Ottawa, ON – Progress for Mental Health congratulates the Government of Canada on introducing Budget 2019: Investing in the Middle Class and welcomes much needed investments in mental health and dementia.
Budget 2019 makes commitments to help people in the Arctic and northern communities succeed and points out that Nunavut has been without an addictions treatment centre for over 20 years. For too long, Inuit and other residents of Nunavut seeking mental health and substance use supports have had to travel south, far from their families, friends and communities to access the services that they need.
“We are so excited to see the Government of Canada, the Government of Nunavut and Inuit partners, announce its commitment to support the construction and ongoing operation of a treatment facility in Nunavut,” said Matthew Henley, Board Member of Progress for Mental Health. “One in five Canadians are living with mental illness and this partnership will help improve local access to treatment and keep residents seeking treatment at home, with their families.”
Budget 2019 proposes to provide the Public Health Agency of Canada with $50 million over five years, starting in 2019–20, to support the implementation of Canada’s first National Dementia Strategy, which is expected to be publicly released this spring.
“We are pleased that the Government of Canada continues to invest in the well-being of people living with dementia,” said Henley. “We look forward to working with government stakeholders as funding helps improve the quality of life of those living with dementia.”
Progress for Mental Health is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of the one in five Canadians living with mental illness. We envision a world where mental health is treated equally to physical health.
