Canada pledges $170M to develop online mental health services amid coronavirus outbreak

Canada will invest more than $240 million, or $170 million in U.S. dollars, toward developing virtual and mental health care amid the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Sunday. 

The funds will be used to create digital platforms and apps to improve access to mental health support and expand capacity to deliver health care virtually, according to Trudeau’s announcement. 

“While we all do our part to fight COVID-19, it can be a challenge to deal with everything that’s happening around us and to get the help and services we need to feel well,” Trudeau said in the announcement. 

“It’s important that we take care of ourselves and our families during these challenging times, and that’s why we’ve introduced more virtual health resources and mental health tools to further support Canadians through this crisis,” he added. 

The investment will support Wellness Together Canada, an online portal that provides Canadians with resources, tools and professional support services to help with wellness and resilience, as well as mental health and substance abuse. 

Across Canada, there are 60,381 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3,779 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.