According to the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, 4 per cent of people aged 1 to 17, had fair to poor mental health according to their parents in 2019. The survey also found that poor mental health among children and youth was associated with adverse health and social outcomes such as lower grades and difficulty making friends.

Statistics Canada says the data suggests the perceived mental health of Canadian youth has declined during the pandemic with 57 per cent of participants aged 15 to 17 reporting that their mental health was somewhat worse or much worse than it was prior to the implementation of physical distancing measures.

Stats Canada points out that, as the information was gathered prior to the pandemic, it will serve as an important benchmark to better understand the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of children and youth.