Algoma Steel Honored for Proritizing Mental Health Initiatives

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Algoma Steel is being recognized by Canadian Mental Health Association’s (CMHA) Sault Ste. Marie branch for its efforts to promote mental health in workplace. The CMHA lauded the Sault steelmaker for assigning top priority to mental health component in its health and safety training programme. The facility is being awarded CMHA’s Workplace Mental Health Leadership Award.

Algoma Steel initiated mandatory two-hour mental health training session early this year. To date, nearly one-third of the Algoma employees have received the training. This translates to almost 1000 out of the total workforce comprising of nearly 3,000 employees. The company plans to complete providing training to all its employees before the end of 2019. In fact, the company had included mental health training as part of the collective agreement with the labor union.

Mike McQuade, chief executive officer, Algoma Steel noted that the company is committed to the health and safety of its employees. The collaboration with CMHA has helped to create an understanding across its employees about the importance of mental health along with physical health.

Meantime, Lisa Carricato, mental health educator and training provider, CMHA Sault Ste. Marie noted that the training programme had received overwhelmingly positive feedback from Algoma managers and staff.