Canadian National Strategy for Men’s Mental Health

Canadian National Strategy for Men’s Mental Health

ACT BOLD FOR MEN AND BOYS

Recommendations from the Canadian Centre for Men and Families (CCMF)

Comprehensive

An effective men’s health strategy must incorporate a wide variety of areas, including the job sector, family courts, the educational system, and male identity. It must be interdisciplinary, recognizing that legal stress, financial strain, family breakdown, domestic abuse, and youth struggles all interact to shape men’s mental health outcomes. 

This strategy requires the engagement of multiple government ministries, including Health, Public Safety, WAGE, Housing, Indigenous Services, Employment and Social Development, Veterans Affairs, and Justice.

The Strategy must address social determinants of health – those core causes of suicide and mental health issues in men – without excluding politically complex topics, provided the analysis is evidence-based and trauma-informed. As one critical example, men commit suicide at 6-8 times the rate of women when going through family separation and facing loss of their children.

Service Oriented

The Strategy must move beyond a research-only focus toward adequately funded service delivery. Agencies that demonstrate a history of delivering services to men should be a priority. The government should invest in a Canada-wide Men’s Health Centre by scaling up the existing infrastructure of the Canadian Centre for Men and Families. 

CCMF is the country’s leading national charity operating evidence-based and effective interventions for boys and men. We focus on the key triggers of male suicide, such as family break down, family violence, addiction and employment loss. Our network of branches across the country services over 2,000 new families each year across all demographic lines. CCMF is training dozens of external agencies across Canada as they expand their services for boys and men.

We recommend a national 24/7 crisis line with staff specifically trained in male-centric de-escalation and resource referral.

We encourage the incentivization of “Mental Health Safety Standards” in male-dominated trades by providing tax credits to companies that implement on-site counseling and peer-support programs tailored to blue-collar workers.

Rethinking Family Violence 

Statistics Canada data and scholarly research underline the urgent need to move toward gender equality in services for family and domestic violence victims. The government must implement the recommendations contained in the landmark report, Male Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Canada (2020), prepared for the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, to direct federal funding toward the creation of domestic violence shelters specifically for men and their children, along with directing the CMHC to fund and finance transitional and affordable housing for father-led families in crisis.

Father Involvement

Research shows that children achieve their best social and health outcomes with two maximally involved parents. We recommend public policies that encourage active and involved fathers. Most urgently, we recommend reforming the Divorce Act to establish a rebuttable presumption of equal shared co-parenting as being in the best interests of the child, except in cases of proven abuse or neglect. Relatedly, we recommend updating the Income Tax Act to remove the “female primary parent presumption” of the Canada Child Benefit, which currently discriminates against children based on the gender of their primary caregiver.

Promoting Positive Perceptions of Masculinity

Men and boys are frequently portrayed as “toxic” or incompetent (the “bumbling father” trope) in mainstream media. This negative reinforcement creates a deficit-based identity for boys, leading to alienation. Consequently, many men avoid seeking help not because they reject care but because they fear shame, disbelief and judgement. 

We recommend the federal government update its communications to remove language of “toxic masculinity” and other shaming language in favour of language that is positive, supportive, and affirming of boys and men.

We recommend the creation of marketing campaigns to encourage young men to enter health, education, and social services as viable career paths.

We recommend a specific stream within the Canada Media Fund (CMF) for content that portrays men in diverse, positive, and non-traditional roles. Relatedly, we recommend the launch of a federally funded “Value of Men” public service campaign to celebrate men as caregivers, educators, and community pillars.

Governmental

We recommend the appointment of an Associate Minister for Men’s Health (within Health Canada) to provide ongoing oversight of the implementation of the Strategy.

The Associate Minister for Men’s Health should be an observer member of the Parliamentary Caucus for Men and Boys Health which was launched in late 2025 under the leadership of Senator Patrick Brazeau. The Caucus currently consists of over 30 MPs and Senators, including Liberal, Conservative, NDP and Independent members. 

Conclusion

The federal strategy represents a pivotal opportunity to address the long-overlooked health and social disparities facing men and boys in Canada, moving beyond a narrow focus on their utility to prioritize their holistic well-being. By adopting these interdisciplinary recommendations — ranging from gender-responsive mental health funding and legal reforms to educational revitalization and the promotion of positive masculinity — the government can dismantle the systemic barriers that lead to higher rates of suicide, educational dropout, and workplace fatalities. Ultimately, investing in the success and health of men is not merely a matter of gender equity; it is a vital investment in the stability of Canadian families and the long-term prosperity of society as a whole.

