Misery Index: Ontario ranked Canada's second least happy province

If you’ve been feeling a little unhappy lately, you’re not alone.

According to a new Provincial COVID-19 Misery Index from the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Ontario ranks as one of Canada’s most miserable provinces.

The index considers pandemic-related factors such as slow or poor response from the government, lost jobs, and the spread of sickness and death from the virus itself.

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Divided into three main categories, the index captures “disease misery,” “response misery,” and “economic misery” impacts in each province by measuring 11 key metrics.

Metrics also include cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population, the number of deaths related to the virus, the number of people receiving a vaccination, restrictive public health measures, and changes in unemployment, among others.

“Not surprisingly, the misery from COVID-19 has hit hardest in the provinces that have experienced the highest incidence rates of the virus,” reads the report.

Macdonald-Laurier Institute

Ontario ranked as the second most miserable province, earning a “D” score, while Quebec and British Columbia came in third and fourth for unhappiness, respectively.

As for the most miserable province in the country, that designation goes to Alberta — the province also earned a “D” score.

The Maritime provinces fared the best, and Prince Edward Island was rated least miserable with an “A+” score, followed by Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Macdonald-Laurier Institute

Ontario’s scores were spread evenly between economic misery (33.6%), disease misery (34.18%), and response misery (32.21%). High scores were received in unemployment change over 2020, as well as excess mortality.

At a national level, Canada ranked as the fifth most miserable out of 15 countries around the world, while the US came in seventh for unhappiness.

Macdonald-Laurier Institute

Spain scored the highest in the global rankings, earning the title of the least happy country on the COVID-19 Misery Index.