Expanding Mental Health and Substance Use Support for Frontline Workers in Ontario

TORONTO, April 1, 2026 /CNW/ - A strong emergency management system depends on the people who show up in moments of crisis. First responders and frontline workers carry enormous responsibility in service of Canadians, and they deserve access to care that supports their mental health and well-being.

Today, the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, announced a funding agreement between the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario for $15 million to support the expansion of Runnymede Healthcare Centre and the establishment of Ontario's first Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) Centre of Excellence. PTSI can include a range of mental health conditions experienced after exposure to trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, depression, and anxiety.

Runnymede Healthcare Centre's long-standing expertise in supporting public safety personnel and frontline health workers makes it well positioned to lead this initiative. In partnership with the Province of Ontario, this funding will support the construction of two new facilities in the Greater Toronto Area.

The new Centre of Excellence will provide a continuum of care, including crisis and support services, connections to resources throughout recovery, and outpatient, residential, and virtual treatment options. These services will help improve access to timely and specialized support for frontline workers across Ontario.

Quotes

"Frontline health workers and first responders save lives every day and play a vital role in protecting the safety, health, and well-being of Canadians. This investment reflects our commitment to improve access to mental health and substance use services for those who care for us--to help build a stronger, healthier future for them and the communities they serve."

The Honourable Marjorie Michel
Minister of Health

"First responders and frontline health workers put themselves on the front lines of emergencies every day to protect the safety, health, and well-being of Canadians. We can and must do better to support them. Today's announcement will help expand access to specialized care for those experiencing PTSI and related mental health and substance use challenges. Supporting the people who care for Canadians in times of crisis is an important part of building a stronger and more resilient emergency management system." 

The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski
Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada

"Ontario is proud to be home to world-class first responders who put their lives on the line every day to support and care for families across the province. Our government welcomes this investment from the federal government, which builds on Ontario's investment of over $10.7 million, and brings us another step closer to getting shovels in the ground for these new facilities at Runnymede Healthcare Centre, which will ensure our heroic first responders can connect to the targeted, comprehensive supports when they are needed most." 

Sylvia Jones
Ontario's Deputy Premier and Minister of Health

"Every day, first responders step into moments most of us spend our lives trying to avoid. They carry not only the weight of those experiences, but the responsibility to remain strong in the face of them. As a healthcare system, we have an obligation to stand beside them not just in crisis, but in healing. Supporting their mental health is not an act of gratitude alone; it is a commitment to preserving the very people who protect our communities. When we care for those who care for us, we strengthen the foundation of our entire system."

Connie Dejak
President and CEO, Runnymede Healthcare Centre

Quick Facts

• Runnymede Healthcare's Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) Centre of Excellence addresses the growing demand for specialized care among police officers, firefighters, correctional officers, paramedics, and healthcare personnel. The Runnymede Healthcare Centre currently estimates more than 36,000 first responders in Ontario are affected by PTSI, a number expected to rise to more than 46,000 by 2040.
• The funding will help support the planning and construction in 2027 of two new facilities:
• Station No. 3434 – Toronto Ambulatory Site: This new site will serve as the main site for outpatient services, including assessment, routine and accelerated therapy sessions, and aftercare for a range of post-trauma conditions, depression, and substance use disorders. The facility will also house recreation programs and facilities designed to support individuals throughout their recovery journey.
• Caledon Recovery Centre: The new Centre will feature 40 residential beds with an average 30-day length of stay, offering detoxification services, intensive psychotherapy, and tailored psychosocial treatment. Patients will benefit from personalized care plans during their stay, with follow-up aftercare therapy and support available to promote sustained recovery.
• In addition to this investment, Budget 2025 proposes $5 billion over three years, starting in 2026-27, for a new Health Infrastructure Fund. This fund will complement existing health-related support provided to provinces and territories by helping to ensure their health infrastructure, such as hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care centres, and medical schools, will be able to respond to the health care needs of Canadians.

Associated Links

• Trauma and PTSD
• Federal Framework on PTSD
• Supporting Canada's Public Safety Personnel: An Action Plan on Post-Traumatic Stress Injuries
• Ontario Building Canada's First Dedicated Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Treatment Centres for First Responders

SOURCE Health Canada (HC)

Contacts: Emmanuelle Ducharme, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Health, [email protected]; Media Relations, Health Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]; Public Inquiries, 613-957-2991, 1-866-225-0709; Soraya Lemur, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski; Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, 343-574-6781, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]