Increase federal mental health funding
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to renew and increase long-term federal funding for mental-health and addictions beyond March 2027, adopt a 12% national spending target for mental health, and require transparent reporting.
Why we would sign this petition
- Would renew predictable federal funding beyond March 2027, reducing the risk of a funding gap and helping maintain or expand mental‑health, addictions and substance‑use services.
- A 12% national spending target creates a clear, measurable goal to guide federal‑provincial coordination and prioritize mental‑health services across jurisdictions.
- Mandatory public reporting on funding, access and outcomes would improve accountability and let the public track whether services and results are improving.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Raising and extending federal funding nationally may be costly and require trade‑offs with other priorities, and implementation depends on agreement from provinces and territories.
- A fixed 12% spending target may not address local needs or ensure funds are used effectively; percentage targets can be a blunt policy tool.
- Transparency requirements could increase administrative burden without guaranteeing better care; targeted program design or outcome‑based funding might be more effective.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; 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.