Canada’s diversity is a source of strength and an important factor in our success as a country. All Canadians deserve equal opportunities to thrive, no matter their origin, culture, gender, religion, language or skin colour.

“Black Canadian communities face unique challenges when it comes to maintaining positive mental health and accessing appropriate supports. The funding announced today is one way the Government of Canada is helping Canadians, no matter where they live or who they are, to have access to quality mental health supports and resources that meet their needs.”

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor

Minister of Health

• Budget 2018 announced $19 million to address the significant and unique challenges faced by Black Canadians. The Public Health Agency of Canada will administer $10 million of this investment over five years through the Promoting Health Equity: Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund (MHBC).

• The MHBC initiative includes two streams of funding:

  • The Incubator Stream provides short-term funding to support capacity-building activities for the purpose of enabling the design, development, implementation and evaluation of projects that promote mental health and address its determinants in Black Canadian communities. The five projects announced today fall under the Incubator Stream.
  • The Implementation Stream provides funding for community-based projects that are ready to be implemented to better promote mental health and address its determinants for Black Canadians.

• On June 25, 2019 Canadian Heritage unveiled Building a Foundation for Change: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2019–2022, which helps advance the Government of Canada's vision of fostering and promoting a more inclusive and equitable country for all Canadians. Today’s announcement, while targeted specifically at the Black Canadian community, supports this strategy and further demonstrates the Government’s commitment to eliminating racism in all its forms.

• Budget 2019 also committed $25 million over five years, starting in 2019-20, for projects and capital assistance to celebrate, share knowledge and build capacity in Black Canadian communities, in recognition of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent.

Associated links

• Backgrounder: Promoting Health Equity: Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund
• The Promoting Health Equity: Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund

Thierry Bélair
Office of Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health
613-957-0200

Media Relations
Public Health Agency of Canada
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hc.media.sc@canada.ca

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