Ontario Shores Centre For Mental Health Sciences

What Ontario Shores Centre For Mental Health Sciences does

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences is a public teaching hospital located in Whitby, Ontario that delivers specialized assessment and treatment services for people living with complex and serious mental illness. Founded in 1898 and operating under the Ontario Ministry of Health, the organization runs 106 inpatient beds across four units (including 15 psychiatric intensive care beds) and serves adults, adolescents, seniors, first responders, and forensic patients across Durham Region, Peterborough, The Kawarthas and Haliburton. The service portfolio spans the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) Program for depression and anxiety, a Brain Stimulation Clinic delivering ECT and rTMS, two Assertive Community Treatment Teams, the Recovery College educational model, a Women's Clinic, an Adolescent Program, a Geriatric Dementia Unit with a pioneering NP-MRP care model, a Forensic Program, the First Responder Assist program with Wounded Warriors Canada, and the 2026-launched Recovery High School in partnership with Durham District School Board.

The organization's underlying technology stack combines a digital patient portal (My Health My Way), an immersive VR caregiver training program (VR-SIM Carers), telepsychiatry and virtual Recovery College delivery, brain stimulation hardware (ECT since the late 1940s, rTMS over the last five years with active accelerated TMS research), and clinical digital solutions that have reduced inpatient aggression and restraint/seclusion rates. Patient access is primarily referral-driven from psychiatrists, primary care providers and other healthcare professionals, with self-referral available for the OSP Program; services are delivered through inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, ACTT community teams, and community partner channels (Alzheimer Society of Durham Region, Canadian Mental Health Association, Indigenous organizations, post-secondary institutions).

Revenue is generated primarily through annual funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, with patients covered under OHIP for most clinical services. A secondary revenue stream comes from the Ontario Shores Foundation for Mental Health, a 2009-founded wholly-owned charitable foundation that runs campaigns including the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie promotion across 74 Durham Region locations and the annual Holiday Hope Heroes gift bag drive, supporting programs and research not covered by provincial funding. The Ontario Shores Foundation, supplemented by periodic Bell Let's Talk grants (2015, 2020, 2023), underwrites pilot expansions such as the Peterborough PRP Clinic and recovery-focused programs. The organization is a Crown entity with no parent company and is not venture-backed.

Name

Ontario Shores Centre For Mental Health Sciences

Legal name

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences

Website

https://ontarioshores.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences is a public teaching hospital in Whitby, Ontario providing specialized assessment and treatment services for complex mental illness across inpatient, outpatient, and community programs serving Durham Region, Peterborough and surrounding areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Services

NAICS

Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals (6222), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists (621112), Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330), Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (62322)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitals & Units (HLAFACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA), Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI), Serious Mental Illness (SMI) Telepsychiatry & Care Coordination Platforms (HLALAEAH), Psychiatry & Medication Management Platforms (HLALAEAB), Correctional Health, Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (In-Custody) (BPAKANAG)

Keywords

• Mental health services
• Psychiatric hospital
• Mental health treatment
• Brain stimulation therapy
• Mental health recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Whitby

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Healthcare Funding: Ontario Shores is a public teaching hospital funded primarily by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Services are publicly funded and covered under the provincial health insurance system (OHIP), meaning patients do not pay out-of-pocket for most clinical services.
2. Ontario Shores Foundation Donations and Fundraising: The Ontario Shores Foundation for Mental Health, founded in 2009, raises funds through various initiatives including the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign, Holiday Hope Heroes gift bag campaign, and other donor-driven fundraising events. Funds support revolutionary programs and research not funded by the government.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences is a public teaching hospital that provides specialized assessment and treatment services for people living with complex and serious mental illness. The organization operates a 106-bed inpatient facility in Whitby, Ontario, plus outpatient clinics in Durham Region and Peterborough, delivering programs such as the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) Program, Brain Stimulation Clinic (ECT/rTMS), Recovery College, First Responder Assist Program, Forensic Services, and specialized adolescent, geriatric, and women's mental health programs.

