Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
We're here today in the middle of beer, wine and spirits. However, in our discussion before we came in here today, I think we all agreed that mental health issues affect all aspects of society. We are here today to talk about a very tough topic, which is suicide. You might be asking yourself, why is the commission here today to talk about suicide when the focus of this committee is Canada's economic growth and competitiveness? We're here to tell you that suicide isn't just a public health crisis. Make no mistake: It is also an economic crisis. Every death by suicide costs the Canadian economy an estimated $1 million.
By 2030, depression will be the global leader in disease burden, and it is a major contributor to suicide. If this isn't compelling enough, consider that for every suicide, 125 people are deeply impacted. Suicide is the leading cause of death among our young people in this country, and that number is five to seven times higher among indigenous youth. We should all be sitting up and paying attention, because indigenous youth are the fastest-growing demographic in Canada.
For 11 years, the commission has been prioritizing the mental health and wellness of Canadians. This work has to continue, but we aren't here talking about preservation of the commission. What's driving us is the fact that suicide rates have remained stubbornly unchanged for decades. Every single day in Canada 10 people die by suicide. There have not been any improvements in many years.
Two years ago, we came to this committee calling for an investment in suicide prevention. We weren't successful, but we took this experience and we learned from it. We're a resilient organization. When our proposal for suicide prevention was turned down the first time around, we were undeterred. We turned to the provinces and sought their partnership. The fact is that we are all invested in the mental health of our communities, and that's what our newest project is all about.
Roots of Hope is a community-based suicide prevention project. It's starting to effect real change in communities such as the Burin Peninsula in Newfoundland and right across the country. We owe these communities help and we owe them healing. All communities deserve roots of hope.
I will now pass the floor over to my colleague, Ed Mantler, who will give you some specifics of the program.