Neoliberal Canada’s Failures to Address Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19’s Exposure of Canada’s Mental Healthcare Failures

Abstract

Mental health has been a widely discussed topic throughout the pandemic as a result of lockdowns and other COVID-19 measures. Widening cracks in Canadians' mental health during the pandemic demonstrate that Canada has long had a largely inaccessible mental health care system, showcasing Canada's lacking adequate public coverage, which was especially detrimental to Canadians during the pandemic. This paper discusses the need for comprehensive mental health coverage, among other transformations, as part of Canada’s public health system, specifically drawing on mental health research from Canada’s experience with the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, this paper highlights the difficulty in instating mental health coverage in Canada, even during COVID, due to a backslide to residualism and a refusal to expand the welfare system under Canada’s neoliberal leadership and governmental value system.