Renew Federal Mental Health Funding

AI summary

Petitioners ask the House of Commons to renew and increase dedicated, long-term federal funding for mental health, addictions and substance-use services beyond March 2027, to adopt Motion M-31’s objective by establishing a national target of 12% of total health spending for mental health, and to ensure transparent public reporting on funding, access and outcomes. The petitioners state that only about 6.3% of health spending currently goes to mental health, that a $5-billion federal commitment announced in 2017 is set to expire in March 2027, and that premiers have urged renewal of expiring health funding agreements. No government response is included with the petition.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following: Whereas: Mental health is health, yet too many people in Canada cannot access appropriate and timely mental health, addictions and substance- use care; Mental illness is a leading cause of disability and imposes enormous human, social and economic costs, including lost productivity and lives lost; Canada's first national mental health strategy called for mental health spending to reach at least 9% of total health spending, while mental health advocates now call for a 12% target to address growing needs; Only approximately 6.3% of health care spending in Canada is directed to mental health; The $5-billion federal commitment for mental health services announced in 2017 is set to expire in March 2027, risking a significant funding gap; Motion M-31, Spending for Mental Health Services, calls on the federal government to establish a national target of 12% of total health care spending for mental health services and to work with provinces and territories to achieve that target; and Canada's premiers have called on the federal government to renew expiring health funding agreements. We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Renew and increase dedicated, long-term and predictable federal funding for mental health, addictions and substance-use services beyond March 2027; 2. Implement the objective of Motion M-31 by establishing a national target of 12% of total health care spending for mental health services, working with provinces and territories to achieve it; and 3. Ensure transparent public reporting on mental health funding, access and outcomes.

Government response

No government response is available yet.