 

ORIGINAL FULL STATEMENT FOLLOWS

Executive Summary

The Canadian Centre for Men and Families (CCMF) is a national mental health and social services charity established in 2014, operating branches across Canada and serving over 2,000 new clients annually. CCMF serves men and boys of all backgrounds and identities, including Indigenous, racialized, newcomer, 2SLGBTQ+, rural and low-income men and boys.

We specialize in addressing the gender disparity in service access for boys and men across diverse communities and identities experiencing relationship breakdown, domestic and family abuse, social isolation, and other intersecting stressors (economic, cultural, and occupational).

Given that men account for approximately 75% of all suicide deaths in Canada, our mission is to provide gender-responsive support that mitigates this crisis. Scholarly research indicates that men in the acute phase of family separation are up to 8 times more likely to die by suicide than their female counterparts. Some groups of males, including young, Indigenous and minority males, are particularly at risk.

Our aim is to strengthen the effectiveness of the Men’s Mental Health Strategy. We will do this by referencing social determinants which account for the men’s health crisis, including the most tragic outcome of suicide. Our recommendations may introduce difficult subjects or politically challenging areas, but we do so because we believe that only by taking both a comprehensive and a deep approach can we develop an effective Strategy.

 

Recommendations from the CCMF for the Canadian National Strategy

 

Scope and Framework

An effective men’s health strategy must incorporate a wide variety of areas, including the job sector, family courts, the educational system, and male identity. It must address interconnected systems—workplaces (including high-risk and low-wage sectors), family law, education, justice, and community life—as well as evolving concepts of masculinity.

It must be interdisciplinary, recognizing that legal stress, financial strain, family breakdown, domestic abuse, and youth violence all interact to shape men’s mental health outcomes. This strategy requires the engagement of multiple government ministries, including Health, Public Safety, WAGE, Housing, Indigenous Services, Employment and Social Development, Veterans Affairs, and Justice.

It needs to move beyond a pure research-only focus to adequately funded and sustained evidence-informed interventions and service delivery

The strategy must address the core causes of suicide and mental health challenges without excluding politically complex topics, provided the analysis is evidence-based and trauma-informed. It must move beyond research-only initiatives toward adequately funded service delivery, including scaling up existing infrastructure by supporting agencies with a long history of effective service to men.

Specific Needs-Based Recommendations

1. Specific Funding for Men’s Mental Health Services

• The Need: There is a systemic gap in services specifically targeted at the mental health of boys and men.
• Recommendations:
  • Provide dedicated federal funding for gender-responsive psychotherapy, peer-led group trauma recovery, and evidence-based parenting courses for fathers.
  • Establish a national 24/7 crisis hotline with staff specifically trained in male-centric de-escalation and resource referral.
  • Re-assess current social and health programs to ensure they are not based on biased understandings of gender roles.

2. Stronger Promotion of Men’s Health

• The Need: Men engage the medical establishment less frequently than women, even though they are at a higher risk of negative health outcomes, such as most cancers.
• Recommendation: Initiate a national marketing strategy that reminds men they matter and emphasizes the importance of nutrition, exercise, and regular medical screenings.

3. Legal Navigation & Support for Male Victims of IPV

• The Need: Many men face the “procedural misuse” of legal and bureaucratic systems during relationship breakdowns—where these systems are used as tools of harassment. Men also struggle with the high costs of legal representation and supervised access, which can sever the father-child bond.
• Recommendations:
  • Fund legal clinics (modeled after the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic) dedicated to male and gender-diverse victims of intimate partner violence (IPV).
  • Provide funding for family/criminal law navigators and subsidies for court-mandated supervised visits to ensure financial hardship does not separate fathers from their children.

4. Expansion of Dedicated Male Domestic Violence Shelters

• The Need: A recent (2026) Statistics Canada Report indicates that about 50% of physical IPV victims are men, yet shelter capacity is severely skewed. While roughly 600 government-funded shelters exist for women, there are currently no equivalent government-funded shelters specifically for men and their children.
• Recommendation: Implement the recommendation of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime by directing federal investment toward the creation of domestic violence shelters specifically for men and their children.

5. Addressing the “Educational Disconnect” for Boys

• The Need: Boys generally underperform in the school system compared to girls, partly due to a lack of alternatives to the academic stream. This leads to long-term social and economic marginalization, social isolation, and an increased risk of anti-social behavior.
• Recommendations:
  • Engage provinces to ensure schools recognize that boys may learn differently and adapt curricula accordingly.
  • Revitalize technical and vocational education by implementing a pilot program based on the German “Dual System,” creating industry-school partnerships for high-paying, skill-based careers.
  • Create marketing strategies to encourage young men to enter health, education, and social services as viable career paths.

