Canadians want mental health funding to continue, new polling shows

With $5 billion in federal funding for mental health and addictions services set to expire, a new Pollara survey commissioned by CMHA shows a strong majority (81%) of Canadians support maintaining mental health services through continued funding from the federal government. 

If not renewed, the government’s 2017 investment for mental health and addictions will come to an end next year. 

For the past 10 years, federal funding has supported critical services across Canada helping keep people supported, housed, and out of hospital. The federal investment supports a wide range of community-based services that people rely on, including crisis response, supportive housing, early intervention for youth and addictions care. CMHA programs alone serve 330 communities and more than 1.3 million Canadians every year. 

The Pollara survey also shows strong support for public funding of mental health care, with 75% saying it should help ensure services are affordable and accessible, and only 10% saying individuals should pay out of pocket. 

Many services are not covered by provincial and territorial health insurance plans, meaning people have to pay out of pocket for lifesaving care or rely on limited private insurance benefits. As the cost of living rises, many people in Canada are struggling to meet basic needs and cannot afford to pay for mental health and addictions services. When care is out of reach, more people end up in crisis and turn to emergency departments and hospitals. The effects extend beyond the health system to the broader economy: when people go without care, their symptoms worsen, making it harder to stay employed and reducing productivity. 

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