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Alcohol Use Rises in Canada as Pandemic-Era Drinking Habits Persist, Report Finds
Ontario adults report a 12.1% alcohol dependence rate and increased mental distress five years after COVID-19, with notable rises in medication use and worsened mental health.
- On Monday, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health released its 2025 Monitor report, finding harmful drinking behaviours, including alcohol dependence, remain elevated five years after the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Amid lingering pandemic effects, pandemic-era stresses have left mental-health and substance-use issues unresolved for many Ontarians, and shifts in retail access increased alcohol availability across Ontario retail outlets, CAMH said.
- The report found symptoms of alcohol dependence rose from 7.4 to 13.9 during the pandemic and remained at 12.1 last year, while adults in Ontario reporting poor mental health increased to 29.
- CAMH cautioned that increasing alcohol availability could worsen harm, as symptoms of dependence remain elevated at 12.1 per cent in the past year, and experts stressed the need for better public health and clinical services.
- CAMH noted The Monitor population survey surveyed 3,012 Ontario adults last year, but cautioned the provincial convenience-store alcohol sales policy is too new for 2025 data to fully capture.
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burlingtontoday.com+8 Reposted by 8 other sources
Alcohol dependence still high 5 years after pandemic: CAMH report
'Alcohol remains one of the leading preventable causes of death in Canada, in large part due to its accessibility and potential for dependence,' says a doctor at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Global NewsReposted by 
dailyguardian.ca
dailyguardian.caPoor mental health, harmful alcohol use persists post-pandemic: report
A new report shows that even though the COVID-19 pandemic ended several years ago, the increase in issues around mental health and substance use still continue.
·Toronto, Canada
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The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto is "concerned" about the number of alcohol-dependent cases in Ontario, which remains high.
·Montreal, Canada
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources16
Leaning Left14Leaning Right0Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution93% Left
Bias Distribution
- 93% of the sources lean Left
93% Left
L 93%
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