The Superior Mental Wellness @ Work project promotes workplace environments that reduce psychological hazards and maintain positive mental health for employees in Thunder Bay and the District.
From strong foundations to bold frontiers, the journey of health and safety is both a responsibility and a catalyst for transformation. This is the theme of this year's Forum North, Thunder Bay's premier workplace health and safety conference and tradeshow. At this one day event, workplace health and safety experts and business delegates will come together with a common purpose of protecting people and promoting healthy workplace cultures. The tradeshow will offer the chance to meet a range of vendors, network with peers and gain valuable knowledge on new products and best practices at your workplace. It's all happening on November 5 at the Valhalla Inn in Thunder Bay. Take advantage of early bird registration savings that end October 8! Learn more and register at: Partners in Prevention Forum North.
The Science of Sleep and Mitigating the Impact of Shift Work Webinar. Join us on Thursday, November 27 from 10:30 am to noon for an informative session intended for employees and workplace leaders. Dr. Sandra Dorman, from the Centre for Research on Occupational Safety and Health, will cover the importance of sleep, how shift work can impact health, how to reduce the health risks from irregular sleep, and how workplace leaders can support their workers to get the rest they need. Go to the Science of Sleep webinar registration page to sign up.
Mental Health First Aid provides the practical knowledge and skills to support to a person who may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being, or a mental health or substance use crisis until professional help is available. The Canadian Mental Health Association, Thunder Bay is offering Mental Health First Aid workshops this fall. For details, visit CMHA Thunder Bay Mental Health First Aid.
ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) ASIST is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first-aid. ASIST teaches participants to recognize when someone may be at risk of suicide and work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety.
Canadian Mental Health Association, Thunder Bay is offering several ASIST workshops throughout 2025. For details, visit CMHA Thunder Bay ASIST
The Working Mind for Trades Training: Infrastructure Health & Safety Association is currently offering The Working Mind for Trades courses for workers and managers. These virtual courses are FREE (after reimbursement) for a limited time for member firms. For details, click on the WORKER course or the MANAGER course.
Opening the Door to Support: Infrastructure Health & Safety Association is currently offering this FREE virtual course for supervisors and leaders. It offers practical skills and tools for setting the tone for a healthy workplace, improving one's own mental health and supporting the mental health of workers who are struggling. For details, visit: IHSA Opening the Door to Support
The Canadian Mental Health Association is offering Psychological Health and Safety Professional Certificate Training and Psychological Health And Safety: The Essentials Training. There are several virtual sessions in 2025. For details, visit: CMHA Psychological Health and Safety Training.
Workplace Safety North is offering the following workplace mental health sessions in person:
Calling all workers and workplaces in Northwestern Ontario!
EPID@Work (Enhancing the Prevention of Injury and Disability at Work) Research Institute is launching the largest cohort study ever conducted in Northwestern Ontario. It will examine workplace factors for mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
What is a cohort study?
A cohort study is an observational, long-term study that follows a group of people over time. Anyone who completes the study will be contacted again in six months for a follow-up survey, and every six months after that as long as the study continues. The longer the study runs, the better researchers can collect and examine the data – potentially leading to groundbreaking conclusions and interventions for mental health in our workplaces.
Who can participate?
All workers and all employers in Northwestern Ontario are encouraged to participate. All surveys will remain completely confidential.
Getting involved in the study is easy! Visit workinghealth.ca to learn more, sign up your workplace or volunteer as an individual.
Ultimately, the NOWWHS cohort study could have a big impact on the mental health and wellness of workplaces and workers in our region. With a large sample size and a long-term goal, EPID@Work is hopeful that this study will become a powerful tool for change.
Free Local Workplace Mental Health Resources
To request resources for your workplace, download and complete the Workplace Wellness Resource Request Form (Word file), then email it to workplacewellness@tbdhu.com. Once a request for a kit is received, the workplace will be notified when the resources are ready for pick up from the main office on Balmoral Street in Thunder Bay. If picking up the resources is not feasible, alternate arrangements will be made.
Interested in supporting mental health at work, but don't know how to get started? Download the Superior Mental Wellness @ Work toolkit [PDF] with helpful information and resources.
