The Working Mind
Trades Sector
Mental health in the trades has moved from the margins to the centre. The conversation has started, and this is where it goes next.
In a 2025 survey of 1,024 members by Canada’s Building Trades Unions, only 10% had used the mental health supports their union offers, and stigma was the most common barrier (24%), ahead of cost, time and fear of repercussions.
The Working Mind: Trades is an evidence-based, five-hour program from the Mental Health Commission of Canada, created in partnership with the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association for trade workers and supervisors. Whether you’re on a build, in a plant, in the bush, or on the road, the scenarios will look like your day.
Most importantly, it gives your crew a protected, judgment-free room to talk openly, and that’s where a stronger safety culture begins.
Source: Canada’s Building Trades Unions, Mental Health and Substance Use report (2025).
Safety on the job includes your head, too.
Don’t see a date that works? Get in touch.
Most trades employers book a private session, scheduled around crew rotations and job site demands. Learning together builds shared language across workers, supervisors and leads, and makes it easier to speak up. Available virtually across Canada, or in person at your shop, yard or training centre in the Lower Mainland. In-person delivery elsewhere is available with travel costs covered.
$250 + GST per person. 5 hours.
Nearly half
rate their mental health as fair or poor
77%
of CBTU members surveyed report stress
Canada's Building Trades Unions, 2025
Only 10%
have used the mental health supports their union offers, though 84% believe those supports exist.
Stigma remains a primary barrier.
Canada's Building Trades Unions, 2025
Source: Canada's Building Trades Unions, mental health and substance use report, prepared by the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation, September 2025. Based on a survey of over 1,000 CBTU members across 60 skilled trades. buildingtrades.ca/mental-health-and-substance-use/
62%
of tradespeople with poor mental health say their job significantly affects it
Canada's Building Trades Unions, 2025
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This isn't a lecture full of academic theories or corporate slide decks designed for an office. It's delivered by a facilitator with over 20 years of experience as a mental health provider. Grounded completely in the trades sector, this course relies on video testimonials, case studies, and scenarios drawn directly from real trades workplaces. By seeing your own day-to-day realities reflected in what you're learning, you get practical, tested frameworks that make sense on a live site, in the shop, or on the road.
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We start by addressing the traditional "tough-it-out" culture that keeps tradespeople from asking for help when they need it most. We introduce the core concepts of mental health and substance use, and we look closely at how stigma creates invisible safety risks on site, and how shifting our language is the first step toward changing the culture.
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With that foundation set, we take the guesswork out of mental health by introducing an objective, color-coded spectrum tool. We teach your crew how to spot early, subtle behavioral shifts - moving from healthy to reacting or injured - so you gain a clear, common language to check in on each other without it ever feeling loaded, awkward, or risky.
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Next, we focus on the unique physical and mental stressors of the trades, from tight deadlines and seasonal pressures to physical fatigue. This is a highly practical session where you and your team actively learn and practice the Big 4 Coping Strategies to manage acute stress and protect your personal safety on and off the clock.
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We wrap up by centering the conversation on "look-out-for-your-crew" communication. You’ll practice how to confidently support a coworker showing signs of distress, understand how to set healthy personal boundaries, and learn exactly how to connect yourself or a teammate to professional resources or union benefits when they need it most.
Please note
For prevention purposes, this course includes content on suicide awareness. Verbal trigger warnings are provided prior to discussing this material to ensure a safe, supportive learning environment for everyone.