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Supply data on selected mental health and substance use (MHSU) health care providers
MHSU health care providers provide treatment and support to those with a range of mental health and substance use challenges and risks. This group also includes a wide range of more generic providers of health, social and justice services.
Per population rates of selected MHSU health care providers are generally consistent across the provinces and territories. Note that psychotherapists/counselling therapists are included in only some provinces.
In 2021, there were 654,780 MHSU health care providers in Canada, which equals 1,721.4 providers per 100,000 population in Canada.
For each province and territory, here are the number and per population count of MHSU health care providers:
- Newfoundland and Labrador: There were 11,489 MHSU health care providers, which equals 2,203.6 providers per 100,000 population.
- Prince Edward Island: There were 3,158 MHSU health care providers, which equals 1,957.5 providers per 100,000 population.
- Nova Scotia: There were 21,846 MHSU health care providers, which equals 2,224.9 providers per 100,000 population.
- New Brunswick: There were 16,193 MHSU health care providers, which equals 2,067.5 providers per 100,000 population.
- Quebec: There were 155,864 MHSU health care providers, which equals 1,817.0 providers per 100,000 population.
- Ontario: There were 237,392 MHSU health care providers, which equals 1,609.9 providers per 100,000 population.
- Manitoba: There were 25,710 MHSU health care providers, which equals 1,862.2 providers per 100,000 population.
- Saskatchewan: There were 22,495 MHSU health care providers, which equals 1,907.5 providers per 100,000 population.
- Alberta: There were 84,299 MHSU health care providers, which equals 1,907.2 providers per 100,000 population.
- British Columbia: There were 74,635 MHSU health care providers, which equals 1,446.8 providers per 100,000 population.
- Yukon: There were 930 MHSU health care providers, which equals 2,205.2 providers per 100,000 population.
- Northwest Territories: There were 504 MHSU health care providers, which equals 1,110.8 providers per 100,000 population.
- Nunavut: There were 265 MHSU health care providers, which equals 676.8 providers per 100,000 population.
Proportion of females for selected MHSU health care providers:
- Psychologists: 77%
- Psychotherapists/counselling therapists: 82%
- Registered psychiatric nurses: 82%
- Psychiatrists: 47%
Proportion of males for selected MHSU health care providers:
- Psychologists: 23%
- Psychotherapists/counselling therapists: 18%
- Registered psychiatric nurses: 18%
- Psychiatrists: 53%
Proportion of providers younger than 40 for selected MHSU health care providers:
- Psychologists: 22%
- Psychotherapists/counselling therapists: 32%
- Registered psychiatric nurses: 39%
- Psychiatrists: 24%
Proportion of providers 60 and older for selected MHSU health care providers:
- Psychologists: 26%
- Psychotherapists/counselling therapists: 22%
- Registered psychiatric nurses: 11%
- Psychiatrists: 33%
Notes
CIHI collects data on 31 groups of health care providers in Canada. Data availability varies by province and territory. See full notes and sources below.
The providers included in this analysis include social workers, family physicians, occupational therapists, licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs), psychologists, psychiatrists, paramedics, psychotherapists and counselling therapists.
RPNs are regulated in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C. and Yukon.
Sources
Health Workforce Database, Canadian Institute for Health Information; Scott’s Medical Database, Canadian Institute for Health Information, with raw data provided by iMD (© 2022 iMD Health Global Corp.); Statistics Canada, Demography Division.
Full notes and sources
Notes
CIHI collects and reports data on 31 groups of health care providers: audiologists, chiropractors, dental assistants, dental hygienists, dentists, dietitians, environmental public health professionals, genetic counsellors, health information management professionals, licensed practical nurses, medical laboratory technologists, medical physicists, medical radiation technologists, midwives, nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, opticians, optometrists, paramedics, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, physicians, physician assistants, physiotherapists, psychologists, psychotherapists/counselling therapists, registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers and speech–language pathologists.
Data availability varies by province and territory.
Regulatory status varies among provider groups and provinces/territories. Regulated health care providers are required to register with their respective regulatory body to obtain an annual licence to practise in their province or territory. Non-regulated health care providers typically acquire a voluntary annual membership with their professional association. Information may not be available for all non-regulated health care providers. See the appendix in Health Workforce in Canada, 2017 to 2021: Overview — Methodology Notes (PDF) for a full list of regulated health care provider groups.
The total count for psychiatrists includes counts for main specialty psychiatry and subspecialties geriatric specialty, forensics specialty and child and adolescent psychiatry. Please see the Supply, Distribution and Migration of Physicians in Canada, 2020 — Methodology Notes (PDF) for additional details.
Where possible, CIHI aims to report the most comprehensive information across each health care provider group. If more than 30% of records in a province or territory have data elements coded as unknown, not applicable or not collected, statistics based on those elements are not reported. For these reasons, please note the following:
- The “supply” and “per population” analysis includes the following jurisdictions (listed by health care provider group), as data was available in 2021:
- Family physicians — Includes Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
- Licensed practical nurses — Includes Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
- Nurse practitioners — Includes Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C. and Yukon
- Occupational therapists — Includes Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
- Paramedics — Includes P.E.I., Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C.
- Psychiatrists — Includes Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
- Psychologists — Includes Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, B.C. and the Northwest Territories
- Psychotherapists/counselling therapists — Includes P.E.I., New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario
- Registered nurses — Includes Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C. and Yukon
- Registered psychiatric nurses — Includes Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C. and Yukon
- Social workers — Includes Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories
- The “proportions by age” analysis includes the following jurisdictions (listed by health care provider group), as data or age data was available in 2021:
- Psychologists — Includes Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, B.C. and the Northwest Territories
- Psychotherapists/counselling therapists — Includes Quebec and Ontario
- Registered psychiatric nurses — Includes Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C. and Yukon
- Psychiatrists — Includes Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
- The “proportions by sex” analysis includes the following jurisdictions (listed by health care provider group), as data or sex data was available in 2021:
- Psychologists — Includes Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, B.C. and the Northwest Territories
- Psychotherapists/counselling therapists — Includes Quebec and Ontario
- Registered psychiatric nurses — Includes Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C. and Yukon
- Psychiatrists — Includes Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
Sources
For most health care provider groups, the primary data sources are provincial and territorial regulatory bodies; national, provincial and territorial professional associations; and governments.
For more information on data sources, please email us at hhr@cihi.ca.