Fast Facts on Loneliness

Understanding loneliness in Canada — and why it matters to all of us.

At ABOH, we believe connection is a human right. This fact sheet presents key data on loneliness in Canada to support awareness, advocacy, and compassionate action.

SECTION 1 — WHAT IS LONELINESS?

Loneliness is the subjective feeling of social isolation — the gap between the social connections we have and the ones we want. It is not the same as being alone. A person can feel deeply lonely in a crowd, and someone who lives alone may feel profoundly connected. The experience of loneliness is personal, complex, and shaped by individual need.

Loneliness is also a public health concern. Chronic loneliness has been linked to serious physical and mental health outcomes, making it as urgent a challenge as many other conditions we take far more seriously as a society.

29% increased risk of heart disease. 32% increased risk of stroke. 50% increased risk of developing dementia.

Social isolation and loneliness are associated with all three of these serious health outcomes.

Source: U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community, 2023

SECTION 2 — LONELINESS IN CANADA: THE BIG PICTURE

Loneliness in Canada is not a fringe experience — it is a widespread reality affecting millions of people across all ages, backgrounds, and communities. National data paints a striking picture:

• 13% of Canadians aged 15 and older say they feel lonely always or often.

• Nearly 1 in 3 Canadians (30%) report feeling lonely sometimes.

• Combined, approximately 43% of Canadians experience some degree of loneliness — nearly half the country.

• Loneliness rates in Canada increased during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of those elevated rates have persisted

13% of Canadians (15+) feel lonely always or often.

And nearly half of all Canadians experience some degree of loneliness. This is not a personal problem — it is a collective one.

Source: Statistics Canada, General Social Survey

SECTION 3 — YOUTH AND LONELINESS

Contrary to popular assumptions, young people are among the loneliest Canadians. Youth are not protected from loneliness by age, social media access, or proximity to peers — in fact, the opposite is often true.

• Young people aged 15–24 are among the most likely to report feeling lonely always or often more so than many older age groups.

• Social media use creates a paradox: more virtual connection, but often less meaningful belonging.

• Loneliness in youth is linked to depression, anxiety, lower academic achievement, and higher rates of substance use.

• The pressure to appear socially successful while feeling deeply alone intensifies the pain of youth loneliness.

Youth report one of the highest rates of loneliness in Canada — higher than seniors.

Source: Statistics Canada

ABOH Perspective

“We hear this every day. Young people are reaching out more than ever — and yet many feel more alone than ever before.”

SECTION 4 — SENIORS AND LONELINESS

While youth loneliness may surprise many, the loneliness of older adults is often overlooked because it has been normalized. Seniors face a unique convergence of risk factors that make isolation especially likely — and especially harmful.

• Loss of partners, peers, and meaningful social roles through retirement and bereavement.

• Mobility limitations, chronic illness, and sensory impairments that restrict participation in community life.

• Geographic isolation, particularly for those in rural areas or long-term care settings.

• Many seniors living in long-term care report feeling “invisible” — present in a community, yet profoundly disconnected from it.

• Social isolation in seniors is associated with accelerated cognitive decline, increased mortality risk, and significantly greater use of healthcare services.

1 in 5 older adults in Canada reports feeling lonely.

The health consequences of this loneliness are real, measurable, and preventable.

Source: Statistics Canada

SECTION 5 — PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND LONELINESS

People with disabilities face significantly elevated rates of loneliness and social isolation compared to those without disabilities. This is not incidental — it is the result of systemic barriers woven into the fabric of everyday life.

• Physical, sensory, and cognitive barriers limit participation in social activities, employment, and community life.

• Inaccessible spaces — physical, digital, and social — deepen isolation and reinforce exclusion.

• Stigma and misunderstanding around disability can erode trust, reduce opportunities for connection, and lead to further withdrawal.

• Many people with disabilities report feeling that their social world becomes smaller over time, not larger.

People with disabilities are more than twice as likely to report feeling lonely compared to those without disabilities.

Source: Statistics Canada

SECTION 6 — MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED DISABILITIES AND LONELINESS

For people living with mental health conditions, loneliness is not just a companion to their experience — it is often both a cause and a consequence of their condition. This creates a difficult cycle to break.

• Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and other mental health conditions are both causes and consequences of loneliness, creating compounding barriers to recovery.

• Social withdrawal is a common symptom of many mental health conditions, which can intensify feelings of loneliness even when support is available.

• Stigma around mental health creates additional walls — between individuals and their communities, and between individuals and the care they deserve.

• People with mental health-related disabilities are among the most socially isolated groups in Canada.

Loneliness and mental illness reinforce each other.

Breaking this cycle requires intentional, compassionate community support — not just individual resilience.

ABOH Perspective

SECTION 7 — SUBSTANCE USE HEALTH AND LONELINESS

The relationship between loneliness and substance use is deeply intertwined. Understanding this relationship with compassion — rather than judgment — is essential to supporting people toward recovery and belonging.

• Loneliness is a significant risk factor for problematic substance use. People who feel lonely are more likely to use substances as a coping mechanism for the pain of disconnection.

• Conversely, substance use — and the stigma attached to it — often leads to further social isolation, family estrangement, and loss of community.

• People who use drugs or alcohol problematically are frequently excluded from social networks, family systems, and community life, deepening the very isolation that drives their pain.

• Recovery is deeply social. Connection is one of the most powerful protective factors against relapse — not willpower alone.

“Connection is the opposite of addiction. People heal in relationships — not in isolation.”

— ABOH Perspective, inspired by public health research

SECTION 8 — GENDER AND LONELINESS

Loneliness affects all genders — but it is experienced, expressed, and acknowledged very differently depending on gender identity and social context.

• Men are less likely to report loneliness, but may be more likely to experience it without naming it — and far less likely to seek help. Social norms around masculinity and emotional disclosure play a significant role.

• Women are more likely to report loneliness, which may reflect both higher rates and greater social permission to name the experience without stigma.

• LGBTQ2S+ individuals face elevated rates of loneliness due to stigma, discrimination, family rejection, and a lack of affirming community spaces.

• For LGBTQ2S+ youth in particular, family rejection and social exclusion dramatically increase the risk of isolation, mental health challenges, and unsafe coping strategies.

LGBTQ2S+ individuals — particularly youth — face significantly higher rates of loneliness and social isolation.

Source: Statistics Canada / Various Canadian surveys

SECTION 9 — WHY THESE FACTS MATTER: THE ABOH PERSPECTIVE

Loneliness is not a personal failing. It is a social and structural issue that requires a community response. The data we have presented here is not meant to overwhelm — it is meant to illuminate. Because when we understand the scale and shape of loneliness in Canada, we can begin to respond with the care, creativity, and courage it deserves.

At ABOH, we believe that every person deserves to feel seen, valued, and connected. The solution to loneliness is not a program or a policy alone — it is a collective shift in how we show up for one another in neighbourhoods, workplaces, schools, health systems, and communities of all kinds.

ABOH works to build bridges across difference, reduce stigma, and create spaces where belonging is possible for everyone — especially those who have been most excluded.

“These facts are more than numbers — they are people. They are your neighbours, your family members, the person sitting next to you on the bus. When we understand loneliness, we can begin to respond with the care it deserves.”

— A Breath of Humanity (ABOH)

SECTION 10 — WHAT YOU CAN DO

Fighting loneliness does not require a grand gesture. It begins with small, intentional acts of presence — and the belief that every person’s connection matters.

• Check in on someone who may be isolated. A simple message, a phone call, or an invitation to walk together can matter more than you know.

• Advocate for accessible, inclusive spaces in your community — physical spaces, digital spaces, and social ones too.

• Challenge stigma when you see it — around mental health, disability, substance use, and identity. Silence is not neutral.

• Support organizations like ABOH that work every day to build connection and belonging for people who need it most.

• If you are experiencing loneliness, know that you are not alone — and that reaching out is not a sign of weakness. It is an act of courage.

A Note from ABOH

Whatever you are feeling right now — you deserve connection. Reach out. We’re here.  ABOH

SECTION 11 — SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• The statistics and findings in this fact sheet are drawn from the following sources:

• Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey

• Statistics Canada, General Social Survey on Social Identity

• U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community, 2023

• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Fast Facts on Loneliness, 2026

• Public Health Agency of Canada

• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

• National Seniors Council of Canada, Dialogue: Preventing Social Isolation and Loneliness