Quebec Association of Psychiatrists calling for minister of mental health

The Quebec Association of Psychiatrists (AMPQ) is concerned about the state of mental health in Quebec.

On Wednesday morning, it unveiled its Mental Health 2026 platform, which proposes six measures, the first of which is to appoint a minister responsible for mental health. 

As the elections approach, the AMPQ is asking political parties to make mental health a priority and to present concrete commitments. 

At a press conference held at the Old Brewery Mission in Montreal, Dr. Claire Gamache, president of the AMPQ, said a minister of health would be responsible for coordinating government action, monitoring national indicators, and implementing strategies that impact all sectors, including youth, homelessness, and addiction issues. 

“I think that perhaps this minister should have a free hand and really be at the table with the minister of health to ensure that he has a similar weight in making decisions, to have much more influence on the minister of public safety, for example,” explained Dr. Gamache. 

Overall, she applauded the work of the minister responsible for social services and the fight against homelessness, Lionel Carmant.

“The fact that there was already a designated minister allowed us to work on many things,” she said. “We had a magnificent interministerial plan on mental health, the last one, with quantified measures and accountability. It was the first time a government had done that.

“But as everywhere in the world, the (World Health Organization) says, the challenges are increasing. Despite all the resources we put in place during the last election cycle, the demands are increasing everywhere.”

She highlighted various mental-health indicators. Among others, the hospitalization rate for suicide attempts tripled between 2010 and 2023 among girls aged 10 to 14. 

The number of homeless people continues to rise and is spreading to more and more regions. According to the latest figures, 12,000 people are visibly homeless across the province, including 5,000 in Montreal. This represents a 20 per cent increase since 2022. 

“The situation continues to deteriorate and is becoming increasingly worrying. In recent years, mental health issues have grown worldwide and particularly in Quebec. Distress is increasing, needs are becoming more complex, and more and more people are asking for help, more and more people are hesitant to ask for help, and more and more people are struggling to get help at the right time,” said Gamache. 

“Faced with this growth, Quebec psychiatrists have taken the time to look at the situation clearly in order to propose solutions to the various political parties for their campaigns in the coming weeks,” she continued. “This is not a wish list, a list of expenses. Rather, it is a realistic roadmap based on our clinical experience, the available data, and best practices.”

The other measures of the Mental Health platform are to prevent homelessness; deploy alternatives to hospitalization for all, from young people to seniors; strengthen suicide prevention, particularly among young people; take care of those who care; and then facilitate access to care and strengthen telemedicine in mental health.

Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, Québec solidaire’s health policy lead, responded to the press conference.

“Québec solidaire agrees with the Association of Psychiatrists on several points,” said Cliche-Rivard. “We share the same assessment: there is an urgent need for action on mental health in Quebec. The homelessness crisis, which has worsened across the province, calls for strong, structural measures. That is why Québec solidaire has put forward a set of proposals to address the housing crisis, one of the root causes of the rise in homelessness.”