Report Reveals Majority of Canadian Youth Facing Bullying
Across Canada, as students settle back into classrooms, a new Raising Canada report is sounding the alarm on growing threats to children’s well-being.
The findings reveal a troubling rise in bullying, poverty, and mental illness among youth, with more than 70 per cent of 12- to 17-year-olds experiencing bullying in the past year and over 1.4 million children living in poverty by the end of 2024, the highest level since 2017.
Sara Austin, founder and CEO of Children First Canada, says these findings point to “a generation at risk.” She notes that while teachers are making efforts, most students do not feel fully supported, especially as cyberbullying, social media pressures, and online harms intensify struggles with mental health.
At the same time, the rollback of pandemic supports has left many families unable to afford basic necessities, forcing children back into poverty.
The report also highlights other serious threats: childhood mistreatment, racism, vaccine-preventable illnesses, and climate change.
Austin and her organization are calling on the federal government to develop a national strategy for children and to appoint a commissioner to ensure accountability in protecting children’s rights.
At the household level, Austin urges parents to go beyond surface conversations, encouraging open dialogue about what children face in classrooms and online.
This call to action echoes the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees every child the right to protection from violence and abuse, the right to health and well-being, and the right to an adequate standard of living.
