Montreal adults spending more of their free time on screens, public health finds

Adult Montrealers have been spending significantly more of their free time in front of screens since 2018, according to the city’s public health officials.

A study released Tuesday by the regional public health department of the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal shows that the proportion of individuals using screens for more than two hours a day for leisure jumped 13 per cent between 2018 and 2025.

The data was collected between March and June 2025 as part of a survey on gambling and screen use among adults in Montreal. The survey was designed by a team from the regional public health department and Concordia University. Some 4,002 adults residing on the Island of Montreal answered a phone questionnaire.

Here are some key takeaways from this new report.

Intensive screen use on the rise

The study found intensive leisure screen use — defined as more than four hours a day — rose from 16 per cent in 2018 to 23 per cent in 2025.

Intensive use is significantly more prevalent among young people aged 18 to 24 and people 65 and older. It’s also linked to income, living alone and less frequent recreational physical activities, according to the study.

Public health officials warn the observed increase could contribute to a decline in the physical health of adults in Montreal.

“Screen use is not a source of problems when it is balanced with other lifestyle habits. However, screen use in leisure time is harmful when it takes up too much of an individual’s available resources (time, money, attention, psychological energy),” the report says.

“Negative impacts are frequently observed in relation to sleep, physical activity, work performance or academic motivation, for example.”

The study also highlighted a “noteworthy finding”: perceived negative impacts are not associated with the intensity of reported screen time, which, according to public health, means people attribute harm based on factors beyond just hours spent online.

“These factors would benefit from being identified and better understood in the future,” read the report.

How people view their digital habits

The study also explored Montreal adults’ perception of their own digital habits, with many reporting that screens are generally beneficial to their sense of well-being and quality of life.

Some 44 per cent of adults say their digital habits have a positive impact, while 18 per cent report mostly negative effects.

Those living alone and seniors are more likely to say that their digital habits bring them benefits. The report noted that seniors’ assessment of their digital habits may “reflect greater availability of free time.”

Conversely, people living with children under the age of 18 at home are less likely to recognize the benefits of their screen use.

The study concludes that screen use among Montreal adults has increased and must be considered in concerted efforts to promote healthy lifestyles.