Mental Health Affects Us All.

Of the many issues faced throughout the past few years with the pandemic, perhaps the least anticipated but most important one is mental health. Studies now show that nearly 81% of workers face some form of burnout or mental health issue, and 68% of employees say their daily work has been interrupted by these challenges. But even before the pandemic, the demands and unique working conditions found in the construction industry sector including but not limited to high stress and high physical demands, competitive environments, and seasonal layoffs have created environments where mental health is impacted disproportionately within the construction industry compared to the national average.

As an association representing more than1,100-member companies in the residential construction industry, HAVAN is working to provide industry with a growing list of resources, local programs and contacts for those needing assistance in the area of mental health.  If you know of any helpful links that have not been included on this page, please email the details to wendy@havan.ca.  Please note the links provided on this page are for information purposes only and do not replace the advice of a professional who specializes in the area of mental health.

 

ORGANIZATIONS, RESOURCES & SUPPORT

• Movember
• ALEC – Movember Conversations
• ManTalks
• Therapy For Men
• Headsupguys
• Men in Trades on Linktree: Resources for employees & employers in the trades on substance use & overdose
• Government of BC:
  • In Crisis? 1-800-SUICIDE at 1-800-784-2433 anytime
  • In Need of Support? Call 310-Mental Health at 310-6789 (no area code needed) anytime of the day or night
• Fraser Health Crisis Line: 604-951-8855 or toll-free 1-877-820-7444
• Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Centre of BC – CRISIS LINE: Greater Vancouver 604-872-3311, Toll free – Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast 1-866-661-3311

EDUCATION & TRAINING

• St. John Ambulance – Mental Health First Aid Training
• Manulife – Workplace Mental Health Training for Managers
• Speaker slide decks from HAVAN’s “Let’s Talk Mental Health in Construction” event on June 13, 2023
  • Amy Burden, Regional HR Business Partner, Qualico Developments (Vancouver) Inc.
  • Mitch Hermansen, Director, Development, Movember.com
  • Dr. John Oliffe, Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Men’s Health Promotion at the School of Nursing, University of British Columbia

INDUSTRY INITIATIVES

• Tailgate Toolkit Project (TTP), an initiative aimed at improving access to harm reduction services for Island construction workers. Consists of toolbox talks, a training course for industry members and, in partnership with the Umbrella Society, a construction industry support group.

• BCCWITT’s Be More than A Bystander. 

• Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan (CIRP), a harm reduction program that provides mental health and substance use (MHSU) services to the 40,000 members of BC Building Trades and the Construction Labour Relations Association of BC;

• RE-MIND, a collaboration of the BC Construction Safety Alliance (BCCSA) and Work to Wellness Rehabilitation Inc.

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Building Hope: Substance Use in the Trades is a film where four men with experience in the construction industry and trades, as well as their own experiences with substance use, speak to their fellow tradespeople about how to stay safer during the drug poisoning crisis. (video link)