The State of Online Therapy in Ontario, 2026
Saalvio's first annual report on virtual therapy access across Ontario: wait times, cost barriers, language access, and where the gaps are widest.
In progress. Publication date to be confirmed.
Saalvio research
Saalvio Research
Saalvio publishes original research on Ontario's access-to-care gap: who is waiting, how long, and what happens when a Canadian finally reaches out. This page is our research hub for journalists, policymakers, clinicians, and anyone studying digital mental health in Canada.
Why we research
Saalvio was built in response to a gap that is well documented but poorly understood at the level of daily experience: the space between the moment a Canadian decides they need help and the moment care actually starts. National data already tells part of the story.
The Canadian Mental Health Association reports that by age 40, about half of Canada's population will have had a mental illness (CMHA, Fast Facts on Mental Health).
The Canadian Institute for Health Information reports that about one in five Canadians experiences a mental health or substance use issue in any given year (CIHI, Mental Health and Substance Use Services).
Those two facts describe scale. They do not describe what it is like to be the person on the waitlist, in the newcomer household where no one has the vocabulary for what they are feeling, or in the family where asking for help still feels like admitting failure. That is the gap Saalvio's own research is built to close: original, Ontario-specific data on who is waiting for care, what stands between a person and their first session, and what actually changes when the first step is made free and low-friction.
Our research exists to inform our own product decisions honestly and to give journalists, policymakers, and other clinicians real, citable data instead of anecdotes. It is not marketing dressed up as data. Where a finding does not flatter Saalvio, we publish it anyway.
Featured reports
Our flagship report tracks access to online therapy across Ontario. Additional reports will be added here as they are published.
Future reports will appear here as they are published, each with a short summary, the publication date, and a link to the full report.
Methodology
Every Saalvio report states its data sources, sample size, collection period, and limitations in full. Where a report draws on Saalvio's own platform data, that data is aggregated and de-identified before analysis; no individual client's information is ever used in a way that could identify them, consistent with our privacy architecture under PHIPA and PIPEDA. Where a report draws on external data, we name the source directly in the text, not only in a footnote.
Full details on how we source, clean, and analyze data for every report is available on our methodology page.
Media & citation use
Journalists, researchers, and policymakers are welcome to cite Saalvio's published research. When citing a finding, please attribute it to "Saalvio Research" with the report title and publication year, and link back to the original report where possible.
If you need a specific data point clarified, want to request the underlying dataset for academic or policy work, or would like to speak with someone on our research team for a story, contact us directly.
Email: [email protected]
Frequently asked questions
What kind of research does Saalvio publish?
Original, Ontario-focused research on access to mental health care: wait times, cost barriers, language access, and how digital tools like messaging and virtual therapy change how quickly someone gets help. We also draw on established Canadian sources, including the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Canadian Institute for Health Information, to give our own findings context.
Where does the data come from?
A mix of Saalvio's own aggregated, de-identified platform data and established Canadian sources such as the Mental Health Commission of Canada, CAMH, Statistics Canada, and CIHI. Every report states exactly which sources it draws on. See the Methodology section above.
How can I access the full report?
Full reports are linked from the Featured Reports section above as they are published. If a report you are looking for is not yet available, contact [email protected].
Can I cite Saalvio's research in my own article or paper?
Yes. Attribute the finding to "Saalvio Research," name the report and year, and link to the original report where possible. For a specific dataset request, contact [email protected].
Does Saalvio's research reflect the whole country, or only Ontario?
Our primary research is Ontario-specific, since that is where Saalvio's therapy service currently operates. We reference national Canadian data from established sources for broader context, and we say plainly whenever a source is national rather than Ontario-specific.
If you or someone you know needs help right now
Saalvio is not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you are in a mental health crisis, please call 988 (the Suicide Crisis Helpline of Canada) or visit your nearest emergency department.