The state of mental health in Canada: Ground-breaking CMHA report reveals troubling trends

Research shows that no province or territory is spending what they should be on mental health, in part because they’re not obliged to.

A first-of-its-kind report from the national Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) provides an in-depth look at the mental health system in Canada—with all its cracks and failings— and how people are faring in every province and territory. What it reveals is troubling.  

Among the findings of The State of Mental Health in Canada 2024 is that no jurisdiction is spending enough on mental health, in part because they’re not obliged to. Provinces and territories are only spending an average of 6.3% of their overall health budgets on mental health, which leaves Canada lagging behind many peer countries (the spend is 15% in France, 11% in Germany, and 9% each in the UK and Sweden).  

Spending on mental health doesn’t even meet the level of spending called for in Canada’s own, stale-dated mental health strategy.   

In 2024-25, Ontario will spend approximately $2 billion on mental health, which amounts to 5.9% of the overall health budget (compared to the national average of 6.3%).  

This deep-dive report showcases 24 indicators of the state of mental health in Canada, from how much is being spent on care, to rates of suicide, and levels of discrimination against people with mental health concerns—all broken down province and territory. 

The most recent statistics from the report show that the mental health of Canadians is three times worse than before COVID-19 and millions of people can’t get the care they need. 

 “Where you live matters,” said Dr. Leyna Lowe, National Senior Research and Policy Analyst, CMHA, and the lead author of the report. “The report tells us that people receive drastically different care depending on their home province or territory, and that people across Canada are doing worse in some places, particularly in the north and in rural parts of Canada, and distress is higher among Indigenous and racialized populations.”

As it stands, accessing mental health care in Canada is often a privilege when it should be a fundamental right.CMHA’s report shows that millions of people in need of support aren’t getting it—an alarming reality with real consequences. 

“I was admitted to the hospital for suicidal ideation and their only goal was to stop me, not to ensure that I had help or support afterwards to get to the root of the issue,” said Caroline, a member of CMHA’s National Council of Persons with Lived Experience. “There was zero follow-up once I was released from the hospital; just ‘bonne chance’ and a card with some numbers to call.”

However, The State of Mental Health in Canada 2024 also highlights promising innovations, like universal, publicly funded mental health care in Nova Scotia, significant investments in mental health promotion in B.C., addictions treatment in Alberta, mobile crisis teams across three provinces, and Inuit paraprofessionals providing culturally appropriate care in Nunavut. And through a series of actionable recommendations, this report gives decision makers a roadmap to better mental health care.

CMHA is calling on the federal government to prioritize the mental health and well-being of Canadians by investing 12% of health care spending in mental health, addictions, and substance use services and to write mental health care into federal law.  

By doing so, we can support a future where mental health care is a fundamental right for everyone.   

For more information about the report and to learn about the state of mental health in your community, please visit cmha.ca/somh

For more information about mental health in Ontario visit https://cmha.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/State-of-Mental-Health-profile-Ontario.pdf