Ontario Mining Association Named Lead Program Partner of "Bring It to the Surface"

Bring It to the Surface began in 2022, after a drilling company lost a member of its crew to suicide and its leadership called the CDDA to ask what the industry was going to do about it. What came out of that conversation was a program built by and for the people who do the work - long rotations, remote camps, weeks away from family, and a culture that has long prized toughing it out.

Through on-site sessions led by speakers with lived experience, supervisor training, a national wellbeing directory, and year-round awareness campaigns, the program gives crews a way to start conversations that have historically stayed below the surface and gives their supervisors something practical to do once a conversation starts.

"Bring It to the Surface began with a simple but urgent goal: to save lives," said Dwayne Ross, President of the CDDA. "We built it in the drilling sector because that is where the call came from. With the Ontario Mining Association stepping forward as Lead Program Partner, it reaches the mine sites where our members work every day. That is how a program becomes a culture."

"Ontario's mining industry has spent decades proving that safety is something you build, not something you hope for," said Priya Tandon, President of the Ontario Mining Association. "We have the training systems, the discipline and the leadership to make a workplace physically safe. Mental health has to be held to that same standard. Bring It to the Surface is credible because it was built by the people who do the work, and our members are ready to bring it onto their sites.”

The OMA's participation extends the program from the drill rigs into producing operations, where crews, contractors and service providers share the same sites and the same pressures. Over the coming year, the two associations will work together to deliver Bring It to the Surface programming to OMA member operations, expand supervisor-level training, and report publicly on what is working.

“That’s why visible leadership matters,” Tandon added. “Employers, supervisors, leaders and workers all have a role to play in creating workplaces where safety, health and wellness, and looking out for one another are simply part of the job. We’ve made important progress, but there is still more to do to make sure every worker gets home safely, and we’re proud to help bring this conversation to the surface across Ontario’s mining sector.”

The collaboration between the CDDA and the OMA is intended to be practical rather than symbolic: shared programming, shared measurement, and a standing commitment that psychological safety is treated with the same urgency as physical safety.

OMA member Vale Base Metals has also joined Bring It to the Surface as a Presenting Partner, reinforcing the importance of industry-wide collaboration in advancing mental health and psychological safety across the mining sector. Through this support, Vale Base Metals is helping expand access to practical resources, on-site conversations, and training that empower workers, supervisors, and leaders to recognize challenges, reduce stigma, and support one another.

"Creating a healthier and safer industry means caring for both physical and psychological wellbeing," said Darren Toner, Sr. Manager of HSER, Global Exploration and Geoscience at Vale Base Metals and Chair of the Ontario Mining Association's Safety and Training Committee. "As an industry, we have made important progress in recognizing that mental health is a critical part of safety. We need to keep building practical supports into the way we work, create environments where people feel safe having honest conversations free from stigma or fear of judgment, and make it easier for workers, supervisors, and leaders to access help when they need it. Bring It to the Surface helps make those conversations easier and those resources more visible, and Vale Base Metals is proud to support an initiative that promotes health and wellbeing while ensuring workers know they are not alone and that support is within reach."

If you or someone you know is struggling, the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, anywhere in Canada, by phone or text at 9-8-8.

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About Bring It to the Surface (www.cdda.ca/bringittothesurface/)

Created by the Canadian Diamond Drilling Association, Bring It to the Surface is a mental health awareness and advocacy initiative built for Canada's mineral exploration and mining sector. The program promotes open dialogue, reduces stigma, and provides industry-driven leadership to improve psychological safety across job sites and organizations.

About the Canadian Diamond Drilling Association (www.cdda.ca)

The CDDA represents Canada's diamond drilling industry, advocating for safe, innovative and responsible drilling practices that support mineral exploration and development across the country.

About the Ontario Mining Association (www.oma.on.ca)

Founded in 1920, the Ontario Mining Association represents the province's mining producers and is a leading advocate for a safe, competitive and responsible mining industry. As Lead Program Partner of Bring It to the Surface, the OMA is driving industry-wide engagement to strengthen mental health awareness and support across the sector.

About Vale Base Metals (www.valebasemetals.com)

Vale Base Metals is one of the world’s largest producers of high-quality nickel and an important producer of responsibly sourced copper and cobalt. Vale Base Metals Limited is based in London, United Kingdom with its global operations centre in Toronto, Canada. The company also has operations in Newfoundland & Labrador, Ontario, Manitoba, Indonesia, Brazil, and Japan. 

Media Contacts

Louise Lowe, Executive Director, Canadian Diamond Drilling Association | c. 705-499-1445 | office@cdda.ca

Adrianna Stech, Communications and CSR Manager, Ontario Mining Association | 416.364.9301 | info@oma.on.ca