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Mental Health in the Workplace Statistics Canada: The Complete 2024-2025 Data Report

📊 Key Takeaways

The bottom line: Mental health challenges cost the Canadian economy $51 billion annually, with 500,000 Canadians missing work every week due to mental illness. While 30% of disability claims are mental health-related, they account for 70% of all disability costs. By 2041, cumulative costs could reach $2.5 trillion.

The Current State of Workplace Mental Health in Canada

How Common Are Mental Health Issues?

1 in 5 Canadians will experience mental illness in any given year
1 in 2 Canadians will have had a mental illness by age 40
6.7 million Canadians currently struggle with mental illness
8.7% of employed Canadians reported mental health-related disability in 2021 (↑ from 6.4% in 2019)

Key insight: Mental health disability rates increased 36% in just 2 years following the pandemic.

Burnout Is on the Rise

24% of working Canadians experience burnout “most of the time” or “always” (↑ from 21% in 2023)
38% of healthcare workers report burnout
Significantly improved since pandemic peak, but still elevated

Work-Related Stress Levels

21.2% (4.1 million people) experience high or very high levels of work-related stress
70% of working Canadians say their work experience impacts their mental health
7.5% took time off due to stress or mental health in past 12 months
2.4 days lost on average per worker annually

Post-Pandemic Reality

Positive trend:

More Canadians report mental health improved rather than declined over past 12 months

Challenges remain:

42% of employees rate their mental health as fair or poor
1 in 3 note a decline in mental health in past year
52% struggling with mental health aren’t getting needed help

💰 The Economic Impact of Poor Mental Health

The $51 Billion Problem

$51 billion annual economic cost
- Includes healthcare costs, lost productivity, and reduced quality of life
- $6.3 billion specifically from lost productivity
- Nearly $1,400 per person living in Canada

Future Projections

$2.5 trillion cumulative cost by 2041
Mental health crisis increasingly recognized as productivity crisis

Absenteeism: Days Lost

500,000 Canadians miss work every week due to mental illness
Employees with depression miss 27 days more per year than peers without depression

Disability Claims: The Hidden Costs

Mental health claims:

30% of all short and long-term disability claims
70% of total disability costs
45% of total claims costs (Sun Life data)
Depression is #1 reason for disability claims year-over-year

Cost comparison:

$18,000 average cost per mental health disability leave
2x the cost of leave for physical illness
For every 1,000 employees: 145 disability cases annually, ~20 mental health-related

Workplace Losses

$20 billion of the $51B stems directly from workplace losses
Average $1,500 per employee, per year cost to businesses

📈 Top Causes of Work-Related Stress

Primary Stressors

Heavy workload:

Affects 23.7% of employed Canadians
32.3% in healthcare and social assistance (highest)
Nearly 1 in 3 say heavy workload causes work-related stress

Work-life balance:

15.7% of employed Canadians cite this as main stressor
1 in 6 report difficulty balancing work and personal life

Emotional load:

11.7% of workers on average
21.4% in healthcare sector

Other stressors:

33% uncomfortable speaking up at work
26% don’t feel comfortable being themselves at work
24% don’t feel valued as team member

🏢 Psychological Safety in the Workplace

How Safe Do Workers Feel?

Positive signs:

68% consider their workplace psychologically safe
23% believe their workplace is not psychologically safe

Culture concerns:

19% say team doesn’t always interact respectfully/is not free from discrimination
28% say team doesn’t resolve differences respectfully
27% feel it’s not safe to protect employees’ physical safety
45% same for psychological safety protection

Company Size Matters

Only 47% of employees in large workplaces (500+ employees) experience positive workplace culture
Smaller organizations often report better psychological safety

🏭 Industry-Specific Mental Health Statistics

Healthcare and Social Assistance

27.3% report high work-related stress (highest of all sectors)
38% experience burnout “most of the time” or “always”
32.3% cite heavy workload as stress cause
21.4% cite emotional load
63% indicate high turnover is significant issue

Education

21% feel it’s rarely or never safe to speak up at work
34% believe difficult situations are dealt with effectively
27.0% of women report work stress vs. 19.6% of men

Retail

Only 29% feel they are paid fairly for work
63% indicate high turnover is significant issue
17.4% of women report work stress vs. 14.1% of men

