The Government of Canada announced a new initiative dedicated to supporting the health of Black Canadians.
Yesterday, Minister of Health Marjorie Michel announced that the government will invest over $6 million in the Substance Use and Addictions Program and the Supporting Community Mental Health Crisis Response Initiative.
Through the investment, the projects supported include providing peer mentorship and responsive service delivery, increasing initiatives for substance use prevention, and providing wellness programming for early intervention among youth struggling with mental health issues as well as substance abuse.
The funds will also address barriers and stigma and support community organizations dedicated to mental health responses. They will primarily support initiatives that provide mental health crisis responses without involving the police.
The Black Justice Strategy provides funding for these initiatives. Launched in 2025, the program is the country’s plan to address systemic issues within the government that perpetuate the injustices against Black Canadians. Over the next 10 years, the Canadian government will fund different departments and agencies to address disparities in health, employment, and business and economic opportunities. They are also set to create an Anti-Racism Unit to address the disproportionate arrests amongst Black Canadians.
“Through Canada’s first-ever Black Justice Strategy, we’re working directly with Black communities to empower community-led organizations and give them the support and resources they need to continue and strengthen this important work,” said Michel. “By investing in culturally responsive, community-led solutions, we’re helping ensure Black Canadians can access high-quality care and the support they need to thrive.”
Overall, there are significant disparities that exist for Black Canadians when it comes to mental health.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health reports that nearly 96% of Black individuals in Canada experience at least one traumatic instance in their lives. As a result of racial discrimination, they are also 36 times more likely to display depressive symptoms and make up 32% of all patients diagnosed with anxiety.
Despite dealing with mental health issues at higher rates, only about 39% of Black Canadians with poor mental health tend to use mental health services. For some people, they reported that they tended to delay or avoid health services altogether due to the fear of racial discrimination.
With the latest investment, the Canadian government will seek to eliminate disparities in accessing help.
“Canada’s Black Justice Strategy recognizes that achieving fair outcomes for Black communities requires more than addressing barriers within the criminal justice system alone,” said the Minister of Justice Sean Fraser. “These investments will help address root causes linked to systemic racism and support healthier, safer and more just outcomes for Black communities across Canada.”
