MONTREAL and CALGARY – Bell Let’s Talk gave back big this week, announcing a $1 million contribution to support student mental health programs at McGill University and Université de Montréal, plus a partnership with the Government of Alberta to enhance mental health services for children and youth in that province.
In Quebec, the Bell Let's Talk funding of $500,000 for each university will help to expand existing mental health programs and develop additional services that will be accessible to more students. At the Université de Montréal, the donation will be used to implement a number of new initiatives to support students experiencing stressful situations or suffering from anxiety or a mood disorder. At McGill, the donation will help fund the McGill Wellness Portal, a comprehensive self-screening tool focused on the most common mental health issues faced by McGill's students: depression, anxiety, eating disorders and alcohol misuse.
In Alberta, Bell Let's Talk has committed $1 million to improving access to mental health support in rural and remote communities with a single online access point to mental health information and care. The partnership between the provincial government and Bell Let's Talk will also build the capacity of professionals, family members, people working with children and families, and communities to better understand and support children and youth with addiction and mental health problems.
The Bell Let's Talk initiative promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research, and workplace initiatives. Since its launch in 2010, Bell Let's Talk has committed more than $67.5 million to Canadian mental health programs.
