Question Period Note: Support for Virtual andRural Mental Health Services

Rural and remote communities in Canada face unique challenges in accessing quality mental health services due to factors such as having to travel longer distances, workforce shortages, high turnover rates, and poor communication infrastructure.

Our Government recognizes rural and remote communities’ mental health challenges and has allocated $25 billion over a decade through tailored bilateral agreements that target four shared priority areas, including health mental and substance use.
Wellness Together Canada (WTC) offers free culturally-appropriate mental health and substance use resources available 24/7by phone and text, in both official languages.
On November 30, the Government will be supporting the introduction of the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline, a national three-digit number for suicide prevention and emotional distress across Canada, accessible 24/7 by phone and text.

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Mental Health Research Canada (2021-2022) data shows that rural survey respondents were less likely to report accessing mental health support (17% of rural compared to 23% of urban respondents in February 2022).
Higher rates of suicide and substance use have been reported in remote Indigenous communities due to intergenerational trauma arising from residential schools, historical policies, and discrimination.
These issues have been exacerbated further by the recent increase in extreme weather phenomena and environmental degradation in Canada. Rural farming families that are particularly reliant on climate-dependent resources are more vulnerable to these effects