Better Mental Health Support for Students

Better Mental Health Support for Students

Post-secondary students face a lot of stress and report higher rates of mental health challenges than the rest of the Canadian population, including elevated rates of depression and anxiety. COVID-19 has exacerbated this issue. Three quarters of mental illness begin before 24, but proper care can prevent or lessen the impacts of mental illness. But students who need mental health care often experience long wait times and limited access to care from on-campus health providers.

A re-elected Liberal government will:

  • Introduce a new fund for student well-being to improve wait times and increase access to mental health care at colleges and universities. The fund will support the hiring of up to 1,200 new mental health care counsellors, including those who can support the needs of BIPOC students, at post-secondary institutions across Canada. We will invest $500 million over four years and dedicate 10% annually to support Indigenous-governed and operated postsecondary institutions.