e-3802 (Taxation)

Petition to the Government of Canada

• Mental health challenges have been steadily increasing in Canada for years, and COVID-19 has greatly exacerbated the decline of mental health across all demographics;
• The Controlled Act of Psychotherapy regulates healthcare professionals who are allowed to practice psychotherapy in Ontario;
• As of the conclusion of the two-year transition period on December 31, 2019, anyone performing the Controlled Act must be registered with one of the six health regulatory colleges whose members are authorized to practice the controlled act of psychotherapy;
• The three which most commonly offer psychotherapy services are the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), the College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO), and the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW);
• Members of the CPO and OCSWSSW in Ontario are exempt from charging HST on their psychotherapy services;
• Therefore, under the same Controlled Act there are professionals exempt from charging HST and professional required to charge HST for the exact same regulated service;
• The 13% HST on services provided by Registered Psychotherapists in Ontario is a costly and punitive 13% barrier to affordable mental health treatment; and
• Providing mental health services when problems are emerging is much more cost effective than dealing with them in the future.