Quebec psychiatrists call for a dedicated mental health minister

MONTREAL – Quebec psychiatrists are urging the province’s next government to appoint a dedicated mental health minister, pointing to a growing crisis that requires leadership extending beyond the health-care system.

The proposal is one of six recommendations unveiled Wednesday by the province’s psychiatrists association ahead of the October provincial election. The group is urging political parties to make mental health a central campaign issue and to commit to a coordinated, government-wide strategy to address rising needs.

During a press conference at Montreal homeless resource Mission Old Brewery, association president Claire Gamache said a mental health minister would oversee action across departments responsible for youth, homelessness, housing and addiction, while ensuring the issue remains a long-term government priority rather than one tied to a single election cycle.

Gamache said the position would build on work already undertaken by the minister responsible for social services and homelessness, Lionel Carmant. She praised the government’s interdepartmental mental health action plan, while arguing today’s challenges require a more permanent and focused approach.

“The situation continues to deteriorate and is becoming increasingly concerning,” said Gamache. “More people are asking for help, more people hesitate to ask for help, and more people struggle to receive help when they need it.”

She said nearly one in five Quebecers have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder. She also said roughly half of consultations in family medicine clinics now involve mental health issues.

The platform’s second recommendation calls for greater efforts to prevent homelessness.

The proposal includes expanding outreach initiatives that connect psychiatric care with people living on the streets and providing more stable funding for housing support programs to help people remain housed after a crisis.

Mission Old Brewery president and CEO James Hughes said mental illness is a major issue among the people his organization serves.

The association is also calling for alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization, including home-based treatment teams, mobile crisis services and short-stay crisis units that would be available across Quebec for children, adults and seniors.

Gamache said many patients can safely receive intensive treatment at home through daily visits from nurses, social workers and psychiatrists, reducing pressure on hospitals while allowing patients to remain in familiar surroundings.

The platform also recommends strengthening suicide prevention, particularly among young people.

Gamache pointed to a sharp increase in hospitalizations among 10 to 14-year-old girls for suicidal thoughts, saying the number has tripled between 2010 and 2023.

The final recommendations focus on supporting health-care workers and improving access to mental health care.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2026.