Canadian Men’s Health Week

Each year, the week leading up to and including Father’s Day is Men’s Health Week — an excellent opportunity to reflect on and raise awareness about the importance of the health and well-being of Canadian men. Some organizations such as The Canadian Men’s Health Foundation designates the entire month of June as Men’s Health Month. In 2017, The provincial government started a partnership with the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation to promote healthier lifestyles for men. In 2021, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research published information about the health of boys and men in Canada, looking at mental health and wellness, violence, disease, accident rate, and physical activity.

Unfortunately, according to Public Health Canada, many Canadian men are not achieving their optimal health. In fact, on average, they live four fewer years than Canadian women, for a number of occupational and non-occupational reasons.

In the workplace, it is known that men are less likely to seek support for mental health, depression and emotional distress. In 2023, research was done specifically on the mental health of workers in the skilled trades, and found a connection between physical safety on the job and mental health.

OHCOW’s Mayday, Mayday Webinar series, has featured sessions on mental health in male-dominated trades, such as the 2023 webinar, Crisis Planning for Worker & Responder Mental Health.

Additional resources:

Government of Canada

Canadian Mental Health Association