Michael Landsberg

A veteran broadcaster and former host of TSN’s Off The Record, Michael Landsberg is as brash, witty, and smart as you’d expect—but that’s not all. He’s also one of the country’s most staunch and vocal mental health advocates. After publicly talking about his own struggle with depression for decades, Landsberg founded #SickNotWeak: a nonprofit dedicated to eradicating stigma and building community. In talks, he shows us that the road to healing begins with non-judgemental conversation.

In his documentary Darkness and Hope: Depression, Sports, and Me, Landsberg opened up about his own struggles with depression, as well as interviewing famous guests about their own battles. Darkness and Hope was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award, and Landsberg was personally honored with the organization’s Humanitarian Award. The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health also named Landsberg one of its Champions of Mental Health.

Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas, Psy.D. 

“Dr. Sally” is a clinical psychologist and award-winning mental health advocate with lived experience of losing her beloved brother to suicide. As the co-founder and President of United Suicide Survivors International, Sally’s mission is to give voice to people with lived experiences of mental health challenges including addiction, trauma, and suicide. Dr. Sally’s goal is to help those in despair to rekindle a passion for living. Her approach is to empower leaders and communities to implement innovative, comprehensive, and sustainable strategies for mental health promotion, addiction recovery, and suicide prevention.

Dr. Sally is the lead author of the National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention and co-founder of “Man Therapy”. She also co-edited the Guts, Grit & the Grind book series that provides men and the people who love them with tools to help them better understand and cope with life’s challenges. Her leadership experiences include past Executive Secretary of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, Executive Board Member of the American Association of Suicidology, Co-Chair for the Lived Experience Advisory Committee for 988, and many other board and Chair positions at the national level. 

Charlie Angus

Charlie Angus has been elected seven times as Member of Parliament for the riding of Timmins – James Bay in Northern Ontario.  During that time, Charlie has repeatedly been ranked among the most effective opposition MPs in the House of Commons and Top Constituency MP in Canada. In 2010, along with Cindy Blackstock, he co-founded the Shannen’s Dream campaign calling on the federal government to end the underfunding of First Nations schools across Canada. This remains the largest youth-driven, human rights campaign in Canadian history.  In 2018, Charlie launched the push for a National Suicide Prevention Action Plan, which received support of the House of Commons in 2019. In 2020, the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health named Charlie one of the year’s “Champions for Mental Health”.

Dr. Marie-Claude Geoffroy

Marie-Claude Geoffroy is an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada Research Chair in Youth Suicide Prevention, and a clinical psychologist. She has received numerous awards, including recognition from the College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada.  

Her research focuses on the epidemiology of suicide in children, adolescents, and young adults, aiming to identify modifiable risk and protective factors, particularly early in life, to inform prevention efforts. Her work spans the full continuum of suicide prevention, including mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention. She leads various research initiatives, including the Papageno Research Team, which brings together researchers dedicated to advancing suicide prevention efforts.  She collaborates with partners across Quebec, Canada, and beyond, and has engaged with young people to ensure their voices are heard in mental health research.  

Supporter Sponsor

Friend Sponsor

Lanyard Sponsor

Exhibitors

Marketing Ally

Program Information

Venue Location: Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites 600 Highway 7, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, L4B 1B2

May 13, 2025 Pre-Conference Healing Day Workshops & Events (Further Details)

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

HEALING DAY – TUESDAY MAY 13, 2025 (PRE-CONFERENCE separate event)

Healing Day is for anyone with experiences of suicide thoughts, behaviours or loss. If you are a person with lived experience, a family member, a friend, a clinician, a caregiver or a researcher impacted by suicide, we welcome you to join us for a day of reflection, hope and healing. This pre-conference day provides attendees with experiential workshops and sessions that offer new tools and resources to support our unique healing journeys.

Healing Day Location: Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites 600 Highway 7, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, L4B 1B2

Healing Day Registration Prices

Early Bird until April 7, 2025 = $79.00 CAD plus processing fee.

Regular Price from April 8, 2025 – May 8, 2025 = $99.00 CAD plus processing fee.

Ticket sales close on May 8, 2025 or when they sell out, whichever comes first.

On-Site May 13, 2025 = $129.00 CAD plus processing fee if there are any tickets available.

Tuesday May 13, 2025 from 9:00am-4:30pm (registration includes; lunch, snacks, coffee, tea, and water. Access to quiet room, smudging room and cedar wash, Knowledge Keeper with Sacred Medicines).

Hotel Accommodations

We recommend booking your accommodations prior to buying your registration since tickets are not fully refundable and the hotels could be fully booked – please read our registration/ticket refund policy.

The conference is taking place at Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites 600 Highway 7, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, L4B 1B2.

Use this discount code to book a room at the venue hotel. Rooms are limited and this discount expires when the discounted rooms are sold out or on April 21, 2025, whichever comes first. When the rooms sell out, we will update it here. If you’re trying to book your room and nothing is coming up as available, please let us know and we’ll look into the issue.

Parking

Complimentary On-Site Parking. Parking available in front of hotel, and 3 levels of additional underground parking available in the attached parking garage. Parking charges are subject to change.

FAQ

• We are a charitable organization and, unfortunately, we do not have the financial resources to subsidize or discount tickets for the conference.
• This conference is not accredited and does not qualify for continuing education credits.  
• This is an in-person only event.
• The fees charged on the tickets are NOT refundable. The ticket price is refundable up to May 1, 2025. After that date, there are NO refunds, but you can transfer your ticket to another person. The purchaser of the ticket can request the transfer.
• We do not sell tickets for one day only.
• We are not in need of volunteers for the conference.