March 17, 2023 | Barrie, Ontario | Public Health Agency of Canada
The Government of Canada is committed to promoting positive mental health for everyone, particularly those who face disproportionate challenges because of discrimination, socio-economic status or social exclusion.
Today, the Honourable Leah Taylor Roy, Member of Parliament for Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill, on behalf of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, announced $666,054 in funding to The Gilbert Centre for Social and Support Services to support the mental health needs of queer, transgender and questioning youth.
The project will build upon Gilbert Centre's existing QT (Queer, Trans) Youth Connection Discord program, a drop-in community space for queer, transgender and questioning youth ages 12 to 29 in Simcoe County, Ontario. It aims to reduce social isolation and related mental health impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing youth with access to supportive spaces and activities to build resilience, as well as social support staff, peer support workers and outreach workers, through a virtual space. The project will also help to educate community partners, such as the Simcoe County District School Board and Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School, as well as other partners, by offering introductory sessions on how to best support 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.
Today's investment builds on the historic announcement the Government of Canada made in February of $198.6 billion over 10 years to improve health care services for Canadians, reduce surgical backlogs, support health workers, and improve integrated mental health and substance use services. We will continue to do whatever it takes to provide all Canadians - including youth - with the mental health and substance use supports they need, whenever and wherever they need them.
