By Casey Bas

Edited by Zachary Betteridge

Unpacking Equity is a collaboration between the Public Policy and Governance Review and the Equity, Diversity and Public Policy Initiative at the School of Public Policy and Governance. This series aims to explain equity-related policy issues and break down complicated topics involving equity, diversity and inclusion. Policy professionals can gain a better understanding of these complex issues in order to incorporate an equity lens into their practice.

On November 22nd, 2023, the Equity, Diversity, and Public Policy (EDPP) Initiative hosted its second Decompression Circle. During a time when final assignments, exams, and the looming deadline of internship applications and interviews fill the proverbial plates of Munk students, we need the space and opportunity to share our concerns and advice with one another. The Decompression Circles serve as safe, inclusive, and confidential spaces to de-stress, decompress, and share valuable insights with peers, all in the name of student mental health and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).

During the event, many Munk students expressed sentiments about their own mental health and other struggles they face and provided some tips and strategies for success in navigating assignments, exams, and other challenges that come with graduate school as a whole. The primary aim of the EDDP Decompression Circle Series is to provide a safe and inclusive (SI) space for all students to gather and share their concerns and thoughts about all things graduate school and EDI. In a post-COVID-19 world, SI spaces can provide solace for many students who are struggling with their mental health.

In reality, various factors contribute to worsening mental health for post-secondary students, calling to attention a great need for enhanced mental health supports and policies that promote student mental health and wellbeing.

Student Mental Health in the Canadian Context

Student mental health is at an alarming decline. In a national survey on Canadian post-secondary students who used campus mental health services, 95% of participants reported being overwhelmed and exhausted, 83.7% reported having anxiety, 86% reported experiencing depression, and 81% experienced loneliness. Furthermore, 45.1% of post-secondary students experience high-stress levels, and up to 35% meet diagnostic criteria for at least one mental health disorder.

In particular, this increased prevalence of lower mental health outcomes for graduate students is largely due to multiple factors, such as feeling overwhelmed with assignments and due dates, anxiety around peers perceiving them as weak, paying high tuition fees and other institutional costs, poor support from academic institutions, anxiety around seeking and affording mental health supports and experiencing bullying, harassment, verbal abuse, sexism, racism, and being overworked.

High Tuition Costs and Work/School Conflict

Students in Ontario experience some of the highest tuition rates in the country, with undergraduate students paying about $8190 for the 2023-2024 school year. Nova Scotia is the most expensive province for undergraduate students at $9575 on average for the current academic year, followed by Saskatchewan and New Brunswick at $9232 and $8706, respectively. Meanwhile, international students in Ontario have to pay some of the highest tuition rates in the country, with fees sitting at $46,453 on average for the current academic year. Tuition costs for graduate students are also high. In Ontario, graduate students are expected to pay an average tuition of $9385, depending on the graduate program, which is 26.2% above the national average of $7437.

With the increasing costs of living on top of tuition fees, many students often need to work while in school in order to pay for their post-secondary education and daily necessities. A 2012 survey released by the Canada University Survey Consortium reported that about 60% of students worked while in school. Another survey by the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance stated that over half of all students in Ontario work more than 10 hours per week, with a majority enrolled in full-time studies, and with 60% of these students stating that working while studying had somewhat or significantly hindered their academic performance and negatively impacted their grades. All the while, debt incurred by undergraduate students in Ontario is often around $30,000 upon graduation (Usher, 2022).

With only so many hours in a given week, students often experience conflicts in their student and work roles, which leads students to overwork, poor academic and job performance, and increased risk of unhealthy behaviours to cope with stress. It is clear that immense academic and professional stress, being overworked, and burnout are major contributors to poor mental health outcomes for post-secondary students.

Current Policy Initiatives to Address Post-Secondary Student Mental Health

SI spaces and equitable mental health policies and programs can serve to benefit all post-secondary students in Canada.

In October 2020, the Mental Health Commission of Canada released the National Standard of Canada for Mental-Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students, which is a set of adaptable, voluntary guidelines to help post-secondary institutions support student mental health and well-being, as well as student success. The National Standard aims to support post-secondary institutions by raising awareness about mental health and decreasing stigma surrounding mental health, providing safer and healthier institutional environments, improving opportunities for students to thrive and flourish in post-secondary settings, and promoting health resiliency skills that students can use in many aspects of daily life.

The National Standard has already seen some success since its initial launch. Campuses continue to partner with students to implement the National Standard by listening to students and fostering safe environments to invite discussions around student mental health, building strength and resiliency through facilitating student-to-student mentorship and engaging with awareness groups on campus and empowering students by involving them in the consultation, development, and implementation of new campus-based mental health initiatives.

The Canadian Federation of Students in Ontario also recommends that post-secondary institutions improve mental health support for graduate students by implementing various recommendations, including flexible counselling hours that accommodate student schedules, comprehensive mental health training for graduate student-specific issues, increasing access to and promotion of e-health technologies such as a 24-hour chat line, and integrating graduate student issues into mental health initiatives across campuses, all the while maintaining strict confidentiality of students’ health information. These strategies, alongside widespread implementation of SI spaces on a regular basis, can support post-secondary students in maintaining their mental health and well-being.

Supportive policies must also be developed for students from marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, racialized, immigrant and refugee, 2SLGBTQIA+, and other underserved communities who experience unique and systemic barriers to accessing mental health support. For example, increased access to mental health services can be facilitated through cultural competency training for mental health professionals, especially those serving Indigenous, Black, and racialized communities who experience unique mental health needs. Addressing gaps in equitable access to mental health services for students requires multi-sectoral coordination and increased coordination between post-secondary institutions, mental health providers and facilities, and policymakers to promote the health and well-being of all post-secondary students in Canada.

Casey Danielle Bas is a first-year Master of Public Policy candidate at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Global Health with a Specialization in Health Policy, Management, and Systems from York University. She is currently the Sponsorship Assistant for Pride Toronto and the Community Engagement Manager for Apply Yourself: The Advancement Spot. From May 2021 to August 2023, Casey was a Research Assistant with the Indigenous Environmental Justice Project, based in Osgoode Hall Law School, where she engaged in Indigenous-led research, writing, and community-based education initiatives. She was also the Volunteer Curator for Pride Toronto and supported the recruitment, training, and management of over four hundred Pride Festival 2023 volunteers. Casey’s passions include health equity, health policy, Indigenous environmental and climate justice, and legal literacy. She enjoys reading, writing, illustrating, learning new languages, and spending time with her family and friends.