Who We Are
The Mental Health Commission of Canada is a pan-Canadian health organization dedicated to improving mental health outcomes for everyone living in Canada.
As an independent, not-for-profit with charitable status, the Commission collaborates with leading experts and organizations nationally and internationally, including with people with lived and living experience, to develop national guidelines, standards and strategies, promote innovation and best practices, reduce stigma, increase mental health literacy, develop and deliver training through our Opening Minds division and support all levels of government to improve mental health outcomes for everyone living in Canada.
The Commission acknowledges that reconciliation with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, as outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, is central to achieving our goals.
Our History
In 2006, the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science, and Technology completed the first-ever national study of mental health, mental illness, and addiction.
The Committee’s concerns were detailed in its report, Out of the Shadows at Last – Transforming Mental Health, Mental Illness and Addiction Services in Canada which recommended the creation of a Mental Health Commission to provide an ongoing national focus for mental health issues.
The federal government created the MHCC the following year and named the chair of the Senate Committee, the Honourable Michael Kirby, as its first chairperson.The MHCC’s first mandate (2007-2017) was to create the country’s first mental health strategy.
Role
The Commission is a not-for-profit, pan-Canadian mental health organization that connects evidence, knowledge, and lived experience to provide actionable insights and solutions that advance mental health to improve lives.
Our Leadership
The MHCC is a national not-for-profit corporation and a registered charity. We are supported by funding from Health Canada, partnerships with federal, provincial and territorial governments, foundations, private sector organizations, and donations from the public.
Our Impact
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) marks the culmination of a number of important initiatives each year in its Annual Report. Outlining delivery on recommendations from Changing Directions, Changing Lives: The Mental Health Strategy for Canada and work with our partners in the mental health community to challenge our fellow citizens to improve their own mental health and the health of those around them.
Each report notes how the work of the MHCC is made possible through the unwavering commitment of the mental health community and the support and cooperation of our vast network of partners, spanning the breadth of our nation.
A year of action, collaboration, and progress.
Our Annual Report shares the milestones, achievements, and partnerships that have shaped our work over the past year and helped advance mental health across Canada.
Careers and Opportunities
Various opportunities for professional development to promote the continuous learning and growth of our employees.