Nearly half of Canadian moms reaching their breaking point due to pandemic, survey finds

A new survey has found that more than two years into COVID-19, pandemic-related stressors continue to have a disproportionately negative impact on the mental health and careers of mothers.

The survey of more than 1,500 Canadians, which was conducted by Maru/Matchbox on behalf of the Canadian Women's Foundation in April, found that 48 per cent of mothers in Canada say they are reaching breaking point, compared to 39 per cent of fathers.

Last year, the foundation's survey found that 46 per cent of moms were reaching their breaking point. The 2021 survey also found that 55 per cent of mothers were concerned about their physical health, compared to 67 per cent this year.

• Newsletter sign-up: Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox

"The Foundation revisited the national poll this year and, despite changes to pandemic-related protections, the April 2022 survey suggests circumstances have not improved for caregivers. Moms are disproportionately being impacted, especially when it comes to their health and careers," the group said in a news release published on Thursday.

In the workplace, 39 per cent of moms say they are struggling to keep up with work demands – a significant jump from 28 per cent in 2021. Nearly half (47 per cent) of moms also said they found it exhausting to balance their work and childcare responsibilities.

In addition, 37 per cent of mothers in this year's survey were found to be more likely to put their careers on the back burner to manage home and parenting responsibilities compared to only 19 per cent of fathers. More mothers than fathers also reported feeling anxious, sad and upset when asked to describe how they are feeling these days.

The survey found that mothers reported doing more than their spouse when it comes to parenting tasks, such as scheduling activities for their children, supporting their education and making arrangements for them when schools are closed.