Construction

17.2% of men report work stress (higher than women at 12.6%)
45% of workers take time off due to mental wellbeing in construction/engineering
Male-dominated workplaces show unique mental health challenges

First Responders

22% feel it’s rarely or never safe to speak up at work
High exposure to traumatic events contributes to PTSD and stress

👥 Demographics and Mental Health at Work

Age-Related Patterns

Younger workers (18-34):

45% say workload is unreasonable
54% feel lonely at work at least some of the time
Ages 18-24: report highest levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness
57% of 18-24 year-olds cite financial constraints as primary barrier to mental health care

Core-aged workers (25-54):

Most likely to report work-related stress across age groups
Peak prevalence of mental health issues

Older workers (55+):

15% experience psychological harm at work (lower than younger groups at 24%)
Generally report better mental health outcomes

Peak age for mental health issues:

20-29 years: 28.9% prevalence for males, 28.1% for females
Critical age when entering workforce/education

Gender Differences

Overall trends:

Women often report higher stress in certain sectors (education, retail)
Men report higher stress in construction and other services
Mental health experiences vary by occupation type within industries

Men-specific data (British Columbia study):

36% engage in hazardous drinking
22% experience depression
18% have suicidal/self-injury ideation
14% experience anxiety
Distress concealment correlates with worse mental health outcomes

💼 Workplace Trauma and Psychological Harm

Exposure to Trauma

20% indicate job involves unavoidable risk to psychological harm
38% still impacted by workplace trauma
48% have recovered from it

Sources of Workplace Trauma

Clients – 46%
Coworkers – 29%
Direct managers – 27%

🚪 Employee Turnover and Retention

Mental Health Impact on Job Changes

1 in 3 Canadians would quit their job for better mental health benefits
63% of workers aged 18-24 say mental health coverage is deciding factor in employment choices
61% who left jobs/plan to leave cited poor mental health

Industry-Specific Turnover

63% in healthcare and retail report high turnover as significant issue
70% turnover rate in education sector (March 2020 – October 2021)

📚 Mental Health Support and Access

The Gap Between Need and Support

52% struggling with mental health aren’t getting help they need
50%+ have never accessed their EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
89% believe employers should provide wellbeing support
But 50%+ say employer hasn’t acted on it

What Workers Want

Priority support needs:

51% would use free, confidential mental health resource if offered
Flexible work arrangements
Better mental health training
Access to family-based resources (especially for working parents)

Barriers to Care

Top barriers:

57% of 18-24 year-olds: financial constraints
Long wait times for services
Geographical inequities (rural/remote areas)
Lack of culturally appropriate care
Stigma and discrimination

💡 Psychological Health and Safety Standards

Canada’s National Standard

2013: Canada created world’s first National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace

Voluntary guidelines, tools, and resources
Framework for addressing mental health across all organizational parts
Emphasizes prevention, protection, and promotion

13 factors of psychological health and safety:

Psychological support
Organizational culture
Clear leadership and expectations
Civility and respect
Psychological competencies and demands
Growth and development
Recognition and reward
Involvement and influence
Workload management
Engagement
Balance
Psychological protection
Protection of physical safety

🎯 What’s Working (and What’s Not)

Positive Developments

Improved conditions:

Mental health more likely to have improved than declined (recent trend)
Reduced stigma leading to more Canadians seeking help
Increased employer awareness and program offerings
81% of workplaces increased mental health focus since pandemic

Persistent Challenges

Over 70% of HR leaders say talent attraction and retention are challenges

Common issues:

60% of employees experienced increased workplace stress in 2023
Job stability concerns from layoffs and economic turbulence
Blurred boundaries between work and personal life
Mounting workloads and tight deadlines

🔮 Looking Forward: Future Trends

Growing Recognition of Mental Health Priority

Mental health increasingly seen as business-critical issue, not just HR concern
Connection between mental health crisis and Canada’s poor productivity rankings gaining attention
OECD predicts Canada will be worst-performing advanced economy this decade

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Focus

Populations needing targeted support:

BIPOC employees face unique challenges
LGBTQIA+ employees require specialized care
Indigenous populations face systemic barriers
Immigrants and racialized populations encounter discrimination
Women (especially in certain sectors) experience disproportionate stress

Youth Mental Health Crisis

25.5% utilization rate of mental health services by youth (16-24) in past year
COVID-19 amplified challenges significantly
Need for early intervention and accessible care
Impact on working parents when children struggle

