Mr. Chair, COVID has certainly exposed the mental health struggles that Canadians faced even before the pandemic, and the impacts of COVID on our interactions with our friends, families and coworkers have taken a toll on the mental health of many Canadians. That is why our government has a plan to support the mental health and well-being of Canadians.
This past year has been particularly difficult for certain groups, including indigenous people, Black and racialized Canadians, front-line workers, health care workers, youths and seniors. We know that the pandemic has affected these groups in different ways, and that is why we plan to invest $100 million toward supporting projects for innovative mental health interventions for these groups.
Budget 2021 also proposes an investment of $45 million toward the development of national mental health service standards, which would ensure that Canadians receive the high-quality services that they need and deserve. In combination with this initiative, our government aims to invest $62 million toward the Wellness Together Canada portal to provide Canadians with the tools and resources that are essential in supporting their mental health.
We understand that some mental health concerns have arisen from COVID-19, including trauma support for Canadians at greater risk of suffering COVID-19-related trauma.
We know that Canadians need our support and we are taking these concerns very seriously.