Published December 2022
During the pandemic, the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) and other initiatives gathered data on self-perceived mental health and mental health care needs. The data below show the effects of the pandemic on people’s self-perceived mental health, as well as some of the impacts of COVID-19 on visible minority and immigrant individuals.
Immigrant and Visible Minority Communities Hardest Hit By COVID-19
Ontario census data show that COVID-19 had a more profound impact in areas with a higher concentration of visible minorities.
Source: Statistics Canada, "Impacts on Immigrants and People Designated as Visible Minorities", October 20, 2020, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/2020004/s6-eng.htm
Immigrants Taking More COVID-19 Precautions, More Worried About Being Target of Unwanted Behaviours
As safety measures are relaxed, immigrants remain vigilant about COVID-19 infection. Compared with Canadian-born individuals, immigrants are more likely to take precautions.
Source: Statistics Canada, "Impacts on Immigrants and People Designated as Visible Minorities", October 20, 2020, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/2020004/s6-eng.htm
Chart on unwanted or hostile behaviour
COVID-19 is not the only threat about which immigrants are wary. Statistics Canada data indicates that immigrants were twice as likely as Canadian-born individuals to report that they felt worried about unwanted or hostile behaviour (29% vs 17%). Immigrants also reported that they feared stigma based on racial identity: 42% of immigrants who reported worry about unwanted or hostile behaviour feared this, vs 9% of Canadian-born individuals worried about unwanted behaviour.
Source: Statistics Canada, "Impacts on Immigrants and People Designated as Visible Minorities", October 20, 2020, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/2020004/s6-eng.htm
Instances of Reported Discrimination Increased During COVID-19
Percentage of participants who reported experiencing discrimination or having been treated unfairly by others during the pandemic (August 2020)
Source: Statistics Canada, "Impacts on Immigrants and People Designated as Visible Minorities", October 20, 2020, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/2020004/s6-eng.htm
Instances of Reported Discrimination Increased During COVID-19
Source: Statistics Canada, "Impacts on Immigrants and People Designated as Visible Minorities", October 20, 2020, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/2020004/s6-eng.htm
Source: Statistics Canada, "Impacts on Immigrants and People Designated as Visible Minorities", October 20, 2020, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/2020004/s6-eng.htm
Source: Statistics Canada, "Impacts on Immigrants and People Designated as Visible Minorities", October 20, 2020, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/2020004/s6-eng.htm
Source: Statistics Canada, "Impacts on Immigrants and People Designated as Visible Minorities", October 20, 2020, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/2020004/s6-eng.htm
Despite Challenges, Immigrants and Visible Minorities Report Positive Mental Health
In fall 2020, Statistics Canada gathered data on self-perceived mental health and mental health care needs during COVID-19. Visible and non-visible minority respondents reported higher than average percentages of positive mental health, with some ethnic groups reporting particularly good mental health.
All other visible minority groups did not have a statistically significant difference compared to the non-visible minority population.
Source: Statistics Canada, "Impacts on Immigrants and People Designated as Visible Minorities", October 20, 2020, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/2020004/s6-eng.htm