Bell Let’s Talk campaign is designed to highlight the significant challenges Canadians face and prompts us to have the discussion about these struggles instead of shying away from them.

Many Canadians are not as fortunate as CEU Members who have mental health benefits written into the Collective Agreement. Through out our community there are people facing prominent mental health crisis who struggle to find the resources for licensed mental health support.

With the ratification of the 2022-2025 Collective Agreement new mental health benefits are available to CEU members. The highlights are:

• Psychological counselling coverage per calendar year increased from $2,400 to $3,600,
• Members may use up to 12 hours of sick bank time per calendar year (in one-hour increments) to attend counselling appointments on work time, and
• Long term disability coverage expanded to cover self-inflicted disabilities where a mental health illness exists.

New mental health measures include,

1. Commitment from the employer to implement initiatives and strategies in accordance with the National Standard for Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace.
2. Employer also obligated to:
   • (a) provide management teams with an orientation to the National Standard and strategies and initiatives that align with the National Standard; and,
   • (b) develop and present to the Executive Leadership Team (“ELT”) (and Union) by June 30, 2023, a plan for commitment to psychological health and safety strategies and initiatives that align with the National Standard and other evidence-based practices.  

Over the last few years, our lives, including our mental health, have been impacted drastically. As a result of this, many resources and tools have been made available to support ourselves and those around us. 

Remember, you are not alone, help is always available. If you, or anyone you know is struggling and don’t know where to turn, please go to your local hospital, call 911 immediately or locate a Crisis Centre in your region.