Record Finalists Highlight Journalism's Role in Mental Health Crisis

LONDON, ON – March 25, 2026 – As Canada continues to navigate complex public health challenges, the journalism community is being recognized for its increasingly vital role in illuminating the nation's struggles with mental health and addiction. The Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma (CJFVAT) has announced a record twenty-two finalists for its 2025 Mindset and En-Tête awards, celebrating excellence in mental health reporting across English and French media.

This year's record-breaking number of applicants was significantly bolstered by the introduction of a new awards category: Reporting on Addictions. This expansion reflects a growing media commitment to covering one of the most urgent crises facing the country, alongside established categories for Reporting on Mental Health in the Workplace and Reporting on the Mental Health of Young People.

Finalists represent a who's who of Canadian media, with nominations for journalists from CBC News, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, La Presse, Le Devoir, and others, showcasing the depth and breadth of reporting on these critical issues.

A New Focus on Addiction Amidst National Crisis

The creation of a dedicated addictions reporting category is a direct response to the devastating impact of substance use across Canada. The country has lost over 50,000 people to opioid-related overdoses since 2016, and while recent data suggests a slight national decrease in deaths, the crisis remains acute, with some regions still seeing a tragic rise in fatalities. This public health emergency demands nuanced, evidence-based, and compassionate reporting, a standard reflected in the nominated works.

Among the English-language finalists for the Mindset Award for Reporting on Addictions are powerful investigations that explore the crisis from multiple angles. Karen Pauls from CBC News is nominated for her look into the potential of psychedelic treatments in “Ibogaine: The Last Trip?”. CBC’s the fifth estate team, led by Steven D'Souza, is recognized for “The Political War on Safe Drugs,” an exposé on the systemic costs of the opioid crisis. Personal narratives also feature prominently, with Lucas-Matthew Marsh’s piece in The Toronto Star, “I used to self-medicate with alcohol,” providing a first-person perspective on a common struggle.

In French, the finalists for Le prix En-Tête pour le reportage aux dépendances tackle the issue with similar depth. Myriam Fimbry of SRC investigated the spread of drug trafficking into Quebec's Côte-Nord region, while Caroline Touzin from La Presse highlighted the tragic and often invisible deaths of Montreal's homeless population. These stories move beyond statistics, giving a human face to the crisis and scrutinizing the societal systems that both help and hinder progress.

A Mirror to Society's Broader Struggles

Beyond the new focus on addiction, the award finalists provide a compelling snapshot of the broader mental health landscape in Canada. The categories for youth and workplace mental health highlight pervasive issues that affect millions, from the pressures on young people to the growing crisis of employee burnout.

In the category for the Mental Health of Young People, the nominated stories are a stark reflection of systemic failures and emerging challenges. Jadine Ngan and Tahmeed Shafiq’s piece in The Walrus, “What Happens after a Death on Campus,” offers a powerful critique of institutional response to student suicides. The Toronto Star’s Ann Dempsey Raven and Megan Ogilvie are finalists for “Failing Jade,” an investigation into the death of a 15-year-old girl who died while waiting for mental health and addiction treatment in the care of a children's aid society. These works underscore the life-and-death stakes of providing timely and adequate mental healthcare for youth.

Meanwhile, the workplace mental health category reveals the complex interplay between our work and our well-being. Zosia Bielski’s feature in The Globe and Mail, “Despite a burnout crisis, Canadians are reluctant to rest,” examines a deep-seated cultural aversion to taking breaks. In a different vein, an investigation by Wendy-Ann Clarke and Robert Cribb for the Investigative Journalism Bureau and National Post exposed a toxic workplace at a top mental health hospital, ironically titled, “'They make you doubt your sanity.'” These stories highlight a cultural shift where mental health in the workplace is no longer a fringe issue but a central concern for employees and employers alike.

Beyond the Byline: Supporting the Storytellers of Trauma

Behind these prestigious awards is an organization with a dual mission: to celebrate excellent reporting and to protect the reporters who do it. The Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma, which publishes the Mindset and En-Tête guides that the awards are named after, is also deeply invested in the well-being of journalists themselves.

“It's encouraging to see the awards continuing to expand in both official languages,” said Jane Hawkes, a co-founder and executive producer of the Forum. She emphasized the symbiotic nature of the organization's work, stating, “Reporting mental health stories at large and dealing with similar issues within our industry go hand-in-hand. It's good to see that symbiosis continuing.”

The need for this support is well-documented. A 2022 report co-led by the CJFVAT, “Taking Care,” revealed alarming mental health statistics among Canadian media workers, with 69% reporting anxiety and 46% experiencing symptoms of depression. Covering topics like addiction, suicide, and systemic failure takes a significant psychological toll.

In response, the Forum has established several key initiatives. Its Trauma Assistance Fund offers free, confidential psychological counseling to freelance journalists, who often lack the benefits and support systems available to staff reporters. Through its Freelance Fund, the organization also provides bursaries for Hostile Environment and First Aid Training (HEFAT), preparing journalists for the physical and psychological risks of reporting in dangerous situations. Furthermore, the Forum is a founding sponsor of the Canadian News Industry Peer Support (CNIPS) program, which trains journalists to offer confidential support to their colleagues, fostering a culture of care within newsrooms.

The awards and the support systems behind them are part of a larger, collaborative effort. The Mindset and En-Tête Awards are sponsored by the Canadian Mental Health Association, B.C. division, with the foundational reporting guides supported by the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Media partners like CBC/Radio-Canada and The Globe and Mail also contribute to the Forum's activities, demonstrating a sector-wide recognition of the importance of this work. The winning entries will be discussed and certificates presented at events in Montreal and Ottawa in June, continuing a vital conversation about how to best report on our collective mental health and support those who tell these essential stories.