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.
Upcoming
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Bird Safe Campus Initiative: Spring
Your Healthy Workplace Committee is excited to share information about the Bird Safe Campus Initiative! OCIS is looking for volunteers to monitor buildings on both the North and Downtown campus in their spare time during the Spring migration season. Registration form: https://forms.gle/pNXVkywUvAHUdoBy6
Enoy the outdoors! -
Ridgeback Run Club – Summer 2025
Whether you’re preparing for the Chancellor’s Challenge or looking to get moving, join the Ridgeback Run Club (RRC)! The RRC is open to all levels and runs rain or shine.
Upcoming Dates:
- Wednesday July 9
- Tuesday July 22
- Thursday August 7
- Wednesday August 20
- Thursday August 28
- September dates are to be determined
Time: 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. (Start running at 12:16 p.m.)
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. -
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training: Tuesday, July 22 & Wednesday, July 23
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a two-day in-person workshop featuring powerful audio-visuals, discussions, and simulations. You'll learn how to recognize when someone might be thinking about suicide, and how to provide a skilled intervention and develop a safety plan with the person to connect them to further support. This workshop will increase your willingness, confidence, and capacity to provide suicide first aid.
This training requires a minimum of 8 participants to occur.
Audience: All faculty and staffDate: Tuesday, July 22 and Wednesday, July 23, 2025*
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: In-person, North CampusRooms:- Day #1 of ASIST, Tuesday, July 22 will be in Campus Corners, room 2222
- Day #2 of ASIST, Wednesday, July 23 will be in SCI 1240
* Please note: Participants must attend both days to be certified.
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Crucial Conversations: November 3 - 7 & November 10 - 14
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, November 3, 2025 to Friday, November 7, 2025 (2.5 hours x 5 days)
- Time: 9:30 a.m. to noon
- Location: Virtual
- Target Audience: Employees
Crucial Conversations: Managers/Directors
- Date: Monday, November 10, 2025 to Friday November 14, 2025 (2.5 hours x 5 days)
- Time: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
- Location: Virtual
- Target Audience: Managers/Directors
Note: Participants must attend all dates to receive their certificate.
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Reoccurring
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CRWC offering complimentary track/shower membership in June and July
The Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre (CRWC) is excited to offer Ontario Tech faculty and staff a free one-month membership for use of the running/walking track and showers. The membership is available for the months of June and July, and must be renewed each month. It does not provide access to the fitness centre or gymnasiums, but if you would like to explore these facilities, please contact Dwayne Christo (Lead Facility Attendant) for three complimentary day passes.
Important: Please bring your own towel. Lockers are for daily use only.
Instructions for faculty/staff:- Go to the Campus Recreation registration web page.
- Log in using your Banner number and network password.
- Select Memberships.
- Select Faculty/Staff Track & Shower Membership - 1 Month and complete the registration.
- Your faculty/staff digital card will be required to scan at the CRWC to enter the turnstiles.
Summer group fitness classes have also begun. Visit the Fitness classes page for more information on how to register.
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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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Healthy Workplace Committee (HWC) 2025 Recipe Calendar
Are you wondering what to make for dinner? Would you like to try a new recipe?
Look no further! The HWC 2025 Recipe Calendar is filled with delicious options contributed by Ontario Tech University colleagues! Each month highlights a different winning recipe that was selected as a part of a HWC 2024 recipe challenge! Also enjoy photos of people, places, pets, and peers that were submitted as part of the 2024 HWC annual photo contest!
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.