Toronto, Ont. – February is here, signalling the start of CMHA Talk Today Month across the Ontario Hockey League. The Talk Today program is presented by Syngenta Canada and Grain Farmers of Ontario as the League’s partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association continues in its ninth season.
Throughout February, the OHL’s 17 Ontario-based member teams will host mental health awareness games in collaboration with their local CMHA branch. The game day experience will have several features that will serve to promote the importance of mental health, including:
- A CMHA-run kiosk on the concourse where fans can learn more about mental health and the organization’s community-based services
- A ceremonial puck drop and photo opportunity with local CMHA branches
- Videos featuring OHL players talking about the important of mental health in their day-to-day experience
- Public service announcements about mental health and the Canadian Mental Health Association
- A CMHA fundraising component
Originally launched by CMHA Ontario in partnership with the OHL in 2014, Talk Today provides an important opportunity to address the mental health needs of athletes across Canada. Through this program, over 1,450 OHL players and over 550 coaches, billets and staff have received mental health and suicide prevention training across the League.
The key piece of the Talk Today program has been to educate players about mental health and suicide prevention. Each team is also linked to a CMHA mental health coach, who provides support and mental health resources to individuals in need.
To learn more about the CMHA Talk Today program presented by Syngenta Canada and Grain Farmers of Ontario, click here.
CMHA Talk Today Mental Health Awareness Games:
Thursday, February 2nd – Windsor Spitfires (CMHA Windsor-Essex County)
Friday, February 3rd – Sarnia Sting (CMHA Lambton-Kent)
Friday, February 3rd – London Knights (CMHA Middlesex)
Sunday, February 5th – Guelph Storm (CMHA Waterloo-Wellington-Dufferin)
Sunday, February 5th – Sudbury Wolves (CMHA Sudbury-Manitoulin)
Tuesday, February 7th – Niagara IceDogs (CMHA Niagara)
Thursday, February 9th – Barrie Colts (CMHA Simcoe County)
Friday, February 10th – Kingston Frontenacs (CMHA Kingston)
Friday, February 10th – Kitchener Rangers (CMHA Waterloo-Wellington-Dufferin)
Friday, February 10th – Mississauga Steelheads (CMHA Peel)
Wednesday, February 15th – Soo Greyhounds (CMHA Sault Ste. Marie)
Thursday, February 16th – North Bay Battalion (CMHA Nipissing)
Sunday, February 19th – Hamilton Bulldogs (CMHA Hamilton)
Wednesday, February 22nd – Owen Sound Attack (CMHA Grey Bruce)
Thursday, February 23rd – Peterborough Petes (CMHA Haliburton-Kawartha-Pine Ridge)
Friday, February 24th – Ottawa 67’s (CMHA Ottawa)
Sunday, February 26th – Oshawa Generals (CMHA Durham)
About Syngenta:
Syngenta is one of the world’s leading agriculture companies, comprised of Syngenta Crop Protection and Syngenta Seeds. Our ambition is to help safely feed the world while taking care of the planet. We aim to improve the sustainability, quality and safety of agriculture with world-class science and innovative crop solutions. Our technologies enable millions of farmers around the world to make better use of limited agricultural resources. Syngenta Crop Protection and Syngenta Seeds are part of Syngenta Group with 49,000 people in more than 100 countries working to transform how crops are grown. Through partnerships, collaboration and The Good Growth Plan, we are committed to accelerating innovation for farmers and nature, striving for carbon neutral agriculture, helping people stay safe and healthy, and partnering for impact.
About Grain Farmers of Ontario:
Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers. The crops they grow cover over 6 million acres of farmland across the province, generate over $4.1 billion in production value, result in over $18 billion in economic output and are responsible for over 75,000 jobs in the province.
About Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario:
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario is a not-for-profit, charitable organization funded by the provincial Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. We work to improve the lives of all Ontarians through leadership, collaboration and continual pursuit of excellence in community-based mental health and addictions services. Our vision is a society that embraces and invests in the mental health of all people. We are a trusted advisor to government, contributing to health systems development through policy formulation and recommendations that promote positive mental health. Our 30 local CMHA branches, together with community-based mental health and addictions service providers across the province, serve approximately 500,000 Ontarians each year.
About the Ontario Hockey League:
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. Last season, more than nine million fans attended CHL games in the regular season, playoffs and at the Mastercard Memorial Cup. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U Sports than any other league.
