Creating a Mental Health and Addictions Strategy for Toronto - by Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, seconded by Mayor John Tory

Calgary's Mental Health and Addiction Strategy is a five-year community-based, cross-sector initiative convened by the City of Calgary. Although the majority of the funding for mental health and addictions agencies is provided by the Province on Ontario and the Federal Government, the City of Toronto funds many mental health and addictions initiatives across the City, such as the Toronto Public Health harm reduction services, mental health and addictions supportive housing through Toronto Community Housing, Mobile Crisis Intervention Teams which are a partnership between the Toronto Police Service and local hospitals, and the suicide prevention initiatives of the TTC, among others. In addition, the City funds workplace mental health and wellbeing initiatives for its employees. These initiatives exist in different portfolios and all mental health funding - from all levels of government - would benefit from increased coordination and accountability in Toronto through developing a comprehensive City of Toronto Mental Health and Addictions Strategy that could include an office to oversee and implement the strategy.

develop an advocacy strategy, including using elected officials, to lobby the Provincial and Federal Governments for increased support for community-based agencies delivering mental health services in Toronto.