Last date for submission of paper: unknown; Contact person: unknown; Mental health problems directly affect approximately one in five Canadians every year (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2013). In Manitoba, alone, there were 262 reported suicide attempts for every 100,000 Manitobans in the past five years and 28 % of adults were diagnosed with at least one of four mental health problems or addictions in the same period (Chartier et al., 2018). Mental health problems and addictions have many symptoms but they hold in common their effects on individuals, their families, coworkers and communities. They affect, and are affected by, the workplace, home, and community. Although people of all ages live with mental health challenges and addictions, some groups are more affected because of poorer access to resources and because of how society views them. Helping Canadians successfully manage these problems requires involvement from local communities and all groups involved in providing support. It is important that the support from all groups comes from understanding the personal experiences and needs of people with mental health and addiction problems. Because any individual experiencing mental health and addiction problems affects so many people around them, communities need to find solutions by learning from anyone who understands and works with people living with mental health problems and addictions.