Issue
Mental Health
Federal mental-health funding flows through the Canada Health Transfer (no dedicated federal mental-health envelope at the program level) and through bilateral agreements (the 2017 federal-provincial accord on mental health and home care committed $5 billion over 10 years; the 2023 federal-provincial-territorial accord renewed and expanded that commitment). The 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline launched November 30, 2023 under CRTC direction following Bill C-211 of 43-1. Mental-illness-specific MAID eligibility: Bill C-39 of 44-1 delayed expansion to March 17, 2024; Bill C-62 of 44-1 further delayed it to March 17, 2027. Federal-provincial parity-of-esteem (covering mental health on the same terms as physical health under the Canada Health Act) remains a long-running advocacy ask. Bill C-414 (PMB, 44-1) would have added mental-health, addiction, and substance-use services as insured services under the CHA.
Where parties stand
Compare side-by-side- Bloc QuébécoisBLOC
The Bloc Québécois has consistently called for transfer-payment increases to Quebec for mental-health services rather than direct federal program delivery. The Canada Health Transfer's 2023-2028 federal-provincial Working Together agreement included $25 billion over 10 years specifically for shared health-priorities including mental health; Bloc demands the Quebec portion ($5.9 billion expected) flow as unconditional transfer respecting Quebec's exclusive jurisdiction. Supports the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (launched November 30, 2023) but insists on Quebec administrative control over service delivery in Quebec via Info-Social 8-1-1.
Source - Conservative Party of CanadaCONSERVATIVE
The federal Conservative Party under Pierre Poilievre supports expanded community-based mental-health services as a frontline response to the toxic-drug crisis (Canada saw approximately 8,500 opioid-toxicity deaths in 2024 per the Public Health Agency of Canada, with British Columbia and Alberta the most affected), opposes safer-supply programs in their current form (the Smith UCP government in Alberta ended Alberta's prescribed-safer-supply program in 2024), supports increased funding for residential addiction-treatment programs over harm-reduction-only frameworks, and calls for transferring federal mental-health-policy capacity from Health Canada to a new agency under Public Safety Canada portfolio with a recovery-oriented mandate.
Source The federal Green Party calls for codification of mental-health services as insured services under section 5 of the Canada Health Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-6) ensuring universal coverage parallel to physical-health services, a separate federal Mental Health Transfer of $5 billion over five years outside the Canada Health Transfer (similar to NDP position), full federal funding for the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (launched November 30, 2023), federal Crown-corporation mental-health-services pay-equity protections, and expanded Operational Stress Injury clinic network for veterans (currently 11 clinics nationally).
Source- Liberal Party of CanadaLIBERAL
The federal Liberal Party under Mark Carney launched the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline on November 30, 2023 (fully federally funded at $156 million over three years), committed to a federal Mental Health Transfer of $4.5 billion over five years separate from the Canada Health Transfer (commitment in the 2021 Liberal platform; the 2023 federal-provincial 10-year $196-billion CHT agreement included mental-health priorities), launched the Wellness Together Canada online platform during the COVID pandemic, and supported the federal Pharmacare Act phase one (Bill C-64, S.C. 2024, c. 20) covering contraceptives and diabetes medications.
Source The federal NDP calls for making mental-health services covered under the Canada Health Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-6) so that psychological counselling and therapy receive the same universal coverage as physical-health services (currently mental-health falls under provincial extended-benefits programs with major coverage gaps). Supports the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (launched November 30, 2023 nationally, fully funded by the federal government), expanded First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum funding, and a federal Mental Health Transfer at $5 billion over five years separately from the Canada Health Transfer.
Source
Bills affecting this issue
- Bill 25Municipal43rd Legislature of ManitobaSecond reading
Public Safety Through Mental-Health Response Act
Funds and structures non-police-led response to mental-health crisis calls in Manitoba.
- Bill 51Municipal43rd Legislature of ManitobaIn committee
Indigenous Healing and Wellness Act
Funds Indigenous-led healing, mental-health, addictions, and trauma-recovery programs in Manitoba.
- Bill 16Territorial35th Yukon Legislative AssemblyIn committee
Mental Health and Addictions Strategy Implementation Act
Yukon mental health and addictions strategy implementation.
- C-229Federal45-1First reading
An Act to establish a national framework respecting attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Targets gaps in adult-ADHD diagnosis and treatment access, an area of growing patient demand.
- C-218Federal45-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)
MAID amendments with mental-illness focus.
- S-231Federal45-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)
MAID Criminal Code amendments.
- C-201Federal45-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canada Health Act (mental, addictions and substance use health services)
Adds mental-health/addiction services as insured under the Canada Health Act.
- S-230Federal44-1Third reading
An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act
Tona's Law: requires mental-health assessments for federal inmates and limits SIU placements for those with mental disorders.
- C-417Federal44-1First reading
An Act to establish a framework on animal-assisted services for veterans
Federal framework on animal-assisted services for veterans (PTSD, anxiety, depression).
- C-414Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canada Health Act (mental, addictions and substance use health services)
Adds mental-health, addiction and substance-use services as explicit insured services under the Canada Health Act.
- C-62Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), No. 2
MAID mental-illness expansion delay No. 2.
- C-323Federal44-1In committee
An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (mental health services)
Eliminates GST on out-of-pocket mental-health services, a long-standing affordability barrier.
- C-345Federal44-1First reading
An Act to protect firefighters, paramedics and other first responders
Federal framework to protect firefighters, paramedics and other first responders, including mental-health supports.
- S-248Federal44-1In committee
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)
MAID advance requests.
- C-39Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)
Delays the planned MAID expansion to people whose sole underlying condition is mental illness.
- C-314Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)
Would cancel the planned MAID expansion to people whose only underlying condition is a mental illness.
- C-269Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (suicide prevention)
Easier access to suicide-prevention helplines from any phone in Canada. Companion to 988 line.
- C-265Federal44-1First reading
An Act respecting the development of a national perinatal mental health strategy
National perinatal mental health strategy.
- C-7-43Federal43-2Royal assent
Medical Assistance in Dying (mental illness eligibility) Act (43-2)
Medical Assistance in Dying expansion to mental-illness-only eligibility. The implementation date was repeatedly postponed.