Men’s Mental Health in Ottawa, Ontario

Ottawa is the national capital and home to a network of mental health services for adult men, including federal employees and military and RCMP members and their families. About 75% of suicide deaths in Canada are men, per the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

If you, or a man you love, is in crisis, please call or text 9-8-8. Free. 24/7. Anywhere in Canada. Or call Ottawa Distress Centre at 613-238-3311, free 24/7.

Crisis support in Ottawa

• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline, call or text, free 24/7, anywhere in Canada
• Ottawa Distress Centre at 613-238-3311, free 24/7
• Hope for Wellness Helpline (Indigenous), 1-855-242-3310, free 24/7
• Trans Lifeline (Canada), 1-877-330-6366, peer support by and for trans Canadians (hours vary)
• 9-1-1 for any situation involving immediate danger to life

Counselling and therapy options in Ottawa

Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region, 613-238-3311, free 24/7.

Mental Health Crisis Line (Ottawa), 613-722-6914 or 1-866-996-0991, free 24/7.

CMHA Ottawa runs free peer support and Buddy Up men’s suicide prevention.

VAC Assistance Service, 1-800-268-7708, free 24/7 for Canadian veterans, former RCMP members, and their families.

For male-friendly Canadian therapists, the HeadsUpGuys directory at the University of British Columbia is searchable by province.

How MenTELL shows up in Ottawa

MenTELL is a grassroots Canadian men’s mental health movement that started in Calgary in June 2023 by a group of everyday Canadian men from all walks of life. The movement is national in reach. We are not therapists. We are not experts. We are everyday Canadian men who looked around and saw too many men in our lives carrying something alone, and too many of them not making it. We are the bridge that encourages men to 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.

For Ontario-wide resources, see our Ontario provincial guide. 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.

Verified Canadian resources for men

If you are looking for further Canadian information beyond MenTELL, two trusted sources to bookmark are HeadsUpGuys, a free men’s depression resource built at the University of British Columbia, and the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation.

If you, or a man you love, are in crisis, please call or text 9-8-8. Free. 24/7.

Sources

Mental Health Commission of Canada

Canadian Men’s Health Foundation, 2025 Canadian Men’s Health Study

988.ca

Last updated April 30, 2026.