Mental Health Week: Annually in May

Step into spring with the return of free group fitness classes. Returning on Monday, May 4, the FLEX Fitness Centre will offer an 8-week spring session with 15 group fitness classes for all levels of fitness. We welcome you to visit our athletics and recreation website to learn how to reserve a spot in our classes.

Registration opens 3-days before the class, with a limited numbers of participants and on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve your space in our free group fitness, visit the DC-OT Campus Recreation website.

Spring Fitness Class Schedule

Not able to sign up or have a question? Please connect with fitnessservices@dc-ot.ca.

World Move for Health Day 

Physical activity helps us live healthier lives! Join us outdoors in the sunshine at Polonsky Commons on Friday, May 8 for a line-up of awesome group fitness classes.

All group fitness classes are free to students, staff, and faculty of Ontario Tech University.

To reserve your spot, visit the Campus Recreation website.

• Instructions on how to reserve your spot: https://goridgebacks.com/sports/2023/6/29/fitness-classes.aspx
  • Look for the classes labelled May 8!
• Issues signing up? Connect with the Fitness Coordinator at brianna.christopher@durhamcollege.ca

All equipment is provided - just bring a water bottle and your positive energy!

Whether you’re new to group fitness or a seasoned pro, this is a great way to take a break, connect with others, and prioritize your well-being. We hope to see you there!

Did you know that connecting with others strengthens your mental health?  Connection reduces stress and boosts our well-being.  For ways to connect visit our Come Together Contest flyer.

Email wellnessatwork@ontariotechu.ca how you like to connect by Friday, May 15 to be entered into the draw.

Celebrate Health & Safety Week by completing this Scavenger Hunt by Friday, May 15. 

Participants will receive a First Aid Kit (while supplies last).

In alignment with Ontario Tech University's commitment to fostering an accessible and inclusive environment for work and study, we are proud to launch our third annual observance of National AccessAbility Week (NAAW).

Established by the Government of Canada in 2017, NAAW takes place annually and will be observed this year from May 24 to June 6. These two weeks serve as a national platform to promote accessibility and recognize efforts that contribute to a more inclusive Canada.

With over 8 million Canadians living with disabilities, our commitment to creating an equitable and welcoming campus remains more important than ever. Throughout the week, we will celebrate the contributions, leadership, and achievements of individuals with disabilities, while also encouraging meaningful dialogue and reflection.

Visit the NAAW 2026 web page to view events, activities and programs, training, and resources.

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

REGISTER TODAY!

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

Register today!

This May, you’re invited to attend Building your wealth through investing.  In this webinar, we will explore key topics including:

• How to define priorities and identify investment options
• How to benefit from tax-deferred investments
• How to manage risk

Date: May 27th, 2026 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am ET
Audience: Group Benefit Plan Members
Please register via this link: Building your wealth through investing

Neurodiversity is the concept that there is natural variation in how individual's brains work, with no single “correct” way, and that a wide range of perceptions and responses to the world should be accepted and encouraged.

As part of National Accessibility Awareness Week, join Dr. Meghann Lloyd, Professor, Faculty of Health Science, to discuss how we can normalize differences, how leaders can model vulnerability, communicate clearly, and engage in safe feedback. During this workshop, we will also consider how to integrate these concepts and strategies into hiring practices and discuss how to celebrate the unique contributions of all.

Date: Thursday, May 28, 2026
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Target Audience: All faculty and staff
Facilitator: Dr. Meghann Lloyd

REGISTER

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

Register Here! 

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

• • 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

REGISTER

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: Monday, June 22, 2026

Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Location: Virtual

Target Audience: Managers and Directors

Register Here!

As part of the university’s Strategic Priorities, Ontario Tech has recognized the importance of mental health in our efforts to develop a sticky campus and support well-being. This commitment extends to the development and implementation of a Mental Health Action Plan.  

Review the Mental Health Action Plan to learn more about actions we're taking to support your mental health and well-being!

An engaging, non-invasive extension that provides health tips, in various healthy living categories, to support user well-being.

Users select their preferences for how frequently they would like to receive health tips, and from which health categories (ergonomics, hydration/nutrition, mental health, and physical health).

Healthy Habits with Hunter was created in partnership with Ontario Tech University's Healthy Workplace Committee and Faculty of Business and Information Technology Capstone student teams to help employees and students embed healthy habits into their daily routines.

This free online course is intended to be a one-stop shop for any campus professional or student leader looking to learn how to recognize, respond and refer students experiencing mental health issues on campus.

We encourage you to explore this website, create an account, take the twenty minute course to receive a More Feet on the Ground Certificate, and support student mental health and well-being!

Library Guide: Mental Health Resources

How to Get Help: Access the support you need

Supporting Student Mental Health