Toronto Mayor John Tory is looking for a nationwide summit to handle what he calls Canada’s psychological well being disaster.
In a press release Wednesday morning, Tory says the summit would see mayors, ministers, premiers and the prime minister focus on how higher to assist individuals residing with psychological well being and addictions challenges.
Tory says, popping out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the dearth of federal and provincial spending on psychological well being is “painfully clear” in Canadian municipalities.
He says with out ample funding, psychological health-care obligations are “offloaded” to municipalities, transit techniques, shelters, police and hospital emergency departments.
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Tory says he first made the proposal on to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in December.
He says the very best proof of the continuing psychological well being disaster is points associated to substance abuse, noting the 1000’s of people that died final yr from opioid overdoses.
“Three years ago, we confronted the COVID-19 pandemic and in that moment all governments worked together to help people and to help each other get through those tough times,” Tory mentioned within the assertion.
“Now we are facing a mental health crisis that requires that same level of dedication, co-operation and commitment.”
