To help youth improve the state of their mental health, the federal government is creating a new $500 million fund that will be allocated to community mental health organizations across the country over the next four years.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland made the announcement alongside Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Ya’ara Saks, who says the fund aims to reach youth who are not only attending post-secondary school, but also entering the workforce.

“Not everyone is on campus. Our young people are exploring careers and opportunities outside of those frameworks, as well. This fund allows us to meet a broader range of youth across the country to make sure they have the tools they need.”

She says she also wants to address mental health conditions before youth are university aged.

“We don’t want to see university students on campus, in crisis. We want to be able to meet them where they are to give them tools before they get to that point.”

Saks says through this investment she hopes to address the mental wellness of youth before it worsens, and they begin to fall through the cracks. Saks adds that many Canadians are facing anxiety due to war, geopolitical unrest, climate change and financial strains, and young people “do not have the tools that they need to cope in navigating these spaces.”

The fund is the latest of several pre-budget announcement from Ottawa.