Federal, provincial and territorial collaboration on mental health promotion: Report summary

Produced by the Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Steering Committee, Public Health Network Council

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Purpose and context

This report examines opportunities for enhanced federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) collaboration on mental health promotion in Canada. Prepared by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and endorsed by the Public Health Network Council (PHNC) in December 2025, the report responds to increasing recognition that population mental health outcomes are influenced by social, structural and environmental determinants across the life course. Mental health promotion is positioned as a core public health function within a population mental health approach, complementing prevention, treatment and recovery services.

Mental health promotion focuses on strengthening protective factors, supportive environments and life skills to promote mental well-being among individuals and communities. While evidence supporting mental health promotion is well established, as a practice, it remains unevenly understood and inconsistently applied across jurisdictions, limiting collective impact and system sustainability.

By exploring the current FPT Canadian landscape, as well as identifying barriers and opportunities to better promote mental health, this report offers opportunities for collaboration to strengthen mental health promotion efforts in Canada.

Mental health of people in Canada

Surveillance data indicate declining levels of positive mental health and persistent inequities affecting specific population groups, including young adults, Indigenous peoples and people facing socioeconomic disadvantage. These patterns underscore the importance of upstream, life course and equity-oriented approaches that address determinants of mental health rather than relying primarily on clinical services.

Review of mental health plans and strategies

A review of provincial and territorial mental health plans shows variation in how mental health promotion is defined, prioritized and operationalized. At the time of this review, all PT strategies include a focus on mental illness service delivery, whereas emphasis on mental health promotion is varied, more often referenced than fully embedded in the plan. Intersectoral action and attention to structural determinants of mental health are common among strategies, while explicit life course framing, performance measurement for promotion and consistent use of positive mental health indicators remain limited.

Most plans include initiatives focused on children, youth and Indigenous population groups. Approaches to Indigenous mental wellness vary, with some jurisdictions demonstrating deeper integration of land-based healing, cultural continuity and community-led planning. These differences point to opportunities for shared learning across jurisdictions, including how PTs may more widely integrate Indigenous wellness models into their mental health strategies.

Insights from subject matter experts

Subject matter experts consistently identified the absence of a shared understanding of mental health promotion as a key barrier to effective collaboration, policy alignment and investment. Differing interpretations of core concepts, as well as confusion between mental health promotion, prevention and treatment, contribute to fragmented action and pose a barrier to effective interventions.

Experts also emphasized the importance of life course and settings-based approaches. A life course approach recognizes that mental health is shaped by experiences across all stages of life, highlighting the role of early childhood, adolescence and key life transitions. A settings-based approach complements the life course approach by delivering programs and support in everyday environments where people live, learn, work and socialize. Experts endorsed these approaches to help embed mental health promotion into daily life, making it more accessible, relevant and sustainable.

Experts suggested that bridging Western and Indigenous knowledges could be an area for collective action. Indigenous wellness frameworks were identified as strengths-based, holistic models that emphasize balance, connection, culture and self-determination, offering valuable guidance for broader population approaches and reconciliation. Hope, belonging, meaning and purpose – principles emphasized in the First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Framework – were identified as useful to guide future mental health promotion work in Canada.

Experts also recommended monitoring national emerging issues that impact mental health, such as the shifting digital environment and Artificial Intelligence (AI), along with broader economic, social and environmental issues. It was also recognized that current monitoring systems focus on mental illness indicators with limited tracking of protective and well-being indicators. Creating systems that have more accessible and disaggregated data for positive indicators would support more effective planning and evaluation of mental health promotion activities.

Recommendations for collaboration

The report identifies three areas where coordinated federal, provincial, and territorial collaboration could significantly strengthen mental health promotion in Canada. These recommendations are not commitments. Rather, they serve as a summary of the research and engagement done, building on what was learned through engagement with subject matter experts, the review of provincial and territorial plans and literature.

Building a common understanding of mental health promotion

Federal, provincial and territorial partners could collaborate to establish shared language, concepts and expectations for mental health promotion. This includes clarifying distinctions between mental health and mental illness, upstream and downstream interventions and promotion, prevention, treatment and recovery within a population mental health framework. Greater consistency in language and messaging would help ensure mental health promotion is understood as a foundational public health function rather than a supplementary activity.

Collaborative actions could include co-developing evidence-based narratives and briefing products that articulate the health, social and economic benefits of mental health promotion, including return on investment across sectors. Capacity-building initiatives for public health professionals could integrate life course, equity and Indigenous perspectives, drawing on existing training tools and expertise across jurisdictions. Establishing common framing would support more consistent policy design, funding decisions and accountability mechanisms.

Strengthening the evidence base for mental health promotion

Federal, provincial and territorial collaboration offers an opportunity to strengthen the availability, consistency and use of data related to positive mental health and its determinants. Partners could work toward more coordinated approaches to surveillance, including shared outcome measures, improved disaggregation and better integration of data across the mental health continuum.

Joint efforts to develop and share approaches to performance measurement and program evaluation for mental health promotion would support learning across jurisdictions and help demonstrate impact. Adopting a learning-system approach—where surveillance, evaluation and lived experience evidence are systematically integrated—could enhance responsiveness and effectiveness. Knowledge mobilization platforms could be leveraged to ensure evidence is accessible and informs decision-making.

Monitoring emerging areas of shared interest

Rapid social, technological and environmental change is creating new stressors that affect mental well-being across jurisdictions. Federal, provincial and territorial partners could strengthen collaboration to monitor emerging issues—such as digital environments, climate-related mental health impacts, social disconnection and economic uncertainty—and identify where mental health promotion approaches can build resilience and mitigate risk.

Collaborative monitoring and information-sharing would allow jurisdictions to learn from each other's research, policies and interventions, reducing duplication and accelerating innovation. Existing public health governance structures could be used to find early signals of change and coordinate responses where appropriate.

Conclusion

The report highlights a significant opportunity for federal, provincial and territorial partners to advance mental health promotion through more deliberate collaboration, a shared language and understanding of mental health promotion, and coordinated evidence-informed action. By strengthening common foundations, improving data and remaining responsive to emerging challenges, mental health promotion can contribute to improved population well-being, reduced inequities and a more resilient society.

To request the full report, please contact: mailto:MHPU-UPSM@phac-aspc.gc.ca

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