Canada’s Kids

“The state of childhood in Canada has reached a breaking point. The seventh annual Raising Canada report, released today, finds that the top 10 threats to childhood are escalating, with children’s quality of life in Canada demonstrably worsening. The report includes an urgent call for policymakers to address and overcome these pressing issues. It also calls on community leaders to recognize the value of youth engagement as a critical element of creating and implementing solutions to complex social issues.

The annual Raising Canada report is published by Children First Canada, based on research conducted by the University of Calgary and McGill University. Researchers compiled existing data and conducted interviews with youth, parents and other subject matter experts. It comes as Canada ranks 66th out of 194 countries on the global Kids Rights Index.

Among the startling findings:

• 28.4% of children under 18 live in food-insecure households, an increase from 24.3% the previous year.
• One in five kids (20%) in Canada have diagnosed mental health challenges.
• Two-thirds (60%) of Canadians reported experiencing maltreatment (including physical and/or emotional abuse) before the age of 15.
• Police reports of online sexual exploitation of children have nearly tripled since 2014; Sextortion reports have increased by 150% since June 2022 and online sexual luring reports have surged 815% over the last five years.
• Hospital stays for children under four have increased by 32% due to respiratory illnesses.
• Child homicide and filicide are significant threats to children’s survival, with 40 child homicides reported in 2022.

This year’s report also highlights several cross-cutting themes, including the influence of technology on children and adolescents. Researchers note that digital platforms have made it easier to create and share messages of hate, discrimination, and cyberbullying, which adversely impact mental health, physical activity, and the risk of violence and abuse. Evidence also concludes that the negative effects of technology on mental health have intensified since the onset of the pandemic, with the RCMP warning that victims face extreme outcomes of sextortion, including self-harm or suicide.

“Children today are facing unprecedented threats—from rising poverty and mental health crises to violence in their homes and online. Parents are struggling to offer their children a better way of life than they had,” says Sara Austin, Founder and CEO of Children First Canada. “Canada’s kids deserve better—a better childhood and a brighter future, and their survival and ability to thrive depend on the choices we make today. We must act with urgency and conviction to turn this around.”

Read more on New Report Reveals Record Increases in Violence, Poverty, Mental Health Issues and Sexploitation Among Canada’s Kids (2024) via Children First Canada.