Universal health care must include mental health

Canada’s unions are marking Mental Health Week by calling on the new federal government to improve health care access for workers and their families.

“Mental health care supports in Canada will only improve if governments invest in our existing health care infrastructure,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “But Canada’s health care systems are struggling. Rebuilding our cherished public health care systems must be a priority and must include investment in mental health care for all.”

Mental health continues to be a significant issue facing workers in the workplace. According to a 2024 survey from the Canadian Mental Health Association, at least 500,000 Canadians miss work due to mental illness every week, with an estimated economic cost of $51 billion annually.

Health care workers are also facing serious and well-documented challenges, including poor working conditions, stagnant wages and an alarming rise in workplace violence and harassment.

“Workers and their families have been sounding the alarm for years that Canada’s health care systems are in desperate need of strong investment. Our country deserves commitments and real solutions from our new federal leaders to bring all levels of government, employers, and workers on board, and finally fix health care in Canada” added Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice President of the CLC.

The recent election included specific platform commitments from several parties on improving our health care system and working conditions for health care workers, including improving mental health support for first responders. The CLC welcomes these commitments and urges our newly elected government to implement them. The CLC also reiterates our call for the federal government to introduce a Canada Universal Mental Health and Substance Act with enforceable national standards and a dedicated health transfer to support meaningful investments and infrastructure in this sector.

“Mental health matters everywhere, for everyone, including at work. Canada’s unions are looking forward to working with this new government to rebuild our health care system and ensure that every person across our country can access the mental health care they need,” said Lily Chang, Secretary Treasurer of the CLC.

For more resources on navigating mental health at work for unions, visit the CLC’s Mental Health Online Resource Center.