QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions
Canada Mental Health Transfer
March 21, 2024
Minister, my question concerns the creation of the $4.5-billion Canada mental health transfer, which your government promised during the 2021 federal election campaign. In the costing plan your government released as part of its election platform, you promised to transfer to the provinces $250 million in 2021-22, $625 million during the 2022-23 fiscal year and another $605 million during the current fiscal year. None of that funding has materialized, however.
Minister, can you tell us the status of this promised transfer to the provinces? Is the $4.5 billion already accounted for in the fiscal framework? Is it new money, and if so, how are you paying for it?
Thank you for the question, senator. What we learned throughout this process of developing support for mental health is we needed to ensure that mental health service provision is an integrated part of overall health in the jurisdictions. We understood that jurisdictions need to determine and navigate what their communities need and the most critical services that need to be provided, and it must be directed by them, like all other health care.
That is why our government chose a different path, committing $196 billion over 10 years to provinces and territories through bilateral agreements in which a key principle is mental health and substance use. I am pleased to say that amongst all bilateral agreements signed, over one third of the allocated funds in these agreements is going to mental health and substance use.
That was back in 2021, specifically for mental health. Your government has since brought forward two budgets and three fiscal updates. So if the Canada mental health transfer is not brought forward in the budget next month, what message are you giving to Canadians?
Twenty-five billion dollars has been allocated as part of the $196 billion that is being flowed through the bilateral agreements. Mental health as an integrated part of health care systems will be a far more effective way to reach Canadians and their mental health needs.
