Mulcair promises $100M for youth mental health

LETHBRIDGE, ALTA.— NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair is continuing a multibillion-dollar health spending spree ahead of the economic debate on Thursday. He is promising to establish a $100-million mental health fund for children and youth.

Mulcair says the four-year fund would include $15 million a year for health-care providers and community mental health associations.

The NDP said it would also include $10 million a year for research and information-sharing among health care providers across the country. “Canada’s next prime minister will face significant challenges . . . among them, more than 6.7 million Canadians, including children, who are living with a mental health illness or mental health condition,” Mulcair said.

Mulcair has been rolling out bigticket spending promises this week on health.