Canada Mental Health Summit 

Arrivals
Registration & Check-in

Doors open. Pick up your badge and connect with fellow attendees before the day begins.

Opening
Kick-off & Speaker Introduction

Welcome remarks and introduction of the day’s speakers and program.

Session 1
Mental Health at Work: Awareness

This foundational session offers a comprehensive overview of mental health in the workplace, grounded in the core belief that recovery is expected when individuals receive timely and adequate treatment. Using the Mental Health Continuum Model, attendees explore the distinction between mental health as a state of well-being and mental illness as a health condition — and how diversity, systemic barriers, and neurodivergence intersect with mental health outcomes. Key risk and protective factors, common conditions such as anxiety and depression, and the importance of early intervention are also addressed.

Session 2
Mental Health at Work: Addictive Behaviors

An in-depth exploration of the biological and behavioral complexities of addiction and its frequent co-occurrence with mental health conditions. Addiction is examined as a chronic disease that rewires the brain’s reward system, manifesting in behaviors such as substance use, gambling, and compulsive shopping. The session explores self-medication, navigates the Substance Use Spectrum, and teaches attendees to recognize signs of distress through performance changes, cognitive difficulties, and physical fatigue — while connecting participants to specialized resources, including Indigenous-specific wellness supports.

Lunch Break
Lunch - Provided by SMACNA

A catered lunch break to recharge and connect with peers and speakers.

Session 3
Mental Health at Work: Stigma

This session identifies and works to dismantle the social and structural barriers that prevent people from seeking help. Stigma is examined in its three forms — structural, public, and self-stigma — alongside the role of implicit bias in shaping our perceptions. Practical tools are introduced, including the STOP method (Stereotype, Trivialize, Offend, Patronize), to help attendees recognize stigmatizing attitudes in real time. The session concludes with strategies for adopting accurate, sensitive, and person-centered language to reduce barriers to care.

Session 4
Mental Health at Work: Having the Conversation

A practical, skill-building session focused on how leaders and colleagues can initiate supportive conversations about psychological health. Attendees learn about the legal “duty to inquire” and “duty to accommodate,” how to recognize Signs of Struggle (SOS) such as withdrawal or emotional distress, and a five-step conversation framework: Prepare, “I notice,” “I’m wondering,” “How can I help?” and Take a moment. The session also addresses responding to critical distress with empathy, immediate referral, and the implementation of ongoing workplace accommodations.

Closing
Contractor Viewpoint, Implementation & Closing Remarks

Hear directly from a contractor perspective on implementing mental health practices in the workplace.