago underscores the need for continued attention to youth mental health. Stakeholders are expected to use the new data to refine existing programs and to develop additional strategies aimed at further reducing psychological strain among Ontario's younger residents.
The CAMH survey adds a new chapter to the province's ongoing effort to understand and address the mental‑health repercussions of the pandemic, emphasizing both progress made and the work that remains to ensure healthier outcomes for the next generation.