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Student Mental Health and Wellness Case for Support

Students hanging out in Shawenjigewining Hall

Supporting students on their journey to success.

Student mental health and wellness are essential to success at Ontario Tech University. We place student well-being at the heart of the university experience, recognizing that mental health support is foundational to learning, belonging and personal growth.

We are committed to fostering an accessible, equitable and inclusive campus where every student feels valued and supported. By strengthening and expanding our existing services, we will integrate compassionate, personalized wellness initiatives across learning environments, campus spaces, policies and daily operations. This holistic approach supports students throughout their academic journey while preparing them to thrive as resilient, well-rounded leaders.

With your support, we can create a campus that feels safe, welcoming and empowering for all. 

Together, we can build a lasting legacy of care and opportunity that extends beyond the classroom and shapes healthier futures for our students and communities.


Support Student Mental Health and Wellness

Explore the Student Mental Health and Wellness Case for Support

CONNECTED CAMPUS COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY APPROACH TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS

SUPPORTING STUDENT SUCCESS

ACCESSIBLE, PERSONALIZED SUPPORT

Download the full Student Mental Health and Wellness Case for Supportpicture_as_pdf

 Creating a sticky campus

Supporting a vibrant and connected campus community

Ontario Tech students are ambitious, but many face significant barriers, from financial need to long commutes and work commitments. By investing in outdoor wellness initiatives like smart trails, fitness spaces and active transportation, donors can help make campus a true home away from home that supports mental health, connection and student success.

How we’re building a home away from home for every student

Behind every ambitious student is a set of pressures that can make the university journey far more difficult than it appears.

Four students sitting and standing outside on campus and smiling at each other.

University is a time of rapid growth and new responsibility, but many Ontario Tech students face added pressures that can intensify stress and anxiety. With 64 per cent relying on OSAP, 66 per cent being first-generation students, more than half working part-time and many commuting long distances, students can feel isolated and overwhelmed, limiting their ability to fully engage and thrive. Our vision is a campus that feels like a home away from home, balancing academic excellence with a supportive, unforgettable student experience.

Students walk along a pathway outside on Polonsky Commons in the fall.

Sergio

How will your support help prioritize holistic health for students?

Your gift will expand accessible outdoor spaces that help students move, recharge and connect, strengthening well-being and belonging across campus.

Your support will allow us to:

  • Create an interactive smart trail system that encourages daily activity, exploration and connection.
  • Develop outdoor health and fitness spaces that make exercise and wellness more accessible to all students.
  • Build active transportation infrastructure that supports walking, cycling, and healthier commuting choices.
  • Increase outdoor spaces for relaxation and social connection, helping reduce stress and isolation.
  • Enhance student quality of life and campus community by prioritizing holistic health beyond the classroom.
Students walk beside the reflecting pond at Polosky Commons.
Students walking together outside at Ontario Tech's North Oshawa Campus.

 creating a sticky campus

Community approach to health and wellness

In a world that’s more connected than ever, mental health challenges are rising, especially among young people. Ontario Tech is building a stronger, more inclusive campus by expanding access to timely, specialized supports through community partnerships and innovative, student-centred approaches to wellness.

 

Chemistry student writing on a glass wall

How we’re building a connected campus

As mental health needs rise, building a connected campus community has never been more important.

As technology reshapes how we live, work and connect, mental health challenges are increasing worldwide and across Canada, particularly for young people. Ontario Tech is responding by putting student and community well-being at the centre of its Tech with a Conscience vision, advancing a more accessible, equitable and diverse campus environment. By strengthening partnerships and support networks, the university can help reduce barriers to care and create a reliable safety net, so every student feels supported, included and able to thrive

How will your support enhance community collaboration to ensure a healthy campus?

Your contribution will strengthen a network of community partners so more students can access timely, specialized mental health and wellness supports.