Technology and Innovation

Digital-first benefits administration showing promise
Telehealth helping bridge gaps in underserved areas
Virtual mental health support growing rapidly
Personalized therapist matching tools improving access

📊 Regional Variations

Provincial Differences

British Columbia:

Specific research shows high rates of mental health challenges among male workers
Housing affordability adds financial stress

Ontario:

Home to significant research (CAMH) and policy development
Could spend $7B annually on health care and lost productivity
First to implement chronic mental stress claims (WSIB, 2018)

Atlantic provinces:

Mental health support infrastructure challenges
Need for better resources

💪 The Business Case for Mental Health Support

ROI of Investing in Mental Health

Direct benefits:

Prevents costlier disability claims
Reduces absenteeism
Improves productivity
Better talent attraction and retention

Financial impact:

Mental health leave costs 2x physical illness leave
Early intervention saves money long-term
$1 invested in mental health treatment typically returns $4 in improved health and productivity

What Employees Value

89% believe employers should provide wellbeing support
1 in 3 would leave for better mental health benefits
63% of young workers (18-24) prioritize mental health coverage

🛠️ Recommended Actions for Employers

Based on Research and Best Practices

1. Implement continuum of care:

Emphasize healthy work/life balance
Provide stress management supports
Ensure access to physical fitness programs

2. Training and education:

Manager training on mental health conversations
Reduce stigma through awareness campaigns
Mental Health@Work Training Program (Bell Canada/Queen’s University model)

3. Systemic changes:

Address workload issues (top stressor)
Improve work-life balance policies
Create psychologically safe cultures
Regular risk assessments for psychosocial hazards

4. Support structures:

Make EAPs visible and accessible
Provide clear communication about benefits
Offer family-based resources
Culturally sensitive and inclusive support

5. Leadership commitment:

Leaders modeling healthy behaviors
Transparent communication
Accountability measures
Integration with business strategy

📚 Methodology & Sources

This report compiles data from:

Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC)
Canada Life
Workplace Strategies for Mental Health
Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)
Canadian Psychological Association (CPA)
GreenShield Health Research
Dialogue Health Research
Sun Life Financial
Various provincial health authorities
Peer-reviewed Canadian academic studies

Survey periods: 2023-2025

Sample sizes: Ranging from 1,500 to 5,500+ employed Canadians

🎯 Bottom Line for Canadian Employers

Mental health isn’t just a HR issue—it’s a business-critical economic issue affecting your bottom line through:

Lost productivity ($51 billion nationally, $6.3B directly)
Disability costs (70% of all disability costs from 30% of claims)
Turnover (1 in 3 would leave for better benefits)
Absenteeism (500,000 miss work weekly)
Direct costs ($1,500 per employee annually on average)
Replacement costs ($18,000 per mental health disability leave)

The opportunity:

Canada has world-leading framework (National Standard)
Growing awareness and reduced stigma
Proven interventions available
Clear ROI from investment

The path forward: This requires more than adding wellness programs. It demands cultural transformation, leadership commitment, manager training, systemic changes to workload and work design, and addressing root causes of workplace psychological harm.

Critical insight: With Canada facing productivity challenges and an aging workforce, addressing workplace mental health is not optional—it’s essential for national economic competitiveness.

🆘 Resources for Canadians

National Resources:

Mental Health Commission of Canada: www.mentalhealthcommission.ca
CAMH: www.camh.ca
Crisis line: 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline
BounceBack: Free skills-building program

Workplace-Specific:

Workplace Strategies for Mental Health: www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com
National Standard: Available free online
Guarding Minds framework: Assessment tools for employers

Provincial Programs:

Check your provincial health authority for local resources
Workers’ compensation boards (some cover chronic mental stress)
EAP programs (if offered by employer)

Last updated: October 2025

Data sources: Mental Health Research Canada, Statistics Canada, CAMH, Mental Health Commission of Canada, Canadian Psychological Association, and other authoritative Canadian organizations

About the Author

Albert Sanderson

Website | + posts

Albert spent ten years in academia before escaping to write full-time. Meticulous research habits die hard, so every piece is thorough and deeply insightful. Fly fishing and woodworking provide balance to screen time. Writes clearly because jargon is lazy.