This petition calls on the federal government to treat mental health care the same as physical health care under Canada's public healthcare system, provide long-term funding for mental health and addiction services, and pass Bill C-280 to create a national framework for universal mental health access.

Millions of Canadians continue to face financial barriers when seeking counselling, psychotherapy, addictions treatment, and other community-based mental health services;

Nearly one in five Canadians experiences a mental health problem or illness each year, and about half of Canadians will experience mental illness by age 40;

Canadians are too often forced to pay out of pocket, rely on inadequate private insurance, endure lengthy wait times, seek help only in crisis through emergency departments, or go without care altogether;

The human and economic costs of untreated mental illness are profound, placing growing pressure on hospitals, first responders, families, workplaces, and communities, while costing Canada’s economy billions of dollars annually;

Evidence shows that investing in timely, community-based mental health care improves outcomes, reduces long-term costs, and strengthens the sustainability of our public healthcare system; and

Canadians overwhelmingly support universal access to mental health care and have called for mental health to be treated with the same importance as physical health.

We, the undersigned,citizens and residents of Canada, call upon theGovernment of Canadato:1. Work with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, healthcare professionals, people with lived and living experience, and community organizations to establish parity between mental and physical health in Canada’s universal healthcare system; 1. Work with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, healthcare professionals, people with lived and living experience, and community organizations to establish parity between mental and physical health in Canada’s universal healthcare system; 2. Provide stable, long-term federal funding to expand access to medically necessary mental health, addictions, and substance use services in every region of the country; and 3. Pass Bill C-280, the Mental Health Parity Act, to create a national framework that ensures Canadians can access medically necessary mental health, addictions, and substance use care based on need, not their ability to pay or where they live.