On World Mental Health Day, the Toronto Police Service held its annual Wellness Day, bringing together hundreds to discuss the impact of job-related trauma, build operational resilience, and explore first-responder-specific support resources.
I also reflected on how far the organization has come. When I joined the Service in 2018, our wellness approach was primarily reactive. Proactive initiatives were limited, and our organizational wellbeing programs often faced skepticism.
Wellness data was scattered and unreliable. We were just beginning to grasp the implications of the Supporting Ontario’s First Responders Act, presumptive legislation that PTSD is work-related , focusing on costs and productivity losses rather than on wellbeing.
Recognizing the need for a modern perspective, we developed a wellbeing strategy in 2020 under the leadership of Ivy Nanayakkara emphasizing:
1. Trust and access
2. Health prevention and promotion
3. An ecosystem of care and support
4. Culture and behavior
We shifted the conversation from viewing wellness as primarily an employee-driven process to acknowledging the crucial role employers and work environments play in fostering individual and organizational wellbeing.
Our investments in people, infrastructure, and partnerships are showing returns—not just in reduced absences and claims, but more profoundly, in enhanced employee engagement and the quality of public safety service delivery.
Today, we embrace progressive approaches that address mental, physical, social, and overall life health.
We’ve established first responder-specific partnerships, created processes for early and safe return to work, and fostered a culture of health promotion—all supported by data and innovative thinking!
While there is more work to do, we have a clear understanding of the opportunities ahead. The conversations in our hallways have truly evolved.
A special thank you to Ivy Nanayakkara Lanie Schachter-Snipper for their exceptional leadership, program development, and tireless efforts in driving our organization, and broader sector forward.
Myron Demkiw, M.O.M.