Mental health key election issue in Mississauga, Brampton and the GTA, youth agency says

A national organization dedicated to getting young people out to the ballot box says that young Ontarians are strongly supportive of the implementation of a universal mental health care program headed into the 2022 Ontario election.

Future Majority is running weekly focus groups with undecided youth voters in swing ridings to identify their priorities and has discovered that since the start of the pandemic, mental health amongst this age group has worsened significantly, as Ontario youth are more depressed and anxious than pre-pandemic days.

With young Ontarians making up more than 30 per cent of the Ontario electorate, youth hold outsized decision-making power. According to data from the focus groups, the vast majority of young Ontarians consider mental health a key ballot box issue and “strongly support” the introduction of a universal mental health care program.

“We know that mental illnesses account for 10 per cent of the burden of disease in Ontario, but it receives just 7 per cent of healthcare dollars. There is clearly a discrepancy between the need for and the accessibility of mental health supports,” said Meshall Awan, Communications Manager at Future Majority.

“Not only do we hold more votes than any other age group, but we are also highly concentrated in ridings where the election will be won or lost — places like Brampton, Mississauga, and Scarborough,” Awan continued. “So come June 2, in order to earn the votes of the largest voting bloc, every party leader will need to present their robust plans to address the youth mental health crisis in Ontario.”