Most Canadian men do not get a check-in often enough. Per the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation‘s 2025 study, nearly 2 in 3 Canadian men have never used mental health services, and 64% report moderate-to-high stress. The simplest way to change that is one conversation at a time.
Pick the right setting
Side by side beats face to face for most Canadian men. A drive, a walk, the dishes, a workout. Something to do with the hands.
Ask a clean question
“Are you okay, like actually?” The single phrase Canadian men in our community said pulled real answers. The “actually” slips past the automatic “fine.”
Other openers that work: “I have been thinking about you, how are you doing?” or “What is going on for you right now?”
Then go quiet
Long pauses are not awkward, they are the conversation. Resist the urge to fill silence with advice or fixes.
Reflect what you heard
“That sounds heavier than you have been letting on.” That single sentence confirms you were listening and opens the door for more.
What to watch for in his answer
Read our guide on signs of a mental health struggle in Canadian men. The biggest flags are sleep changes, increased drinking or numbing, anger out of proportion, withdrawal, body symptoms, and talk about being a burden.
If today is hard, hand him a Canadian door
- 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, 1-800-268-7708, for Veterans, family and caregivers.
- HeadsUpGuys (UBC), Canadian therapist directory at headsupguys.org.
Make a specific next step
“Let us grab coffee Saturday” beats “we should hang out sometime.”
If you are worried he might hurt himself
Stay with him, call or text 988 together, or call 911 if there is immediate risk.
Where MenTELL fits
Read our complete guide on helping a Canadian man going through it, the guide on starting the first hard conversation, and the Canadian state-of-the-state on men’s mental health. If you want to share your story, the Speak Up page is the door.
Sources: Canadian Men’s Health Foundation 2025 Canadian Men’s Health Study (Intensions Consulting, n=2,000), Canadian Mental Health Association, Talk Suicide Canada.
