Backgrounder: Government of Canada invests millions into mental health and distress centres

Supporting the mental health and well-being of Canadians, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, is a priority for the Government of Canada. A $50 million investment to increase the capacity of distress centres across the country, announced in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, will help connect Canadians to the appropriate supports and resources.

June 11, 2021

Supporting the mental health and well-being of Canadians, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, is a priority for the Government of Canada. A $50 million investment to increase the capacity of distress centres across the country, announced in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, will help connect Canadians to the appropriate supports and resources.

This funding will provide distress centres across Canada with the support they need to meet increased demand for crisis services, including support for the following activities:

• Hiring of new staff, including support for recruitment, onboarding and training as well as increases to staff time;
• Managing increased demand for service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic, including supporting changes to service delivery (e.g. tools that support the shift to virtual operations and office related costs for infection control/COVID-19 prevention);
• New or adapted resources for responders; and
• Knowledge exchange - meetings, communities of practice to share lessons learned.

Funding is being disbursed according to the number of interactions that a centre responded to in 2020.