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HUNTSVILLE, ONT. — The is again working in partnership with the (OBT) to conduct research within the construction industry in order to get a deeper understanding of how addiction impacts families as well as enhance family-focused supports and services.

De Novo is inviting skilled tradespeople and their significant others to share their valuable perspectives on this crucial issue by participating in a.

Participants play a key role in developing new resources for affected families and their loved ones as they recover from addiction.

Since 2021, De Novo has been engaged in research to further understand addiction issues faced by workers in the sector. The first project aimed to identify causes and drivers of these concerns or what led individuals to attend their Residential Addiction Treatment Program.

The five main drivers of addiction and suicide identified in the study are not specific to the construction industry, but can be amplified for employees in the trades:

• Work habits and schedule: 49 per cent of respondents. Individuals may be required to work long hours, in shifts and complete challenging manual labour. As a result, they may experience physical pain, feel tired or low on energy and feel they’re unable to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
• Personal relations: 45 per cent of respondents. Workers may also be required to travel for projects or work out of their home area for an extended period of time. They may live on the go, travel a lot or stay in hotels. These employees may feel isolated or cut off from their family or friends as a result of living away from home. This may cause individuals to feel alone or lonely and that they’re unable to maintain their personal relationships.
• Mental health: 40 per cent of respondents. While not specific to the construction industry, facing mental health issues can be a driver for addiction as a coping mechanism for work-related stress or feelings of sadness, depression, hopelessness, anxiety or restlessness. Mental health concerns such as stress or anxiety can also be caused or made worse by dealing with other drivers (i.e., finances, personal relations, bullying, etc.).
• Finances: 35 per cent of respondents. Due to the transient nature of certain projects, many workers may experience financial insecurity due to uncertainty about their next job. Often, construction projects last until the job is completed, without guarantee of getting the next job. As a result, individuals may be unable to pay their bills or make ends meet. In order to have steady employment, they may accept opportunities even if it means working away from home and being separated from their family.
• Discrimination and abuse: 24 per cent of respondents. In the trades and construction workforce, where men are often in the majority, there’s sometimes a strong, tough-guy culture that encourages a “work hard, play hard” mentality. A male-dominated work environment might also foster teasing or banter that crosses the line into bullying or other forms of physical, verbal or mental abuse. This can especially impact those from underrepresented groups, such as people of different racial or ethnic backgrounds, members of the LGBTQ2S+ community or women.

These results prompted the implementation of De Novo’s second study in 2022 investigating protective and risk factors impacting recovery after residential treatment.

Like the first study, the second project showed two main themes that may lead to relapse: Not maintaining family relations and facing mental health concerns.

Currently, De Novo is investigating the impact of substance use on the family unit and those closest to the individual.

These Employment Ontario research projects are funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development — Skills Development Fund.