Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner made the following statement after it was announced that the government would be creating a central agency for mental health and addictions care:

“I am encouraged by the creation of an umbrella agency to oversee the mental health and addictions crisis, but I urge the government to go further and create a stand-alone ministry.

The current system is fragmented, difficult to navigate and it’s leaving people in emergency rooms and on waiting lists rather than getting the timely and accessible care they need.

But as the overdose crisis worsens and as we learn more about the mental health gaps across Ontario and the world, the need for a stand-alone ministry will only increase.

It is important to have a Minister and Ministry to be accountable for the mental health and addictions crisis we face.

That is why the most forward-looking action we can take is to create a dedicated ministry today that will ensure mental wellness is at the forefront of all government policy.”

source: media release, GPO