Introduction

Mental Health Week in May 2025 prompted Tree Canada to highlight how urban trees promote psychological well-being. Urban green spaces, particularly those with abundant tree cover, have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. As Canadian cities grapple with rising temperatures and increasing density, green infrastructure is emerging not just as an environmental priority but as a public-health necessity. This post reviews recent research and explores how WellUrban’s Community Wellness Index (CWI) and explainable AI tools help cities quantify the mental-health benefits of greenness.

The science behind green spaces and health

Supporting well-being during crises. During the COVID-19 pandemic, residential tree canopies helped reduce psychological distress. Green spaces provided safe areas for exercise and social connection when indoor activities were restricted. As extreme weather events and climate-related stressors become more frequent, access to nature may mitigate anxiety and promote resilience.

Mapping greenness and inequity

However, not all neighbourhoods enjoy equal access to greenery. Research on built-environment equity shows that lower-income neighbourhoods tend to have less tree cover, higher pollution and fewer recreation opportunities (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Large cities like Vancouver and Toronto have developed equity indices to identify vulnerable neighbourhoods (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), but smaller municipalities often lack the capacity to create such tools (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

By integrating this data with WellUrban’s CWI, planners can see how greenness correlates with wellness outcomes such as stress levels, chronic-disease rates and social cohesion — and then target investments in tree planting, shade, parks and safe walking routes.

Greenness in the workplace

Employers also have a stake in urban greenness. TELUS Health’s survey reported that 70% of Canadian workers experienced decreased productivity due to mental-health challenges (benefitscanada.com). Financial stress was the leading driver, but social connection and high-trust workplaces helped mitigate burnout (benefitscanada.com). Providing access to green spaces near offices or encouraging walking meetings in parks can reduce stress and foster social connection. Sun Life’s survey found that employees with chronic conditions were twice as likely to report climate-related health impacts (sunlife.com); adding green infrastructure can cool microclimates and improve air quality.

Case study: Greening an industrial corridor

Imagine a city where an industrial corridor separates a low-income neighbourhood from the riverfront. WellUrban’s analytics reveal that this neighbourhood has a low CWI due to high heat exposure, poor air quality and limited tree canopy. By cross-referencing HealthyPlan.City’s equity priority areas, planners discover that the neighbourhood also has a high proportion of seniors and children (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). The city invests in a tree-planting and park-redevelopment program along the corridor.

As tree canopy increases, WellUrban’s WIL shows declining stress indicators and improved community engagement. Local schools report higher test scores, aligning with research on cognitive benefits. The CWI provides quantitative evidence for the return on investment and helps secure funding for further green initiatives.