WHITEHORSE, YT, Aug. 19, 2026 /CNW/ -- Today, the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, announced over $6.6 million to strengthen and expand access to integrated mental health and wellness supports for youth and young adults aged 12 to 30 across Yukon.
Delivered by BYTE – Empowering Youth Society, the Yukon Integrated Youth Services (IYS) project will bring together health, social service, education, and community partners to create a more coordinated and accessible approach to youth mental health care. This project marks a significant milestone with the first IYS hub in the territories being opened in Whitehorse. The IYS model provides youth with access to a range of services in one place to support their mental health, wellbeing, and overall health, making it easier for young people and their families to find the help they need.
A mobile wellness unit, staffed by mental health professionals and peer supporters, will also travel to rural and remote communities across the Yukon to provide mental health and wellness services and programming.
Supported through the Youth Mental Health Fund (YMHF), this project is part of the Government of Canada's commitment to improve mental health outcomes for youth across the country by enhancing access to, and navigation of, mental health services with a focus on underserved, rural and Indigenous youth.
Quotes
"The first Integrated Youth Services (IYS) hub in the Yukon Territory is an important step in building a stronger and more hopeful future for the youth and their families in Yukon. Too many young people face significant challenges in accessing mental health services, particularly those who live in Northern, rural, remote and indigenous communities. Today's announcement is about making sure young people have the support they need, a place to turn when they need it most, in their own community."
The Honourable Marjorie Michel
Minister of Health
"We welcome the Government of Canada's commitment to supporting youth wellness in the Yukon, and look forward to seeing the results of this new funding."
The Honourable Brad Cathers
Yukon Minister of Health and Social Services
"This investment is about building a stronger and more hopeful future for Yukon's young people and for the families and communities who support them. BYTE understands the unique needs of youth here in the Yukon. Through Health Canada's Youth Mental Health Fund, BYTE will expand integrated and accessible mental health services across the territory, helping young people and their families feel seen, heard, and empowered."
Dr. Brendan Hanley
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Member of Parliament for Yukon
"BYTE is proud to support the backbone team that will work alongside youth, families, and community partners to design a model that reflects the unique needs and strengths of the Yukon. This investment allows us to build a more connected system where young people can access the right support, when and where they need it. We are excited to connect with youth, families, Indigenous governments, service providers, and community organizations over the coming months to build meaningful partnerships and co-create a model that is youth-centred, collaborative, and accessible."
Abbey Gartner
Director of Integrated Youth Services, BYTE – Empowering Youth Society
Quick facts
- In 2022, 1 in 4 youth in Canada had been diagnosed with a mental illness in the previous 12 months (Mental Health and Access to Care Survey 2022, Health Canada analysis).
- With over 128 locations in operation, the Youth Mental Health Fund, launched in November 2024, is Canada's largest investment in youth mental health, at $500 million in funding over five years.
- A central component of the YMHF is the expansion of the Integrated Youth Services model. This proven model of care provides youth aged 12 to 25 and their families with free, timely access to a range of integrated services including primary care; mental health, substance use, and sexual health supports; education and employment services, and other social services all in one youth-friendly, community-based location, with no referral required.
Associated links
SOURCE Health Canada (HC)
Contacts: Alexandre Bergeron, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Health, [email protected]; Media Relations, Health Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]
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