Green space helped avert pandemic depression, research confirms

01-Sep-2025

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People age 50 and older who lived near green spaces were less likely to develop depression during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new national study.

The study was led by Paul Villeneuve, an epidemiologist at Carleton University, in partnership with researchers at the University of Toronto, Queen's University and the Public Health Agency of Canada. 

"We were surprised by it when we undertook the study," Villeneuve told CBC Radio's All In A Day. Previous research had shown that access to green space can improve mental health, but "we found the effects [during the pandemic] were profound."