Every year, mental health events are organized by groups across Canada. These events and campaigns highlight specific issues to raise awareness among the general public.
While many mental health events and activities take place locally, they’re often connected to larger movements that happen around the country—or events around the world.
Organized by general category, following is a list of mental health events you may want to plan ahead or watch for. If there’s an event you’re aware of that’s been missed, please add the details in the comments section below.
General Wellness and Mental Health Events
March — Nutrition Month
Good nutrition can have a significant impact on your overall health and mental well-being, so the Dieticians of Canada of designated March as Nutrition Month. Their 2013 campaign is geared towards helping Canadians make smart choices at the grocery store. More information…
May 6 to 12 — Mental Health Events Week
“Mental Health For All” was the theme for Mental Health Week 2012, to encourage discussion about the impact mental health issues have on all Canadians. Hosted by the Canadian Mental Health Association, the 2013 theme has not been published yet. More information…
May 12 — Canada Health Day
Celebrated on May 12 to honour the birthday of Florence Nightingale, Canada Health Day is driven by the Canadian Healthcare Association to celebrate good health and things we can do to support overall well being. More information…
October 6 to 12 — Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW)
Organized by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, MIAW is a campaign designed to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental illnesses; one of the major initiatives is the Faces of Mental Illness, a series of stories that feature people living with mental illnesses. More information…
October 10 — World Mental Health Day
Designated by the World Health Organization, this is a day dedicated to raising awareness of mental health issues and fighting stigma. in 2012, World Mental Health Day focused on depression; the theme for 2013 has not yet been announced. More information…
Drug And Alcohol Use
January 20 to 26 — National Non-Smoking Week (NNSW)
Organized by the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control, the theme for 2013 is “Live, work, play… even better smoke-free.” More information…
June 26 — International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
Designated by the United Nations, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a symbol of the movement towards a world that’s free of drug abuse. The focus of the campaign in 2012 was “Global Action for Healthy Communities without Drugs”; the theme for 2013 has not yet been announced. More information…
November 4 to 6 — Issues of Substance 2013
Organized by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, Issues of Substance is Canada’s national conference for the substance abuse field. This year’s conference features evidence-informed practice, prevention, treatment, concurrent disorders, community responses, youth and gender-related issues, workforce developments, indigenous services and much more! Early bird registration and continuing education credits are available. More information…
November 18 to 24 — National Addictions Awareness Week
According to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), 1 in 10 Canadians over the age of 15 use illicit drugs; 1 in 5 are high-risk drinkers. The CCSA organizes this awareness week to raise awareness of the serious problems addictions cause, and to encourage discussion around possible solutions. More information…
Specific Disorders
February 3 to 9 — Eating Disorder Awareness Week
This campaign is organized by the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC). While the overall theme is Celebrating Our Natural Sizes, they’re also launching a campaign called Talking Saves Lives, which focuses on the damage that staying silent because of shame, stigma, or misunderstanding. More information…
April 2 — World Autism Awareness Day
Declared in perpetuity by the United Nations in 2007, April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day. More information…
May 31 — World No Tobacco Day
Tobacco is the second cause of death globally, so the World Health Organization designated May 31 as World No Tobacco Day to raise awareness of its lethal effects. While the theme for 2013 has yet to be announced, the 2012 campaign’s mission was to expose and counter tactics used by the tobacco industry. More information…
September 10 — World Suicide Prevention Day
Every day around the world, 3,000 people take their own lives. Designated by the World Health Organization, World Suicide Prevention Day promotes worldwide commitment to preventing these tragedies. More information…
October — Autism Awareness Month
Organized by the Autism Society of Canada, Autism Awareness Month draws attention to both autism and autism spectrum disorders. Specific plans for 2013 have not been announced. More information…
October — Healthy Workplace Month
Canadian adults are a stressed out group, and much of that stress originates in the workplace. Managed by Excellence Canada, this month-long campaign promotes workplaces that support healthy minds, bodies, and work environment. More information…
October 14 to 20 — ADHD Awareness Week
Led by the Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada, this campaign is an opportunity to promote the facts of ADHD, introduce people to the personal stories of those living with ADHD, and educate people about the disorder. More information…