Events, Initiatives and Training
Healthy us. Healthy campus. Rise and thrive at Ontario Tech.
Your Human Resources health and wellness supports and services, including the Healthy Workplace Committee are committed to providing the university community with opportunities to engage in activities that promote employee optimal health and well-being. Check out this web page often for updates on offerings that support a holistic approach to building a healthier workplace.
Do you have an idea for an event, speaker or initiative? The Healthy Workplace Committee welcomes your input, email wellnessatwork@ontariotechu.ca.
Current and Upcoming
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Campus Clean-Up: Tuesday, April 14
Campus Clean-Up
ASME Ontario Tech and Sustainable Energy Association are teaming up with the Office of Campus Infrastructure and Sustainability for this year's Campus Clean-Up. Join us as we collect litter around North Campus in celebration of Earth Month. All supplies and snacks will be provided.
Register here.
North Campus
Tuesday, April 14
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (drop-in welcome)
Meet at Founders 5 Parking lot (look for the sustainability van for supplies) -
The Working Mind: Manager/Director Cohort: Thursday April 23
This evidence-based course, with newly released updated content, is designed to initiate a shift in the way you think, feel and act with respect to mental health by increasing your awareness, reducing stigma and other barriers to care in the workplace, encouraging mental health conversations, and strengthening your resilience. By accomplishing these goals, TWM aims to help you maintain your wellness and support others living with a mental health condition in a psychologically healthy and safe work setting.
Participants will receive a certificate of completion from the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026
Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Virtual
Target Audience: Managers and Directors
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Crucial Conversations for Employees: April 27 - May 1
When it comes to the health of relationships, teams, and organizations, one thing affects everything: communication. Backed by 30 years of social science, Crucial Conversation skills represent the standard in effective communication. Improve your skills and get better outcomes by attending a training course.
The communication skills taught in this training focus on a specific kind of interaction: those when stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. This is not a course on winning friends or winning people to your way of thinking; it’s about strengthening relationships and securing results in the moments that matter most.
This course teaches nine powerful skills for working through disagreement to achieve better resources: Get unstuck, Master my stories, Start with heart, State my path, Make it safe, Learn to look, Seek mutual purpose, Explore others’ paths, and Move to action.
Crucial Conversations: Employees
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- Date: Monday, April 27, 2026 to Friday, May 1, 2026 (2.5 hours x 5 days)
- Time: 9:30 a.m. to Noon
- Location: Virtual
- Target Audience: Employees
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LEGO Workshop: Retro Rewind Edition: Thursday, May 7 & 21 - FULL
Session Full - If you'd like to join the waiting list, please email wellnessatwork@ontariotechu.ca. Thank you.
We heard you say connecting with your colleagues is important and fosters a Sticky Campus, so back by popular demand - our LEGO Workshop! Connect with colleagues while activating those creative juices!
From feedback received, this year’s theme is Retro Rewind. Let’s bring back those way back, play back favourites we enjoyed years ago!
Every participant will receive a LEGO set to keep. Each LEGO set is a ‘3 in 1’ design to provide more options to participants.Available LEGO sets include
- Camera/Video Camera/TV Set