Bulletin board kits are available to any worksite in Thunder Bay or across the district at no charge. Each kit comes with all the pieces ready to be cut out. They also come with help cards and tip cards, along with plastic holders to attach them to the board. A diagram of the board design is provided as well to assist with the assembly. The worksite provides the tacks and the empty board space. A space of 4' x 6' is ideal, but the pieces can be positioned closer together if the area is smaller. Print files of the kits are also linked below for workplaces where it is more suitable to print the kits for themselves. In this case, TBDHU will still provide the supplementary resource cards and holders upon request. View the Bulletin Board Kit Assembly Instructions [PDF].
Click on the links to see what each board contains:
To request a bulletin board kit for your workplace, download and complete the Workplace Wellness Resource Request Form (Word file), then email it to workplacewellness@tbdhu.com. Once a request for a kit is received, the workplace will be notified when it is ready for pick up from the main office on Balmoral Street in Thunder Bay. If picking up the kit is not feasible, alternate arrangements will be made.
Help Cards: Business card-sized help cards are available to workplaces at no charge. These cards list some key mental health crisis services available. There is a space on the inside to write in the contact information of an employee assistance program provider. Place these cards in common areas or on a supervisor’s desk so they are handy if someone is in need of mental health support. Small acrylic card holders can also be provided for free.
Put this mobile art exhibit on display at your workplace. It features creative local photos that spark conversation about mental health at work. Click the Get Real Photovoice Project to learn more and to view the virtual exhibit.
Receive regular updates on news related to local workplace wellness sent directly to your inbox! Be first in the know about:
Upcoming education and training events
New workplace wellnes resources
TBDHU workplace challenges and contests
Local workplace wellness research
To sign up, visit the TBDHU.com/workplaces page and complete the "Sign up for our newsletter" form.
About Superior Mental Wellness @ Work
Superior Mental Wellness @ Work is a collaborative project that aims to promote workplace environments that reduce psychological hazards and maintain positive mental health for employees in Thunder Bay and across the District. It is coordinated by the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and supported by an Advisory Group. The Advisory Group is made up of over 20 partners from local public and private sector organizations who work together to provide the supports needed for local employees to have optimum mental wellness. Membership is open to individuals with a desire to collaborate on ways to promote mental wellness in worksites across the region. Email workplacewellness@tbdhu.com to learn more or inquire about joining the Advisory Group.
Current members of the Superior Mental Wellness @ Work Advisory Group include representatives from the following organizations:
City of Thunder Bay
Creighton Youth Services
Darling Organizational Psychology
EPID@Work Research Institute
Harbourview Family Health Team
Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA)
K. Hunter Workplace Consulting
Kelly Mental Health
Koru Training and Consulting
Lakehead University
Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (Thunder Bay)
St. Joseph’s Care Group
Superior Greenstone District School Board
Synergy North
TBayTel
TBT Engineering
Thunder Bay Counselling
Thunder Bay District Health Unit
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
Unifor Union 229
Workplace Safety North
The Superior Mental Wellness @ Work Advisory Group recently updated its strategic action plan. The plan was informed by the results of the local Mental Health in the Workplace Needs Assessment Survey conducted in 2023. Over the next few years, the project will focus on fulfilling objectives that fall under the following four main pillars:
Coordinate mental health training for leaders
Reduce and prevent mental health stigma in the workplace
Develop and share accessible workplace mental health tools and resources
Implement and evaluate evidence-based interventions
As new training events, mental wellness resources, or opportunities to participate in workplace research become available, they will be posted on this page. To be notified of updates, consider subscribing to the TBDHU wellness@work ebulletin. You will receive workplace wellness news directly in your inbox approximately once a month. To subscribe, visit the Workplace Health page and enter your name and emaill address in the "Sign up for our Newsletter" form. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Mental Health Crisis Support Services
Mental health crisis? Options for getting help.
Call 911.
Go to the nearest emergency room.
Contact Crisis Response in Thunder Bay: 807-346-8282
District of Thunder Bay: 1-866-888-8988
Text from anywhere: 807-346-8282
Call or text 988 to reach Canada's Suicide Crisis Helpline. Visit 988.ca to learn more.
Contact Hope for Wellness at 1-855-242-3310 or chat online. This service is for all Indigenous people across Canada.
For additional budget-friendly mental health support services available, visit our Mental Health Support page.
Contact Us
For further information about Superior Mental Wellness @ Work, call (807) 625-5900, or toll-free at 1-888-294-6630, or email workplacewellness@tbdhu.com.