Usman

Your support will allow us to:

  • Expand partnerships with local agencies so students can access the right support, no matter their needs or circumstances.
  • Increase the number of students served and reduce waitlists by adding specialized community-based capacity.
  • Improve access to life-changing services, including psychologists, gender-affirming therapy, sexual violence experts and eating disorder specialists.
  • Sustain proven supports such as therapy through The LivingRoom Community Art Studio, CBT through the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program and DBT through Ontario Shores.
  • Enhance after-hours and residence-based crisis supports through partners like Canadian Mental Health Association Durham, while increasing wellness resources on and off campus.

 Creating a sticky campus

Supporting students on their journey to success

Ontario Tech is building a healthier, more resilient campus by putting students at the centre of mental health and wellness support. Through peer mentoring, strong community partnerships and inclusive, student-informed programs, we help students thrive academically and personally. With donor support, we can expand these efforts to reach more students, strengthen early intervention and foster a campus culture where students support students and success is shared.

How we’re striving to provide unparalleled levels of mental health and wellness support

A thriving campus starts with well-being, belonging and the right supports at the right time.

Ontario Tech is committed to fostering an accessible, equitable and inclusive culture where mental health and wellness are central to student success. By taking a student-informed approach, valuing the role of families and caregivers, and offering programs and services that support academic, emotional and personal growth, we help students build resilience and balance. With strengths like Mental Health Peer Mentoring, community partnerships and centralized advising, we have a strong foundation to expand and become a leader in comprehensive mental health and wellness support.

Three students walk together outside on campus, smiling and talking to each other.
Three students stand outside on campus, leaning against a metal railing looking at the fall trees.

How will your support help create a more supportive and resilient campus community?

Your investment will expand the Mental Health Peer Mentor program, strengthening student-to-student support and building a more resilient campus community.

Your support will allow us to:

  • Grow the Peer Mentor team so more students can receive one-on-one support for social, emotional and academic challenges.
  • Strengthen early intervention by increasing mental health literacy and awareness across campus.
  • Expand outreach events, group supports and training that build a healthier, more connected campus culture.
  • Enhance referrals and wraparound care by linking students to additional campus and community services based on their needs.
  • Allow professional counsellors to focus on students with the most complex and urgent mental health needs.
Four students stand beside the reflecting pond on Polonsky Commons, laughing and smiling with each other.
Students outside in the fall in the downtown campus

 Creating a sticky campus

Ensuring accessible, personalized support for all students

Student mental health needs are growing more complex and urgent, and demand continues to outpace available resources. By expanding access to timely, personalized care and leveraging human-centric technologies for early intervention, Ontario Tech can reduce wait times, strengthen student success and build a healthier, more resilient campus community.

How we’re creating an empowered, resilient and connected campus community

To meet rising demand, we must strengthen both the capacity and reach of student mental health supports.

Bria

Ontario Tech is working to expand Student Mental Health Services to better support student success and keep pace with a growing campus community. Using a Stepped Care Approach, the university has improved access, reduced wait times and tailored care more effectively, yet demand continues to rise and needs are becoming more complex. Counselling sessions are up 50 per cent since 2018, wait times after intake remain a concern, and the counsellor-to-student ratio (1:1,667) exceeds the Canadian standard (1:1,000). Continued investment will help build the resources, infrastructure and programming needed to ensure timely, comprehensive mental health care and a more connected, resilient student community.

Two students sitting in Charles Hall, working together on laptops.

How will your support help ensure a healthier student community?

You can advance human-centric technologies that help Ontario Tech identify needs earlier, personalize care and strengthen student mental health outcomes. 

Your support will allow us to: 

  • Implement an early alert system so students can be proactively supported before challenges escalate into academic or mental health crises.
  • Expand measurement-based care tools to track progress over time and adjust supports to meet students’ changing needs.
  • Strengthen data collection and analytics to better understand demand, identify service gaps and improve decision-making.
  • Improve administrative efficiency so staff can spend more time supporting students and less time managing processes.

  • Enhance the quality and effectiveness of therapy by integrating innovative tools that support earlier intervention and more responsive care.

Three students walking in front of Ontario Tech's Regent Theatre.
students-walking-in-polonsky.

Together, we will create a more supportive and resilient campus community where every student thrives.

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