The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the well being of those who are already dealing with mental health issues, according to a new study released by Deloitte.

The study suggests Canadians will face a potentially explosive increase in mental illness for years after the COVID-19 pandemic is finally over—and women will be the hardest hit.

Deloitte’s senior economic advisory manager, Matt Laberge, says about two-thirds of the job losses suffered because of the pandemic affected women. That’s because the service industry was the hardest hit.

Laberge says single moms were the second-largest group of people on low income after seniors.

They also found that women were more likely to self-report mental health conditions, and were more likely to report that their needs were either partially, or totally unmet by the system.

While #COVID19 and the resulting lockdowns have affected everyone, women are at the epicentre of the devastating human and social impact. Discover why: https://t.co/amUmBtzy7N

— Deloitte Canada (@DeloitteCanada) August 7, 2020