A recent report from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) paints a concerning picture of mental health in Canada, showing a significant deterioration since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadians are now grappling with mental illness at rates three times higher than before the pandemic, with poverty emerging as a key driver of this surge.
Elaine Leberge, Executive Director of the CMHA Northern BC, highlighted the growing number of Canadians facing poverty as a central issue contributing to the mental health crisis. “The rising cost of living and the unaffordability of basic necessities are major factors,” Leberge said. “It’s not just food and medical care—housing has become a significant burden. For anyone who has experienced housing instability or homelessness, it is absolutely traumatic.”
The report also emphasizes that British Columbia (B.C.) is particularly hard-hit, not only experiencing the highest overdose rate in Canada but also seeing a disproportionate amount of discrimination against individuals living with mental illness. According to Leberge, this discrimination creates additional barriers for those seeking stable housing, worsening their mental health challenges.
The CMHA report calls for urgent reforms, including the integration of mental health care into Canada’s universal healthcare system. However, Leberge stresses that the root causes of the mental health crisis must be addressed, particularly the social and economic inequalities that exacerbate mental health struggles.
“If we want to tackle mental health issues effectively, especially in B.C., we must confront social class inequality head-on,” Leberge said. “We can’t ignore the fact that poverty is a form of trauma. It’s not just about the middle class—it’s about the people being pushed into extreme poverty.”
The report underscores the need for a more comprehensive approach to mental health, one that includes addressing the systemic issues of poverty, housing instability, and social discrimination, which are deeply intertwined with the nation’s mental health crisis.
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