6. Restorative Justice in Family Court Allegations

• The Need: Unsubstantiated or malicious allegations of abuse during custody battles cause immense trauma and drain court resources. Even when exonerated, the “stigma of the charge” often persists.
• Recommendations:
  • Explore restorative justice frameworks for low-risk IPV allegations within family court to prevent unnecessary criminalization.
  • Implement a “Fast-Track Expungement” process for individuals cleared of allegations to protect their reputation and mental health.

7. Review of Mandatory Charging Police Policies

• The Need: Current “primary aggressor” and mandatory arrest policies often rely on physical size differences. This can lead police to arrest a male victim even when he is the one who called for help, disincentivizing men from seeking protection.
• Recommendations:
  • Engage provincial and territorial jurisdictions to transition from “mandatory charging” to “evidence-based charging,” granting police the discretion to assess the full context of a call.
  • Mandate officer training that includes a better understanding of male IPV victimization to ensure stereotypes do not act as a barrier to support.

8. Presumption of Equal Shared Co-Parenting

• The Need: The lack of an involved father is a leading indicator for youth suicide, incarceration, and substance abuse. A recent study has shown that jurisdictions with equal shared parenting see a significant drop in IPV (about 50%) and intimate partner homicides (about 8%).
• Recommendations:
  • Reform the Divorce Act to establish a rebuttable presumption of equal shared co-parenting as being in the “best interests of the child,” except in cases of proven abuse or neglect.
  • Amend the Income Tax Act to remove the “female primary parent presumption” for the Canada Child Benefit, which currently discriminates against children based on the gender of their primary parent.

9. Investigating the Gender Sentencing Gap

• The Need: Data suggests that for identical offenses, men are more likely to be charged, convicted, and given longer custodial sentences than women.
• Recommendation: Commission a federal audit of the Canadian criminal justice system to identify and rectify gender bias in sentencing and conviction rates.

10. Workplace Mental Health & Occupational Safety

• The Need: Men represent the vast majority of workplace fatalities and injuries, particularly in high-risk sectors and first-responder roles. These industries often lack integrated mental health support for trauma and burnout.
• Recommendation: Incentivize “Mental Health Safety Standards” in male-dominated trades by providing tax credits to companies that implement on-site counseling and peer-support programs tailored to blue-collar workers.

11. Support for Indigenous and Marginalized Men

• The Need: Indigenous men experience the highest rates of suicide and incarceration in Canada, rooted in the intersection of historical trauma and gender-specific needs.
• Recommendation: Provide culturally specific funding for land-based healing programs and elder-led mentorship specifically for Indigenous men and boys, ensuring these programs are designed and governed by Indigenous communities.

12. Longitudinal Research on Male Life Outcomes

• The Need: Current policy is often based on data that does not differentiate between the specific life trajectories of men and women.
• Recommendation: Establish a federal research fund for longitudinal studies focusing on male life outcomes, particularly the impact of father-absence, educational disengagement, and social isolation.

13. Promoting Positive Masculinity & Media Literacy

• The Need: There is a pervasive “image gap” where men and boys are frequently portrayed as “toxic” or incompetent (the “bumbling father” trope). This negative reinforcement creates a deficit-based identity for boys, leading to alienation.
• Recommendations:
  • Launch a federally funded “Value of Men” public service campaign to celebrate men as caregivers, educators, and community pillars.
  • Create a specific stream within the Canada Media Fund (CMF) for content that portrays men in diverse, positive, and non-traditional roles.
  • Establish national awards to recognize male-led grassroots initiatives focusing on mentorship and healthy relationships.

14. Appointment of an Associate Minister for Men’s Health (within Health Canada) 

 

Conclusion

The upcoming federal strategy represents a pivotal opportunity to address the long-overlooked health and social disparities facing men and boys in Canada, moving beyond a narrow focus on their utility to prioritize their holistic well-being. By adopting these interdisciplinary recommendations—ranging from gender-responsive mental health fundingand legal reforms to educational revitalization and the promotion of positive masculinity—the government can dismantle the systemic barriers that lead to higher rates of suicide, educational dropout, and workplace fatalities. There is an urgent need to transition from research to adequately funded service delivery that recognizes men as essential caregivers, innovators, and community pillars. Ultimately, investing in the success and health of men is not merely a matter of gender equity; it is a vital investment in the stability of Canadian families and the long-term prosperity of society as a whole.