Ya'ara Saks is the second and current minister of mental health and addictions. She was appointed on July 26, 2023, and concurrently serves as the
associate minister of health.
Mandate
In his 2021 mandate letter, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assigned the first minister, Carolyn Bennett the following responsibilities:[4]
Helping to establish a permanent, ongoing Canada Mental Health Transfer to help expand the delivery of free mental health services.
Developing and implementing a "comprehensive, evidence-based plan," including to:
"Develop mental health standards, with a particular focus on health equity;"
"Sustain improved access to virtual mental health services with Wellness Together Canada;"
"Ensure timely access to
perinatal mental health services;"
"Support the
Minister of Public Safety to continue advancing Canada’s first-ever National Action Plan on Post-Traumatic Stress Injuries."
"Support the
Minister of Veterans Affairs to ensure
Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans have access to adequate mental health resources, services and training programs tailored to their specific needs."