Government Ignores Social Determinants of Health in All-Party Mental Health and Addictions Report

NL NDP
Aug 1
2 min read

For Immediate Release

August 1, 2025

NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) expressed deep disappointment in the Liberal government’s ongoing failure to address mental health and addictions in the province.

Dinn says that the report of the All-Party Committee on Mental Health and Addictions makes it clear that government fails to take real action on critical issues like housing, food affordability, the rising cost of living, and investment in community supports.

“The Health Accord, that the Liberal government continues to tout, was released three years ago, however we’ve seen little meaningful action to address the social determinants of health,” said Dinn. “What we have seen is government selling off public housing, rejecting rent controls that would help seniors and renters stay in their homes, and failing to explain how, or even if, shelter standards are being implemented.

“Government refuses to take basic steps like removing the HST from home heating and children's goods, measures that would ease the cost of living burden for countless families,” Dinn said. “They’ve done nothing to ensure healthy food is affordable or accessible, while food bank use has soared. So, I have to ask—do they not understand the social determinants of health, or do they just not care about helping people?”

He notes that people in this province are still facing some of the longest wait times in the country for mental health and addictions services and says government must invest in long-term supports to ensure no one is left waiting for the help they need.

“When someone is in a mental health crisis, they need help immediately. Telling someone struggling with depression or addiction to wait six to eight months for treatment is simply unacceptable,” said Dinn. “In 2024, government broke its promise to dedicate 9% of the healthcare budget to mental health services, spending only 6% when we should be investing at least 12%.

“How many more reports,” Dinn asks, “must we read before government finally acts on what we already know will improve the health and well-being of people?”

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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca