Governments of Canada and Ontario Invest $538,000 to Expand Farmer Wellness Initiative
TORONTO – In a significant step to support mental health in the agricultural sector, the governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $538,000 through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) to expand the Farmer Wellness Initiative. This funding includes nearly $178,000 specifically earmarked to provide services in Spanish, catering to the needs of international farm workers in Ontario.
The Farmer Wellness Initiative, managed by Agriculture Wellness Ontario and delivered by the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division, offers farmers, farm workers, and their families unlimited access to a free, 24/7 phone line that connects them to tailored mental health counselling. This service provides crisis counselling, risk assessments, and options for face-to-face, phone, or video sessions with a counsellor. Earlier this year, the program was expanded to include farm workers, and the latest funding will further extend these services to include Spanish-language support.
“As a farmer myself, I know that farmers and folks working on our farms often work long hours and face unique challenges that can make it difficult to prioritize their mental health,” said the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Through this initiative under Sustainable CAP, mental health resources will be more accessible, providing these hard-working people the tools they need, when they need them most.”
Canada and Ontario are expanding the Farmer Wellness Initiative to support international agricultural workers who speak Spanish. This will ensure everyone in Ontario’s agriculture community can access mental health services.
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— Ontario Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (@OMAFRA) July 22, 2024
Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the unique stressors faced by the agricultural community. “The expansion of services to farm workers and their families reflects the reality that the entire agricultural community experiences unique stressors that require tailored solutions. By increasing access to mental health services for everyone involved in the business of farming, we are supporting those who work hard to grow our sector and provide food for people across Ontario and throughout the world.”
This initiative aligns with the Ontario government’s Grow Ontario Strategy, which aims to strengthen the stability of the agri-food supply chain and attract and grow local agri-food talent. Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, emphasized the importance of providing reliable mental health services to the agricultural community. “Farmers face unique mental health challenges as they work, day in and day out, to provide the resources we all need. They deserve reliable and accessible services to support their well-being. The Farmer Wellness Initiative is one more way we are expanding access to care, ensuring farmers, farm workers, and their families can better connect to quality care that supports their unique needs, where and when they need it.”
Sustainable CAP is a five-year (2023-2028), $3.5 billion investment by federal, provincial, and territorial governments to enhance the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri-food, and agri-based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5 billion commitment, which is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially, for programs designed and delivered by the provinces and territories.
For more information on the Farmer Wellness Initiative and how to access these services, visit the Agriculture Wellness Ontario website or call the 24/7 support line.