Ontario’s children and youth are in the midst of a mental health crisis and the system meant to support them is stretched beyond its limits. Rates of anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self-harm have soared, yet publicly funded mental health services remain inaccessible to many families.

As pediatricians working on the front lines of children’s health care, we see firsthand how our health care, disability, and social service systems are failingOntario’s children.

Every day, we meet families struggling to access essential care — whether it’s a child waiting months for mental health support, a toddler missing critical developmental services, or a family unable to afford nutritious food.

As Ontario prepares to elect its next government, we urge voters to make children’s health a priority at the ballot box.

We routinely refer children for therapy, only to learn that they face one- to two-year wait-lists — an eternity for a child in crisis.

As a result, more children are ending up in emergency rooms, a last resort for families who have nowhere else to turn. This is not the mental health systemOntario’s children deserve. We need urgent investment in publicly funded, community-based mental health services so children can access support when they need it — before they reach a crisis point.

Ontario’s pediatric health care system is on life support. Families struggle to find family doctors and pediatricians, meaning that many children’s health needs go unaddressed until they become emergencies. For children who require specialized care — such as developmental assessments for autism or ADHD, or medical interventions for chronic illnesses — wait times stretch months to years.

Early intervention is critical in childhood and delays mean that children’s long-term health and development are being jeopardized. At the same time, Ontario faces a pediatric health care workforce shortage. Many communities — particularly in rural and marginalized areas — lack adequate pediatricians, therapists, and support services. Without immediate investment in pediatric primary care and specialist services, Ontario’s children will continue to be left behind.

Child health doesn’t start in a doctor’s office — it starts with stable housing, nutritious food and safe communities. Yet, 1-in-4 children in Ontario live in poverty and the soaring cost of living is pushing more families into crisis. Food insecurity is rampant, affecting 1-in-5 children and we are seeing the consequences in our clinics— children who are undernourished, struggling to focus in school and facing increased risks of both physical and mental health problems.

Meanwhile, housing instability forces families into unsafe or precarious living situations, increasing toxic stress that can have lifelong effects on a child’s well-being. No child should have to grow up in poverty in a province as wealthy asOntario. Our next government must commit to strengthening child benefits, expanding school nutrition programs, and investing in affordable housing so all children have the opportunity to grow and thrive.

Ontario’s children don’t get a say in who forms the next government — but we, as voters, do. Every political party should be asked: What are you doing for kids? Will they commit to reducing pediatric wait times, expanding mental health services and tackling child poverty? Will they prioritize funding for children’s hospitals, early intervention programs, and disability services? Or will they continue to overlook the very people who will shape Ontario’s future?

We urge Ontarians to hold candidates accountable. Attend town halls, ask tough questions and demand real commitments to invest in children’s health and well-being. Because when we ignore the needs of children, we are choosing to ignore the future of our province. On election day, remember: Kids can’t vote. You can. Make your vote count for Ontario’s children.