Depression, Anxiety Cost Canadian Economy Almost $50 Billion Per Year

Now there's a business case for tackling mental health across Canada â" as if there wasn't enough reason already. Improving the treatment of depression and anxiety could boost the economy by nearly $50 billion per year, the Conference Board of Canada said in a report released Thursday. The report, which is the third in the board's "Healthy Brains at Work" series, said that almost 25 per cent of Canadians living with mental illness can't work due to their symptoms. That creates lost productivity, which costs the economy big time.