Forged by Experience, Strengthened with Support
The Forge Alliance is a peer-led initiative addressing the skilled trades’ mental health crisis. By training tradespeople with lived experience as peer supporters, we foster trust, reduce stigma, and connect workers to recovery resources.
Our approach is simple: Tradespeople supporting tradespeople.
Why Peer Support?
Workers trust fellow tradespeople over external professionals.
Peer support mirrors the apprenticeship model—learning from those with experience.
Lived experience creates stronger connections and real recovery opportunities.
The Crisis in Construction
The construction industry has the highest suicide rate of all industries in Canada:
53.2 suicides per 100,000 workers—five times higher than all other construction-related fatalities combined.
83% of workers report experiencing mental health struggles.
Substance abuse rates in the trades are nearly double the national average.
A culture of “toughing it out” prevents workers from seeking help. The Forge Alliance is changing that.
How it works
1
Training Peer Supporters
Tradespeople with lived experience receive formal peer support training.
Supporters are embedded on job sites, in training programs, and within industry networks.
2
Breaking the Stigma
Open conversations about mental health, addiction, and recovery.
A shift in workplace culture where seeking help is a strength, not a weakness.
3
Strengthening the Industry
Safer, healthier job sites.
Reduced mental health-related work disruptions.
A stronger, more resilient workforce.
Join the Movement
Whether you’re a tradesperson in need of support, an employer looking to improve workplace wellness, or an organization that wants to partner with us—we want to hear from you.
In the trades, you never work alone. Mental health should be no different.
