Pressure to enact smartphone restrictions spurs change among provinces

More than a decade ago, a Verizon commercial put a man holding his cellphone up to his ear in different locations across the United States, asking: “Can you hear me now?”

In Canada, it often seems like one end of the country doesn’t talk to the other, and policies look very different from west to east. But occasionally we’re reminded that we can learn from one.

For example, smartphone restrictions in K-12 classrooms. As the new school year draws near, this policy—in various forms, grounded firmly in research—is sweeping across Canada including British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Children and teenagers do not have a fully formed prefrontal cortex to help exercise self-control and limit their anxiety when smartphones are buzzing throughout the day. According to one study, the typical teenager receives 237 smartphone notifications per day—about 15 per hour. And according to the latest (2022) Programme for International Student Assessment report, 80 per cent of Canadian students feel anxious if their phones are not with them. Moreover, having a phone nearby, with notifications buzzing, is enough to cause students to lose focus on classroom tasks. One study found it took kids a full 20 minutes to regain focus after just one distraction.

So what’s the impact on student learning?

PISA research has found a clear connection between smartphone distraction and declining student achievement, particularly in math. Eighty per cent of Canadian students report being distracted by the devices of other students in math class—and students who were distracted by smartphones in math class scored 15 points lower on PISA math tests than those who were not distracted (PISA equates a 20-point drop in student test scores with one year of lost learning).

Of course, parents know this is a problem. According to a January 2024 poll, eight in 10 Canadian parents support banning smartphones in public schools.

Finally, while the research and polling support smartphone bans, the seven provinces that have enacted smartphone restrictions haven’t gone far enough. For example, Nova Scotia’s elementary school ban—which instructs elementary students to store their phones for the entire school day—is a great policy but doesn’t apply to junior high or high school students. Ontario’s failed 2019 restrictions provide a weaker example that didn’t work. And three provinces—Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador—have not enacted any provincewide restrictions at all.

But thankfully, this upcoming school year, some provinces are learning from each another in an example of functioning federalism. Yes, we can hear you now—and in this case, children and teens will benefit.