Government and non-government policy influencers’ support for mental health promotion policies in Alberta and Manitoba, Canada

In Canada, the mental health crisis is an escalating public health concern. Mental health policies, often advocated for and led by government and non-government policy influencers (PIs), are critical in setting the political agenda to improve this issue. Therefore, understanding the views of PIs on mental health-promoting policies may provide insights to policy development priorities. We aim to examine if support for mental health promotion policies varies between Alberta and Manitoba, and between government and non-government PIs. This cross-sectional study was conducted using the 2019 Chronic Disease Prevention Survey, which collects the opinions of Canadian PIs and public on chronic disease prevention topics, including 16 mental health promotion policies. Each policy had a four-point Likert scale of 'strongly oppose' to 'strongly support.' Chi-square tests were performed. A total of 361 PIs participated. PIs were mostly 46 years and older, university graduates, non-visible minority, and had an income of ⩾C$70,000. Overall, policies were well supported by the PIs (>80%). In Manitoba, government and non-government PIs were more aligned in their support. Differences were found between provinces and PI groups around policies targeting disadvantaged populations. Policies aimed at building capacity received the highest support, whereas those promoting engagement and partnerships were the least supported. The lower support for policies targeting specific populations in Alberta signals an opportunity to deepen the discussion about the societal benefits of targeted policies.