MONTREAL – Half a million people in Canada don’t go to work each day because of mental illness, according to Bell Canada. That’s almost 3% of the work force, and the result is an estimated total cost to the Canadian economy of $51 billion each year in lost productivity.
The alarming statistic is behind the first annual Bell Let’s Talk Day held February 9. In order to help fight the stigma around mental illness and its impact on the Canadian workplace, Canadians were encouraged to send a text message or make a long distance call with Bell and Bell Aliant. Bell will donate 5 cents from every call and text on Wednesday to programs dedicated to mental health.
Bell Let’s Talk Day is a high-profile anti-stigma effort that is part of the Bell Mental Health Initiative, a five-year, $50-million charitable initiative dedicated to promoting Canadian mental health. The event was supported by a national promotional campaign focused on the smile of Clara Hughes, Canada’s six-time Olympic medalist, who relates her own story of depression in the campaign.
