Bruce Power has donated $1 million to a new youth wellness project that will benefit people aged 12 to 25 in Bruce, Grey, Huron and Perth counties.
The Well Community Collective (The Well) is a community-driven initiative committed to improving youth mental health and well-being. The Collective’s flagship initiative is the creation of Youth Hubs — youth-centred spaces designed to provide safe, supportive, and stigma-free environments for youth to access care, connect with peers, and build brighter futures. The hubs provide free, barrier-free access to a wide range of supports, including mental health, substance use, and primary care services, as well as help with education, employment, housing, and wellness, all under one roof.
The Well is raising $6 million to fund integrated youth wellness hubs in Kincardine, Owen Sound, Stratford and Exeter, with plans to expand to other centres in the region.
Using a model developed by the Centre of Mental Health and Addiction, and proving successful in other regions in southern Ontario, The Well brings together a wide range of social and community services to offer youth and young adults necessary resources for mental health, addiction and personal well-being in a brick-and-mortar facility, which will also act as a youth centre for hanging out with friends, helping to remove possible stigmas.
“The reality of living in our rural communities is that it can be difficult to access mental health and addiction services, especially for youth and young adults who may not have the means to travel to elsewhere in the region for immediate assistance,” said James Scongack, Bruce Power’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “Bruce Power is excited for The Well Community Collective to begin opening its doors in communities across Bruce, Grey, Huron and Perth counties to offer a safe space and needed services to teens and young adults.”
Shannon McGavin, Executive Director of the Well Community Collective, expressed her gratitude to Bruce Power on behalf of the organization and local youth.
“We’re concerned for youth in our area as we see high levels of mental health disorders and alarming rates of suicide in our young people,” McGavin said. “We want our youth to be successful and optimistic for the future and this donation will go a long way to help provide the supports needed to make that happen.”
Quotes:
“The Well Community Collective is a great initiative that will make a difference for local youth across all four counties for years to come. I applaud Bruce Power for their corporate citizenship, and for recognizing this specific need in our community.”
- Paul Vickers, MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound
“Mental health is health, and it is essential that youth in our rural communities have mental health supports locally. The Well Community Collective will support the lives of our youth, and the future of our rural communities.”
- Matthew Rae, MPP for Perth-Wellington
“When we invest in the health and well-being of our youth, we’re strengthening all of our local rural communities. Bruce Power’s donation to The Well Community Collective is a strong example of what it means to invest in our future. This project will give young people the tools and support they need to thrive close to home. It’s heartening to see local partnerships creating real, lasting impacts for our next generation.”
- Hon. Lisa Thompson, Minister of Rural Affairs and MPP for Huron-Bruce
“Young people deserve every opportunity to thrive in their formative years, and programs such as The Well Community Collective can help provide the needed support for those who may be facing challenges.”
- Hon. Michael Tibollo, Associate Attorney General
“Our government under the leadership of Premier Doug Ford is putting the mental health and wellness of Ontarians first – especially our most vulnerable youth. I commend Bruce Power’s $1 Million dollar donation to support The Well Community Collective’s new youth wellness project and look forward to ways we can continue working together to support the well-being of our youth, and give them the tools and supports they need to succeed.”
- Hon. Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions
“Bruce County believes strongly in supporting our youth to ensure they’re healthy, happy and prepared for a bright future and we believe the Well Community Collective can help address the needs of our young people by pulling service providers together under one roof.”
- Luke Charbonneau, Bruce County Warden
“We want to ensure that our young people have all the tools they need to thrive. We are especially pleased that Bruce Power is making another substantial contribution in multiple communities across our region. It will have impactful, long-term benefits. We’re grateful for their efforts aimed at investing in the future of youth by providing timely access to the care they need.”
- Kenneth Craig, Mayor of the Municipality of Kincardine
About Bruce Power
Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable nuclear power to families and businesses across the province and cancer-fighting medical isotopes around the world. Bruce Power has worked hard to build strong roots in Ontario and is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which we live. Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is a Canadian-owned partnership of TC Energy, OMERS, the Power Workers’ Union and The Society of United Professionals. Learn more at www.brucepower.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
