(Healthing) Canada Election 2025: Why the next prime minister must confront the youth mental health crisis

(Originally published Apr. 28, 2025)

In a compelling op-ed for Healthing.ca, Dr. Elizabeth Cawley and Emmy Egulu argue that Canada’s next prime minister must confront the escalating youth mental health crisis. Despite rising rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm among children and adolescents, the issue remains notably absent from national political discourse. They present a four-point action plan: publicly fund private mental health services, embed culturally safe mental health support in schools, establish national standards for access and wait times, and invest in a national youth mental health data strategy. They emphasize that without decisive federal leadership, the social and economic costs will continue to mount.

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