A new report showed that Toronto residents in their twenties are more prone to depression, anxiety, and financial problems than those belonging to older generations, and they could benefit from more personal and purposeful engagements at work.

The study published by the Toronto Foundation on Wednesday highlighted that people in their twenties are experiencing feelings of loneliness, food insecurity, and mental health issues at unprecedented rates.

Mohammed Haq, one of the directors of the foundation, said, "Young people are increasingly feeling financial insecurity. They are six times more likely to access food banks compared to about five years ago," emphasizing that "the numbers are absolutely alarming."

Researchers found that 45 percent of Toronto residents aged 18 to 29 reported their mental health as fair or poor. Thirty-nine percent reported symptoms consistent with major depressive disorders and 31 percent reported symptoms of anxiety.

Forty percent of Toronto residents in that age group expressed concern about making their rent or mortgage payment each month, and 44 percent reported feeling lonely at least three days a week.

The results for the younger group were significantly worse than those included in the study aged 30 and over. Rates of depression, anxiety, and fear of housing costs were twice as bad for the younger group.

Haq stated, "The disparities are extremely stark. Forty percent of those in their twenties say they feel lonely most of the week. This compares to only about 31 percent of those aged 30 and above."

He added that concerns about the ability to pay rent and access food banks have "increased significantly" over the years.

The study noted that those in their twenties make up a large share of the city’s population, with about 430,000 people aged 20 to 29 in Toronto. Most of these residents do not own their own homes. Seventy-two percent of households headed by individuals aged 25 to 34 are renters.

The study pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic imposed many challenges on people aged 18 to 30 in Toronto, and even as the pandemic wanes, "the ongoing nature of the mental health crisis" has become evident.

The report noted that many of the mental health challenges for this age group are fueled by affordability issues.

The study indicated that "increasing affordability challenges could be a major reason for the decline in mental health even after years of pandemic restrictions."

The study also noted that screen time increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than one in four young Canadians (aged 16 to 34) spending six hours or more of their personal time on screens daily.

The study also mentioned, "We cannot know for certain to what extent people with depression are driven to use screens and to what extent excessive screen time contributes to poor mental health. But it’s clear that we need to provide people with high-quality, affordable opportunities for in-person engagement as part of any solutions to the current mental health crisis."

Researchers in the study suggested that one solution to the current crisis is to get young people back to the office and employed.

The study indicated that young workers and many respondents expressed eagerness to return to the office. Half of those aged 18 to 29 surveyed said they want to work in person four days a week or more.

Haq said, "I think one of the things we are really trying to do is to invite employers, in particular, to provide opportunities for young people to have meaningful engagements and connections at work."

"Young people in their twenties are reporting a desire to come to the office more than their older counterparts for meaningful engagements and opportunities to build teams in person, face-to-face, and that is crucial."