Health

Psychotherapist Marinela Trickett often hears the phrase ‘I know I need therapy, but I can’t afford it’ Mental health care should be as accessible as physical health care, believes Guelph’s Marinela Trickett. That’s why she’s calling on the provincial government to fund psychotherapy sessions with qualified mental-health professionals through expanded OHIP coverage.

ADVERTISEMENTWatchFlu cases are rising after Thanksgiving, but Canadians can still get vaccinated. Paul Hollingsworth reports on vaccination uptake in Halifax. October 13, 2026 at 5:53p.m. EDT

SaskatchewanAs of Oct. 13, every Saskatchewan resident who is six months and older can get free influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. Only 20% of provincial residents received flu vaccines last yearJeremy Warren · CBC News · Posted: Oct 13, 2026 5:46 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 13Listen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results. Saskatchewan Health Authority medical health officer Dr. Vivian Onaemo receives her influenza and COVID-19 vaccine shots during a media event in Saskatoon on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (CBC/Jeremy Warren)Saskatchewan health officials launched the province's seasonal immunization campaign in Saskatoon with a plea for the public to get their flu shots. As of Tuesday morning, every Saskatchewan resident who is six months and older can get free influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. While infection rates are currently low across the province, that could quickly change, said Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) medical health officer Dr. Vivian Onaemo.

CentreBC leader Elenore Sturko – party candidate for Surrey South – made a brief stop in White Rock this morning (Tuesday, Oct. 13), near Peace Arch Hospital’s emergency room, to announce her party’s plan to make health care more accessible. “Too many British Columbians are struggling to access health care, waiting to be attached to a family doctor, waiting for a diagnosis, or waiting for surgery,” Sturko said.

Tuesday October 13, 2026 | VANCOUVER, BC [Posted at 2:40 pm | Updated 5:09 pm] Today the BC NDP has promised improved access to health care for women, building on the promise he says his government has already made.

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Nova ScotiaNova Scotia Health’s director of physician recruitment says there are a number of places she and her colleagues could target if the provincial government called for an increase in the number of gynecologists. Nova Scotia set an overall record last year for physician recruitmentMichael Gorman · CBC News · Posted: Oct 13, 2026 5:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 13Listen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results. Katrina Philopoulos is the director of physician recruitment for Nova Scotia Health. (CBC)Nova Scotia Health’s director of physician recruitment says there are a number of places she and her colleagues could target if the provincial government called for an increase in the number of gynecologists.

Photo courtesy of The Invincible Brain website Dr. Majid Fotuhi, neurologist and author of The Invincible Brain. Andrea Moss Local Journalism Initiative Reporter SaskToday.ca Mental health challenges that intensified during and after the COVID-19 pandemic continue to drive demand for support, resources and education, according to organizers of a sold-out conference in Yorkton this week. More than 200 people attended the Wellness for Life Mental Health Conference hosted by SaskAbilities on Oct. 7 at the Gallagher Centre’s National Bank Convention Place. Regional director Aleks Hoeber said the annual event was launched after SaskAbilities noticed a growing number of people struggling with their mental health. “We decided to host it shortly after COVID when we noted there was such an increase in individuals struggling with their mental health,” Hoeber said. “People spoke about increased anxieties, significant depression, loneliness and low motivation levels.” Those concerns were being heard from staff, community members and the people SaskAbilities supports, she said.

Deji Adekanye, a postdoctoral researcher in the Caplan lab, takes tissue samples from Nicotiana, a tobacco plant found in the Nightshade family. Credit: Kathy F. Atkinson, Caplan Lab Plants—like people—come in all shapes and sizes. And just like scientists want to understand the components of the human body to treat disease and improve our lives, they also want to understand how plants thrive, develop disease, succumb or survive.

Stories can be a child’s first window to the world. But growing up, Nadith Ranasinghe, BSc’25, a second-year medical student at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, rarely saw children of colour or immigrant families in the books he read. Today, Ranasinghe is helping create children’s books that reflect these diverse experiences and make health-related topics more accessible to young readers. During his undergraduate studies at Western, he founded the Kids Health Shelf initiative with his classmates to give students a creative outlet and produce stories that resonate with young readers.

B. C. MLA Elenore Sturko listens during a news conference in Richmond, B. C., on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Health care remains a key focus in campaigning for the British Columbia election on Oct. 24.

The campaign is now live across BC Transit shelters in Victoria & Prince George, SkyTrain stations in Vancouver, and the Kelowna Airport., /CNW/ -- On World Mental Health Day (October 10, 2026), BC Place, Victoria Parliament Buildings, Burrard Street Bridge, and Vancouver City Hall lit up in green, the colour associated with mental health around the world. This initiative by the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) marked the start of their month-long outdoor campaign to promote mental health awareness across BC. This year, the association's campaign, which is currently live in select transit shelters in Victoria and Prince George, SkyTrain stations in Vancouver, and at the Kelowna Airport, is aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of mental health, reducing stigmas around access, and encouraging the public to find the right counsellor to support them. The posters at each of these locations have unique QR codes that will take them to the Find a Counsellor (FAC) tool, a public resource developed by the BCACC to help individuals find the counsellor aligned to their unique needs.

SEIU Healthcare Holiday Turkey Giveaway is back for 2026! As part of our Member Assistance Program, we’re once again coming together this holiday season to support one another and celebrate the strength of our union. It’s one of the ways we look out for each other, recognize the incredible work you do every day and make sure no one has to face the challenges of the season alone. This giveaway is about more than a meal. It’s about what we can do when we come together. It’s about recognizing the strength we have in each other and building a union where every contribution matters and every member has a role to play in this new era of worker power.

Alberta physicians want the provincial government to explain how it will assess patients’ eligibility for publicly funded health care as the province prepares for its Oct. 19 referendum and rolls out new health-care cards. The Alberta Medical Association said uncertainty about a patient’s identity, residency or health coverage should not delay medically necessary treatment. The association added that physicians often must make urgent clinical decisions before a patient’s eligibility for coverage can be established.

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As Breast Cancer Awareness Month is recognized this October, Niagara Health is making breast screening more convenient than ever. Niagara Health's (NH) Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) is making it easier for eligible patients to access screening services with the launch of Verto, a new online self-booking platform.   Patients can view available appointment options and select a date and time that best fits their schedule, in addition to being able to reschedule or cancel appointments. Automated reminders and confirmations may help reduce missed appointments.  "Implementing Verto is an important step in improving access and enhancing patient experience,” says Daisy Trojanowski, Manager of Diagnostic Imaging, NH. "By giving patients more flexibility and control over how they schedule their appointments, we are making it easier to connect them with the care they need.”  The move to Verto is part of Niagara Health's commitment to improve patient care, enhance patient experience and modernize scheduling.  The platform is particularly beneficial for eligible patients aged 40 to 74 who can self-refer to the OBSP to book a screening mammogram.

‘Tis the season for Quebec’s covid and flu vaccination Quebec health officials are hoping to dramatically increase vaccinations against the flu and covid. They're targeting at-risk people and the number of appointments being booked has started to skyrocket. Tim Sargeant reports.