Establishing a Canadian Coalition for Perinatal Mental Health
We’re excited to share that a coalition to advance perinatal mental health has officially launched. This is a new initiative bringing together national nonprofit organizations to collectively advocate for stronger federal investment in the issue.
How the Coalition Came to Be
Over the past two years, Daymark has engaged with stakeholders across the country through focus groups, convenings, surveys, and one-on-one conversations. A clear theme has emerged: while many organizations are doing important work in this space, there is no coordinated platform to align advocacy and speak with one voice at a national level. There’s growing recognition that lasting progress in perinatal mental health requires collective effort and, ultimately, sustained public investment and action.
In response, we began exploring what a national coalition could look like, drawing inspiration from successful international models. Notably, the U.K. Maternal Mental Health Alliance played a central role in securing over £1.3 billion in government funding by building a unified, credible, and collaborative voice across sectors. The U.K. model has since influenced the formation of similar alliances and coalitions around the world, supported by the Global Alliance for Maternal Mental Health.
To help guide this work in Canada, we’re fortunate to be partnering with Dr. Alain Gregoire – Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist, Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics, founder of the U.K. Alliance and Chair of the Global Alliance. Dr. Gregoire is providing strategic advice and will support the coalition through its early development, including acting as an independent chair until a formal leadership structure is in place.
The Need in Canada
Each year, at least 1 in 5 women and birthing people in Canada experience a perinatal mental health disorder, such as depression, anxiety or postpartum psychosis. Despite the prevalence and impact, timely and equitable care remains out of reach for many:
Only 15% of those affected receive appropriate treatment
Perinatal depression is the most common major health complication of maternity
Equity-deserving groups – including Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, immigrant, and low-income communities – face higher rates of perinatal mental health challenges, often worsened by systemic barriers like limited access to culturally safe care, financial hardship, and lack of representation in the healthcare system
Children of mothers with untreated perinatal mental health problems are at significantly increased long-term risk of poor mental health.
Overall, perinatal mental health has a profound impact on the well-being of mothers, children, and future generations, and despite these realities, Canada still lacks a coordinated perinatal mental health system and sustained investment to address this critical issue.
What the Coalition Will Do
The coalition aims to fill a gap in the Canadian landscape by creating a platform for collaborative action and advocacy. While we are still working to develop our collective vision, mission, and mandate and to articulate our priorities, the coalition’s core purpose will be to advocate for greater funding and service development to ensure equitable, evidence-based perinatal mental health care is accessible to all who need it across Canada.
At a high level, the coalition’s activities could entail:
Coordinated actions by members (e.g., raising awareness, enhancing training, developing quality standards, understanding current provision and existing models of care)
Aligning messaging across national members
Advocating for sustained government leadership and investment
Learning from and building on international best practices.
Who’s Involved
More than 30 national nonprofit organizations joined the inaugural meeting in May 2025. The coalition is designed to be low-barrier and collaborative, with no dues or formal obligations beyond a shared commitment to the vision, mission, and mandate. Each member organization will participate according to their capacity and priorities.
The impact of perinatal mental health spans many sectors, and we welcome a broad range of national nonprofit organizations with an interest in areas such as perinatal, infant, or child health; mental health or healthcare systems; women’s health, rights, or gender equity; family and community well-being; and others.
The coalition is still developing and we welcome additional national organizations who share our collective vision. To learn more or to express interest in joining, please contact André Rebeiz, Daymark Foundation Program Manager, at: andre[at]thedaymarkfoundation.com