First-of-its-kind study launches ahead of World Mental Health Day providing free coaching to first responders in partnership with Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario
Toronto, October 9, 2026 — BetterUp Canada Inc., the Canadian operations of BetterUp®, the human transformation company and pioneer of virtual coaching, today announced The Ontario Frontline Study, a first-of-its kind research program centred on first responders and healthcare workers. The research effort is a multi-year study that aims to explore whether and how personalized coaching can build resilience, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being for these workers, who operate in immensely stressful environments.
“This study is significant for Canada. First responders and healthcare workers carry some of the heaviest mental and emotional load in our workforce, yet the vast majority of mental health resources in this country currently sit in the private sector,” said Lesley Lutes, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Centre for Obesity and Well-Being Research Excellence at the University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus and advisor on the study. “Research like this builds real evidence behind a scalable way to reach the people holding it together for everyone else. If we want to build Canada strong; it must be on a solid foundation which consists of significant and ongoing investment in access to effective mental and behavioural health services. That is true innovation.”
BetterUp Canada Inc. developed the study's coaching methodology with Martin Seligman, PhD, the Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, director of the university's Positive Psychology Center, and a former president of the American Psychological Association. Widely regarded as the founder of the field of positive psychology, Seligman has built resilience programs for the U.S. Army, global healthcare organizations, and school systems. He is the author of more than 30 books and 350 scientific articles. He has served on BetterUp's Science Board since 2018 and has been involved in the Ontario study since its inception.
“The most significant impact I anticipate from this study is a definitive, large-scale answer to a question that has been hard to test rigorously: can we build psychological resilience in people before they are in crisis, and does it protect them from the occupational toll of high-stress work?” said Seligman. “I've been waiting my whole career to do this study. If the results bear out what the science predicts, this will be among the most important applied research on human resilience ever conducted, and it will have been done on exactly the population that needs it most.”
Ontario-based first responders and healthcare workers can check their eligibility to receive six months of free one-on-one coaching, and may be compensated for their participation. Those interested can learn more here.
BetterUp Canada Inc. is headquartered in Toronto and leads the Ontario Frontline Study as its flagship research initiative. BetterUp has supported Canadian organizations and coaches since its founding, partnering with organizations including EllisDon, Loblaw Companies Limited, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario, and running a long-standing engineering internship program with the University of Waterloo. Canadian enterprises, public sector organizations, and mission-driven institutions interested in partnering can learn more at BetterUp.ca.
About BetterUp Canada Inc.
BetterUp Canada Inc. is the Canadian entity of BetterUp®, the human transformation company and inventor of virtual coaching. Established to serve Canadian organizations with localized operations, leadership, and partnerships, BetterUp Canada Inc. delivers science-backed coaching, AI-powered mental fitness resources, and leadership development programs to help individuals and organizations achieve peak performance. The company works in partnership with enterprise, government, and mission-driven organizations across Canada. BetterUp Canada Inc. operates under the global mission of BetterUp: to help people everywhere live with greater clarity, purpose, and passion. For more information, please visit BetterUp.ca.