Budget Skips Mental Health, Pharmacare

0:00It's April 28th. This is Canada News Today, local news powered by AI. The federal budget just landed with a big push on health infrastructure, dropping $17.2 billion to provinces and territories. But its ghosting mental health, pharmacare, and substance use programs, no fresh funding in sight. A bunch of key health initiatives, like the Emergency Treatment Fund, are slated to expire in 2026-27. That means decisions on their future get kicked down the road for now. Health Minister Marjorie Michelle called it out, saying the budget barely touches priorities from past years. Folks in the sector are frustrated, arguing it overlooks everyday struggles with addictions and mental wellness. The cash is narrowly targeted at economic boosts tied to health resources, picking only a handful of projects to fund. Infrastructure might get the upgraded needs, but without support for mental health and substances, the gaps could widen. We'll track what comes next.