Last updated May 7, 2026. Founded in Calgary, Alberta by Zak Hussein with a group of everyday Canadian men. Year four. Spearheading #BeTheFlare for Men’s Mental Health Month 2026 to reach one million Canadians. Crisis? 9-8-8, free, 24/7.

Quick read: About 75% of suicide deaths in Canada are men. 67% of Canadian men have never sought professional support. 23% are at risk of moderate, to, severe depression and 43% of men aged 19, 29 carry the highest depression risk of any age group, per the 2025 Canadian Men’s Health Foundation study. Government of Canada has launched a national Men and Boys’ Health Strategy to address this. MenTELL is a grassroots Canadian movement, not a clinic, that bridges men to 9-8-8, HeadsUpGuys, CMHF, and CMHA.

Men’s Mental Health in Canada

Men’s mental health in Canada is a public health emergency hiding in plain sight. Approximately 4,000 Canadians die by suicide each year, and roughly 75% of them are men, per the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and Statistics Canada. Per the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation‘s 2025 Canadian Men’s Health Study (Intensions Consulting, n=2,000), nearly 2 in 3 Canadian men have never used mental health services, and 64% report moderate-to-high stress.

MenTELL is a Canadian grassroots men’s mental health movement, founded in Calgary in June 2023 by a group of everyday Canadian men from all walks of life. This page is what we know about the state of men’s mental health in Canada in 2026, sourced from verified Canadian research,

The 2026 numbers Canadian men should see

Suicide

  • Roughly 4,000 Canadians die by suicide each year (Mental Health Commission of Canada, PHAC).
  • About 75% of those deaths are men (Statistics Canada). Men have made up the majority of Canadian suicide deaths for over four decades.
  • Men aged 40 to 59 are among the highest-risk age groups (PHAC national data).
  • Indigenous men, particularly First Nations and Inuit men, face significantly higher rates than the national average, per Indigenous Services Canada.
  • Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for Canadians aged 15 to 34 (PHAC).

Help-seeking

  • Nearly 2 in 3 Canadian men have never used mental health services (Canadian Men’s Health Foundation, 2025).
  • 64% of Canadian men report moderate-to-high stress (same study).
  • Per the Canadian Mental Health Association, in any given year 1 in 5 Canadians personally experiences a mental health problem.

Why men’s mental health looks different in Canada

The “tough it out” reflex

Men in Canada are still socialized to associate strength with silence. Per CMHA Ontario, men frequently mask emotional pain with physical symptoms, anger, withdrawal, or substance use rather than naming what they feel.

The quiet crisis of loneliness

Per CMHA Ontario’s “The Quiet Crisis”, younger men aged 19 to 29, racialized men, and men living alone report higher rates of social isolation and lower rates of accessing care.

Who is most at risk in Canada

Young men 19 to 29

The Canadian Men’s Health Foundation’s 2025 study identifies young men as the highest-stress, highest-risk age group for moderate-to-high distress.

Men 40 to 59

Per PHAC, this age group records the highest age-specific suicide rate among men in Canada.

Indigenous men

First Nations and Inuit men, especially youth, face elevated risk linked to intergenerational trauma, systemic barriers to care, and a shortage of culturally safe services. The Hope for Wellness Helpline at 1-855-242-3310 is free 24/7 and culturally safe.

Veterans, first responders, and public safety personnel

CIPSRT documents PTSD and operational stress injury rates among Canadian first responders that are several times higher than the general population. Veterans Affairs Canada has documented elevated PTSD rates among Canadian veterans. Read our PTSD Awareness Month Canada guide and why it matters for Canadian men.

2SLGBTQI+ men

Per CMHA, rates of depression, anxiety, and substance use are disproportionately high among bisexual and trans men. Trans Lifeline (Canada) at 1-877-330-6366 offers culturally safe support.

Men in trades, resource sector, and shift work

Long shifts, fly-in fly-out rotations, and isolation from support networks contribute to elevated risk. Read our workplace mental health guide for Canadian men.

What men’s mental health looks like in your province

What is actually working

Peer-led conversation

Canadian men consistently tell us the first useful conversation is rarely with a clinician. It is with a brother, a partner, a co-worker, or a friend. Read our guide on starting a real conversation and how to help a Canadian man going through it.

Free, fast, Canadian help

Where help is free, available now, and Canadian, men use it. The launch of 988 Talk Suicide Canada in November 2023 provided a single national number reachable free 24/7 by call or text.

Men-specific Canadian resources

The Canadian observance calendar

Find Canadian help right now

  • 988 Talk Suicide Canada, call or text 988, free 24/7.
  • Hope for Wellness Helpline (Indigenous), 1-855-242-3310.
  • ca/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>, free counselling.
  • VAC Assistance Service, Veterans, 1-800-268-7708.
  • Trans Lifeline (Canada), 1-877-330-6366.
  • CMHA branches in every province, cmha.ca.

Frequently asked questions about men’s mental health in Canada

What percentage of suicides in Canada are men?

Roughly 75% of suicide deaths in Canada are men, per Statistics Canada and PHAC. Men have made up the majority for over four decades.

How many Canadian men have never used mental health services?

Nearly 2 in 3 Canadian men have never used mental health services, per the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation 2025 Canadian Men’s Health Study (Intensions Consulting, n=2,000).

Where can a Canadian man get free mental health help?

Call or text 988 to reach Talk Suicide Canada free 24/7. offers free counselling at . Indigenous men: Hope for Wellness Helpline at 1-855-242-3310.

What is Men’s Mental Health Month in Canada?

June is widely recognized in Canada as Men’s Mental Health Month, with Men’s Mental Health Week June 9 to 15 and Men’s Mental Health Awareness Day on June 13 in 2026. Read our Men’s Mental Health Month Canada page.

Is there a men’s mental health day in Canada?

Yes. Men’s Mental Health Awareness Day is observed on June 13 each year in Canada. CMHA Ontario and other CMHA branches recognize the day. Read our guide for June 13, 2026.

How can I support a Canadian man with depression?

Start with one direct, plain conversation. Ask “are you okay, like actually?” Listen without fixing. Hand him a Canadian door (988, HeadsUpGuys, CMHA, CMHF). Read our complete guide.

About MenTELL

MenTELL is a Canadian grassroots men’s mental health movement founded in Calgary in June 2023 by a group of everyday Canadian men from all walks of life. We are not therapists. We are not experts. We point Canadian men to clinicians; we do not replace them. We are the movement behind mensmentalhealthmonth.ca and mensmentalhealthweek.ca. Read more on the About page or share your story on our Speak Up page.

Sources: Mental Health Commission of Canada, Statistics Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Men’s Health Foundation 2025 Canadian Men’s Health Study (Intensions Consulting, n=2,000), Canadian Mental Health Association, CMHA Ontario, CMHA Ontario “The Quiet Crisis”, Indigenous Services Canada, CIPSRT, Talk Suicide Canada, HeadsUpGuys (UBC).

We are the bridge. MenTELL helps Canadian men break the stigma and shatter the silence around speaking up, find their circle of trust and community, and reach the professional help they need. There is no shame in asking. We point men to 9-8-8, to HeadsUpGuys at the University of British Columbia, to the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation, and to the Canadian Mental Health Association. Speaking up is the first step. Getting the right help is the next.

Men’s Mental Health Resources by Canadian City

MenTELL is a national Canadian movement with deep regional content. Click your city for the trusted local crisis lines, counselling options, and community programs that work for adult men where you live.

For the broader Canadian picture, start with Men’s Mental Health in Canada. Join us in June 2026 for #BeTheFlare, our national peer-to-peer Men’s Mental Health Month campaign.