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Strength in Equity and Diversity: Reflections from the 2025 Peer Support Conference

May 30, 2025

PeerWorks and Peer Support Canada co-hosted a conference this week that brought together peer supporters, advocates, leaders, and changemakers across Canada. This year's conference, "Strength in Equity and Diversity: Amplifying Voices, Ensuring Sustainability, and Building Stronger Peer Support Futures" received a record number of proposals and the highest attendance of any in-person PeerWorks conference. 

The conference opened with remarks from The Honourable Vijay Thanigasalam, Ontario's newly appointed Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. As he steps into this new role, we were pleased to welcome him to the peer support community and to hear his remarks on the Ontario Roadmap to Wellness. We are encouraged by his attendance and look forward to continued engagement with his office in the future.

At this year's conference, we had three keynote addresses by Robyn Priest, Seth Compton, and Shannon Butt. Across 16 dynamic sessions, presenters tackled urgent issues and shared forward-thinking strategies. A few highlights include:

Supporting Folks with Eating Disorders in a Peer Context

Led by Eating Disorders Nova Scotia, this session challenged stereotypes and emphasized inclusive, values-driven peer support. Participants engaged in interactive quizzes and discussions to build confidence in supporting individuals affected by eating disorders, with a focus on language, self-determination, and safe spaces.

Preventing Peer Drift and Building Resilience

Mental Health Innovations hosted an insightful session on peer drift, burnout, and emotional fatigue. Participants reflected on real-world case studies and co-developed elements of peer-specific self-care policies and team wellness commitments, leaving with actionable strategies to foster resilience in demanding roles.

Let’s Get Paid! Co-designing a Lived Experience Pay Equity Scale

This practical workshop from Mount Sinai Hospital addressed wage inequities in the sector. Attendees collaboratively used HR tools and equity analysis frameworks to begin designing a lived experience pay equity scale, planting seeds for future collective advocacy and action.

Peer Support & Identity-Affirming Care

Also from Mount Sinai, this session spotlighted how peers provide critical identity-affirming support in emergency departments. The Pathways to Peers program showcased how peers can ensure care that is culturally, spiritually, and gender inclusive. Through case studies, participants explored how to advocate effectively for real-time changes in institutional settings.

This year’s Lighthouse Awards celebrated individuals and organizations who have made outstanding contributions to peer support in Ontario:

PeerWorks is involved in a history project on the preservation and sharing of Ontario’s Mad/Psychiatric Consumer/Survivor (M/PC/S) Peer Support Movement History alongside Tanya Shute from Laurentian University and Lee de Bie from McMaster University. The team had a community consultation session at the conference to seek advice from members of the peer support community, which received wide attendance and sparked meaningful discussions. 

In the final session of the conference, participants offered input on PeerWorks and Peer Support Canada’s CIHR-funded project to co-create a Code of Ethics for Peer Support. Attendees raised thoughtful perspectives about how to maintain ethical integrity while reflecting lived experience, and emphasized the importance of ongoing, inclusive engagement in developing this important framework.

The 2025 Peer Support Conference was more than just a gathering—it was a call to action. From strategic conversations on pay equity and identity-affirming care to celebratory moments honouring community champions, the event reaffirmed the strength, wisdom, and momentum of the peer support movement in Canada.

As we look to the future, one thing is clear: peer support is not a service—it’s a movement. And its future is being shaped by those with lived experience, guided by equity, and grounded in community.

Thank you to everyone who made this conference a success. We look forward to continuing this work together!