The sitka project: 2026

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In Canada, men die by suicide at a rate nearly three times higher than women* - this is a heartbreaking reality.  This disparity is particularly evident in industries like construction, where 33% of men report poor mental health, and 64% wish their employers did more to support mental health initiatives**

These aren’t just numbers.  They’re fathers, brothers, husbands, friends – men who often suffer in silence.

I'm not a doctor – I'm just trying to get people talking again, and the Sitka Project is my response. A simple hat, conveying a big message.

It’s not about encouraging men to talk more. It’s about building an unspoken network of support – where someone can feel seen, without needing to say a word.

Wearing a Sitka hat isn’t a call for help – it’s a quiet gesture that says: You’re not alone.  I see you.  I’ve got time if you need it.  For the man having a tough day, spotting a Sitka hat on a ferry, at a work site, in a coffee shop, or in a grocery store can be a subtle reminder that someone understands.

This isn’t a campaign.  It’s a movement. 

It’s not just about the person wearing the hat – it’s about supporting the men around him.  A small signal with a big meaning.  A simple way to stand for connection, for community, for change.

No pressure.  No expectations.  Just a symbol that community is still out there, even when words are hard to find.

The Sitka spruce - one of the tallest trees on the West Coast - is known for its quiet strength and resilience.  Like the tree, this movement stands tall – not loudly, but steadily.  The hat isn’t just something you wear; it’s something you stand for

*Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)

**Statistics Canada

The Sitka Project was created after experiencing firsthand the isolation that comes when someone you love struggles in silence.  Watching a former partner experience challenges with their mental health – and feeling powerless to help – taught me how devastating it can be when there’s no simple, stigma-free way for men to say, “I need to talk.” It’s not just the men themselves who suffer from this silence - it extends to their partners and children. The Sitka Project – offering men a simple, visual way to know that they aren’t alone - is deeply personal to me.

Inspired by the resilient Sitka spruce, these hats are that tool: a low-pressure signal that reads, “If you need to talk, I’m here.” No clinical labels. No heavy expectations.  Just a quiet invitation to pause, nod, and begin a conversation that might otherwise never happen.  It’s a quiet kind of community - men supporting men, simply by wearing a hat.

While this specific project focuses on men, I believe in building a broader culture of connection for everyone.  My hope is that Sitka quietly opens the door to understanding and empathy for all.  That it reminds people that they aren’t alone, and that there’s a community that cares. Because if one hat can start a conversation, and one conversation can change a life – then maybe we’re already changing the world, one quiet connection at a time.