(Kristen Frier)
Kaia Wong-Moon moved to Oliver, B.C. after being let go from her two jobs during COVID-19. (Kaia Wong-Moon)
At the age of 21, Kaia Wong-Moon was let go from her two jobs due to COVID-19, and left to pay full rent for a two-bedroom suite in New Westminster. Struggling financially and mentally, she was forced to move in with her grandmother in Oliver, B.C.
Wong-Moon is far from alone. Statistics Canada says that youth between the ages of 15 to 24 reported a 20 per cent reduction in overall mental wellness during the first six months of the pandemic, and that a higher percentage of women show signs of moderate or severe anxiety than men.