TORONTO — With Canadian teens spending record amounts of time on their phones, Rogers Communications has launched a major national initiative aimed at helping families reset digital habits and encourage healthier screen use among young people.
Rogers announced it will invest $50 million over five years in a new campaign called Screen Break, designed to address excessive screen time among youth aged 11 to 17. The program follows a newly commissioned study that found Canadian teens are spending more than five hours per day on their phones — well above the two-hour daily limit recommended by the Canadian Paediatric Society.
The study revealed that children aged 11 to 13 average more than four hours of daily screen time, while teens aged 14 to 17 exceed five hours. Popular platforms among teens and tweens include YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, along with video gaming.
Health experts continue to raise concerns about the impact of excessive screen use. Research involving the Public Health Agency of Canada and the University of Ottawa links high screen time to mental health challenges in youth, including anxiety, depression and psychosocial difficulties.
Parents are also sounding the alarm. According to the study, 95 per cent of parents surveyed expressed concern about their children’s screen habits, pointing to issues such as lack of sleep, reduced physical activity and diminished face-to-face social interaction.
The Screen Break initiative is built around four core pillars:
• Parental controls and tools, now integrated into Rogers digital platforms, allowing families to manage data use, monitor apps, schedule downtime and create customized screen-time plans.
• School-based programs, events and grants, including in-school sessions and “Unplug and Play” active-living events supported by professional athletes, as well as funding for youth organizations such as the YMCA.
• Ongoing research, with annual studies to track screen-time trends and partnerships with education and policy groups to help schools promote healthy digital habits.
• Athlete partnerships, featuring prominent Canadian sports figures such as Connor McDavid, George Springer, Marie-Philip Poulin and others, who will use their platforms to encourage balance between screen use, physical activity and real-world connections.
Rogers says the goal of the campaign is not to eliminate technology, but to help families and youth develop healthier, more mindful relationships with screens — striking a balance that supports mental well-being, physical activity and social development in an increasingly digital world.