- Gaming Console/Mini Arcade Game/Mini Computer

- Roller Skate/Boom Box Radio/Mini Skateboard

- Rotary Phone/Wireless Phone/Flip Phones

- Typewriter/Flowerpot/Keytar

These workshops are open to all faculty/staff. Space is limited, so register today!
North Campus Session
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Noon to 1 p.m.
In-Person, SCI-1350
Downtown Campus Session
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Noon to 1 p.m.
In-Person, CHA-217 -
From Worry to Wellness: Tuesday, May 19
The demands and stressors in our everyday lives, including workplace stress, can leave us feeling anxious, worried, and overwhelmed. Over the course of this workshop, participants will explore practices to help shift their mindset to one that protects their mental wellbeing while also strengthening their ability to adapt to demands in the workplace. The objective is not to remove all stress, but rather to change how we view and respond to it. Building resilience will allow all staff to increase their feelings of self-efficacy, equipping them to tackle life’s inevitable challenges.
The supplementary activity journal is a personal resource for participants, thoughtfully designed to help you dive deeper into the positive psychological practices introduced during the workshop. It offers space for you to reflect, capture your insights, and continue exploring these concepts on your own.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the relationship between mental health, workplace stress, and burnout
- Define the meaning of personal resilience and identify constructs that positively affect mental wellbeing
- Apply positive psychological practices that foster self-awareness, emotional regulation, social connectedness, and purpose
Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Time: Noon-1 p.m.
Location: Virtual
Audience: Faculty and staff
Presented by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health -
Sun Life Respiratory Care Program & Can Quit Program Session: Wednesday, May 20
This training session will introduce employees to two no-cost health support programs available through Sun Life: the Respiratory Care Program and the Can Quit Program. Participants will learn how these programs support respiratory health and smoking or vaping cessation through personalized, virtual care. The session will explain who the programs are designed for, what employees can expect when they enroll, and how to access services such as one-on-one virtual consultations, ongoing follow-ups, and personalized care plans.
Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Location: Virtual
Audience: Group Benefit Plan Members -
The Working Mind: Employee Cohort: Tuesday June 9
This evidence-based course, with newly released updated content, is designed to initiate a shift in the way you think, feel and act with respect to mental health by increasing your awareness, reducing stigma and other barriers to care in the workplace, encouraging mental health conversations, and strengthening your resilience. By accomplishing these goals, TWM aims to help you maintain your wellness and support others living with a mental health condition in a psychologically healthy and safe work setting.
Participants will receive a certificate of completion from the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
Date: Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Virtual
Target Audience: Faculty and Staff without direct reports
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Crucial Conversations for Managers/Directors: June 15-19
When it comes to the health of relationships, teams, and organizations, one thing affects everything: communication. Backed by 30 years of social science, Crucial Conversation skills represent the standard in effective communication. Improve your skills and get better outcomes by attending a training course.
The communication skills taught in this training focus on a specific kind of interaction: those when stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. This is not a course on winning friends or winning people to your way of thinking; it’s about strengthening relationships and securing results in the moments that matter most.
This course teaches nine powerful skills for working through disagreement to achieve better resources: Get unstuck, Master my stories, Start with heart, State my path, Make it safe, Learn to look, Seek mutual purpose, Explore others’ paths, and Move to action.
Crucial Conversations: Managers/Directors
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- Date: Monday, June 15, 2026 to Friday, June 19, 2026 (2.5 hours x 5 days)
- Time: 9:30 a.m. to Noon
- Location: Virtual
- Target Audience: Managers/Directors
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Just For the Health of it Photo Contest : June 22 - September 11
Our annual just for the health of it photo contest will be returning! Get ready to snap photos of your favorite people, places pets and pastimes!
Stay tuned for further details!
Reoccurring
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Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Orientation: Watch a recording or attend a live session
Whether you are new to Ontario Tech or wanting to refresh your knowledge of the supports and services available through TELUS Health, our Employee Assistance Program, please select the orientation format that works best for you.
- 1-Minute Mini Orientation for Employees - Video Recording
- 25-Minute Full Orientation for Employees - Video Recording
- Virtual Orientations: Employee and Manager* sessions held live. Select the date within the Orientation Flyer that you would like to attend to register.
*Orientation for Manager video recordings are available on the Leader Supports webpage.
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Free Fitness Classes offered by CRWC
Free fitness classes offered by Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre for Staff and Faculty.
Visit the Group Fitness web page to book your spot.
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Puzzle Lending Program
We’ve heard that puzzles bring teams together, to socially connect and work toward a common, fun goal, so we are launching Ontario Tech Puzzles, a puzzle lending program! Images that represent Ontario Tech have been turned into puzzles and are now available for you/your colleagues to borrow and complete.
Please visit the Puzzle Lending Program web page to view the available puzzles and request a puzzle today!
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Ridgeback Run Club - Resuming Thursday, April 9
Whether you’re preparing for a specific event or looking to get moving, join the Ridgeback Run Club (RRC)! The RRC is free, open to all levels, and runs rain or shine.
Email List:
To have your name added to the Ridgeback Run Club email distribution list, to receive calendar invites and notifications of session changes due to weather, please complete this Registration Form.Upcoming Dates:
- Thursday, April 9
- Thursday, April 16
- Wednesday, May 13
- Thursday, May 28
Time: Start running at 12:10 p.m. for ~30 minutes
Location: Meet at the front doors of Shawenjigewining Hall (east side of the building)
Get Active Questionnaire:
We want you to have a safe and enjoyable run experience, so please complete the Get Active Questionnaire and email your completed copy to wellnessatwork@ontariotechu.ca prior to attending your first run. If you answer ‘yes’ to any questions within the Questionnaire, please review the Reference Document.
Learning and Development
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Professional Development Courses
Ontario Tech University is proud to offer professional development workshops to all employees. Visit the Professional Development Courses webpage to view available offerings.
Sustainability Events
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Upcoming Events
Please visit the Sustainability Events web page to view upcoming events.