Essential Assessment Insights and Updates from the Experts

September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. For most of the people reading this blog, the conversation about suicide doesn't happen in our work as often as it should - even though our work touches it constantly.

Why 'high-functioning' is one of the most misused terms in substance use - and how it quietly shapes workplace and disability claim decisions. 

Six months into 2026, the disability claims landscape in Canada looks different than it did at the start of the year.

 Canada has now operated under a legalized recreational cannabis framework for nearly eight years. The Cannabis Act came into force in October 2018, and what was framed as a transitional policy question has become a settled one.  

Written by National Director, Substance Use Policy and Programs, Alexandra Perry.

Canadian Men's Mental Health Week runs June 9 to 15. The campaign rightly highlights the pressures Canadian men face.

Post-traumatic stress disorder has moved from the margins to the centre of the disability claims landscape.

Canada's workforce is getting older - and disability claims are reflecting that reality. As more Canadians work into their 50s, 60s, and beyond, the nature of disability claims is shifting.

Written by National Director, Substance Use Policy and Programs, Alexandra Perry.

Mental health claims are now the single largest driver of long-term disability in Canada - a reality that has been building for years and has accelerated significantly in the post-pandemic landscape.