In response to COVID-19 and an increased need to support those struggling with mental health issues, The Royal opened an urgent prompt care clinic. Many donors responded to the initial call for support despite the very challenging economic times. Amongst the donors were a group of leaders more than 40 companies and organizations within the construction sector working with the PCL/EllisDon Joint Venture on the Centre Block of Parliament Hill. They banded together at a critical time to help propel the fundraising effort.

“The Royal has been the mental health pillar in our community,” says Matthew Rinfret, PCL/ED Project Director for the Centre Block Rehabilitation project. “We understand the strain that the pandemic situation is putting on The Royal and recognized supporting the creation of the special clinic was a way to help people – and we wanted to do our part.”

“All of us who are able to continue to work on major projects during this time feel proud and privileged to be able to give,” he added. “Despite a difficult business landscape, I found that our partners have been generous and I am immensely thankful.”

Located at The Royal, the C-PROMPT Clinic is made up of a multidisciplinary team of mental health nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers who are providing assessments, treatment and coordinating access to further care. The C-PROMPT Clinic team is using a combination of in-person, virtual and mobile consultation to provide mental health services.

“In total, the PCL/ED supply chain raised in excess of $200,000 for this important cause, all of this in about 72 hours,” says Rinfret. “The electrical contractors working on the Centre Block project were central to this effort. Between the three main contractors (Ziebarth Electrical, Wired Synergy and Toban Electric), the electrical contractors associations of Ottawa and Ontario and local union, approximately $100,000 of the total was raised. It was thanks to the leadership of these firms and associations, in addition to our supplier and union partners, that we were able to push ourselves further than we thought possible. The decision to give in this environment of uncertainty is not easy; we are blessed to have leaders throughout our industry.”

“The generosity from the construction sector is nothing short of inspirational,” says Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health president and CEO, Mitchell Bellman. “With their support, our C-PROMPT will be able to help so many more people in our community who are struggling.”

Over the past 10 years, the Ottawa Construction Association and its members have been generous supporters of The Royal. They were leaders during The Royal’s most recent campaign which saw the opening of the only Brain Imaging Centre in Canada focused on mental health research.