APEC mental health hub pitched for Canada

The Univ of British Columbia and the Univ of Alberta have joined the Mood Disorders Society of Canada to request $5 million over five years in start-up funding from the federal government for an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Digital Hub to promote mental wellness in Canada and the Asia Pacific region. The request was contained in a pre-Budget submission following a decision by APEC leaders to nominate Canada and UBC as the location of the hub. The hub’s backers say mental health is a $51-billion problem in Canada and its location here would allow Canada to showcase scientific discoveries targeting existing knowledge gaps in mental health. The hub would also be a platform for collaboration among scientists, innovators, businesses, health institutes and governments, producing best practices that could contribute to economic growth.