An Act to amend the Canada Health Act (mental, addictions and substance use health services)
This bill would amend the Canada Health Act to include mental health, addiction, and substance use services as covered health services — meaning they would be publicly funded and universally accessible, just like physical health care.
Sponsor · Gord Johns
Right now, Canadians must pay out of pocket or rely on workplace benefits for therapy and mental health treatment. This bill would let you access those services with your health card, not your credit card.
The debate · 6 points
Supporters say
- Canadians with workplace benefits or money can access therapy and counselling, while those without cannot. This bill would fix that inequality by making these services universally available through the public health system.
- untreated mental illness now costs the Canadian economy an estimated $200 billion per year, up from $50 billion in 2012. The Parliamentary Budget Officer found that achieving full parity would cost just 1.5% of total public health spending — a small investment with large returns.
- in 2024, over 40% of Canadian adults who needed mental health care had their needs only partially met or not at all.
Critics say
- The federal government has repeatedly promised to act on mental health parity but has not followed through, suggesting political will — not legislation — may be the real barrier. Critics question whether amending the Canada Health Act alone would force provinces to deliver better services.
- Funding commitments announced in election campaigns (such as $150 million per year for youth mental health) have not been reflected in actual budgets, raising doubts about whether any new obligations created by this bill would be adequately financed.
- Expanding the Canada Health Act to include community-based mental health services would require significant new transfers to provinces and territories, and the federal government has not committed to the level of funding needed to make this meaningful in practice.
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