Mayors from Saskatchewan’s cities are extremely concerned with the availability of mental health and addictions support in Saskatchewan.
“Mental health and addictions programs have never been sufficient to meet the need in Saskatchewan, or even across Canada,” Mayor Gerald Aalbers, Chair of SUMA’s City Mayors Caucus (CMC), said. “The stress of the pandemic has significantly increased the need for these services, worsening the situation into a national crisis.”
The SUMA City Mayors’ Caucus was pleased to host federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Carolyn Bennett, and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, Dan Vandal, at their meeting on February 11. The ministers spoke on what the federal government is doing on the mental health and addictions file, and how they will ensure that the needs of Saskatchewan municipalities are addressed. City mayors will be meeting with Saskatchewan’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health Everett Hindley in early March to discuss current initiatives at the provincial level.