Product overview

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences is a public teaching hospital providing specialized assessment and treatment services for complex and serious mental illness. The organization operates a multi-service portfolio organized around a recovery-oriented model of care. Core clinical programs include the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) Program for anxiety and depression treatment using evidence-based CBT approaches; the Brain Stimulation Clinic offering ECT and TMS therapies; and the Recovery College educational programming. Ontario Shores has developed innovative youth-specific services including North America's first Recovery High School and specialized Adolescent Programs. Specialized population services target first responders (First Responder Assist Program), seniors (Geriatric Program with dementia care), and women (Women's Clinic). Digital capabilities include the My Health My Way patient portal and VR-SIM Carers virtual reality training. The Psychosis Recovery Program provides community-based psychosis follow-up care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) Program Publicly-funded, evidence-based Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and related approaches for adults with depression and anxiety-related conditions. Offers a stepped care model from self-help resources to psychotherapy, serving Ontario adults.
• Brain Stimulation Clinic (ECT/rTMS) Advanced brain stimulation therapies including Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for treatment-resistant depression.
• Recovery College Educational programs and workshops for mental health recovery based on a co-design model, building mental health knowledge and skills for patients, families, and community members.
• Recovery High School North America's first Recovery High School program for youth mental health, blending classroom learning with recovery-focused therapeutic activities for students with anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance use challenges.
• VR-SIM Carers Immersive virtual reality program that helps families and caregivers build skills for supporting people living with dementia using realistic 3D scenarios.
• First Responder Assist Program Mental health program for first responders, providing prevention services, crisis support, and individual and group therapy for police, fire, paramedics, correctional workers, and dispatchers.
• Psychosis Recovery Program (PRP) Clinic Recovery-focused psychosis follow-up clinic providing ongoing monitoring, support, and seamless transitions between levels of care for people living with psychosis.
• Assertive Community Treatment Teams (ACTT) Two ACTT teams providing community-based treatment and support for individuals with serious mental illness.
• Assessment and Reintegration Program Inpatient program comprising four units offering 106 inpatient beds including 15 psychiatric intensive care beds for forensic assessment and reintegration.
• Prompt Care Clinic Outpatient clinic providing Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) for conditions such as Borderline Personality Disorder.
• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) Outpatient program where patients attend therapy sessions daily, featuring mindfulness therapies and Therapeutic Arts programming.
• Traumatic Stress Clinic Specialized, evidence-based care for individuals experiencing trauma-related difficulties.
• Adolescent Program Inpatient mental health services for adolescents experiencing mental health challenges including eating disorders.
• Women's Clinic Specialized mental health services for women including the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart Women's Clinic.
• Geriatric Program Mental health services for seniors including the Geriatric Dementia Unit (GDU) and Geriatric Transitional Outreach (GTO), featuring the pioneering Nurse Practitioner as Most Responsible Provider care model.
• Forensic Program Forensic mental health services including the Forensic Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit and Forensic Community and Reintegration Unit for patients with legal matters requiring psychiatric assessment and rehabilitation.
• Patient Portal - My Health My Way Digital portal providing patients with tools to access their health information and engage with their care online, improving accessibility and reducing missed appointments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% increase in non-pharmacological interventions for agitation/aggression in Geriatric Dementia Unit
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Alzheimer Society of Durham RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Ontario Shores partnered with the Alzheimer Society of Durham Region to expand access to the VR-SIM Carers initiative, an immersive virtual reality program that helps families develop skills for supporting people living with dementia. The partnership enables community organizations to deliver the program directly to caregivers, supporting scaling across regions. A study with 30 caregivers found improvements in skills, confidence, quality of life, and resilience.
• Kingsview United Church (Oshawa)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2025Community organization that donated 25 gift bags to the Holiday Hope Heroes campaign. Part of broader community engagement supporting Ontario Shores Foundation's annual gift bag drive for inpatients.
• Tim Hortons (Durham Region)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 April 2025The Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign in Durham Region selected Ontario Shores Foundation for Mental Health as the charity of choice for the second consecutive year (first time in Durham the same charity recipient has been chosen two years in a row). Starting April 28, 2025, 74 Durham Region Tim Hortons restaurants donated their cookie sale proceeds to the foundation, supporting mental health care and research.
• Durham District School BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Ontario Shores developed the Recovery High School program in collaboration with the Durham District School Board, clinicians, and youth advisors. The program is offered on-site to youth at Ontario Shores and through a local high school in Whitby, Ontario, blending classroom learning with recovery-focused activities.
• Wounded Warriors CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Ontario Shores and Wounded Warriors Canada formed a partnership in 2020 to develop the First Responder Assist program, meeting the growing mental health needs of Ontario's public safety personnel (police, fire, paramedics, correctional workers, dispatchers) and their families. The program builds on the expertise of both organizations and enhances culturally specific trauma programs provided by Wounded Warriors through interprofessional teams serving psychological needs via virtual and in-person prevention and treatment services.
• Peterborough Regional Health CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOntario Shores expanded psychosis recovery services in Peterborough with a pilot Psychosis Recovery Program (PRP) Clinic at its Peterborough community site. While Peterborough Regional Health Centre Psychosis Assessment and Treatment Clinic provides critical services in the area, the PRP Clinic addresses expanded, publicly funded psychosis care needs in the community to strengthen the continuum of care for people living with psychosis.
• Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOntario Shores partnered with Durham Regional Police Service to develop a mental health app for police employees in Durham Region. The initiative may spread to other emergency services across Canada, providing mental health resources specifically designed for law enforcement personnel.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Homewood Health Centre: Ontario specialty mental-health and addictions hospital operating under a similar public/private hybrid funding model. Comparable in inpatient psychiatric services, outpatient programs, and a parallel first-responder and trauma offering.
• The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre: Specialty mental-health hospital in Ottawa delivering inpatient, outpatient, forensic and research services under the Ontario public system. Directly comparable in service mix, including subspecialty and rehabilitation programs.
• Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care: Ontario specialty psychiatric hospital in Penetanguishene providing inpatient and outpatient mental-health care with a forensic mandate. Closely comparable in scope, governance (public hospital), and program mix to Ontario Shores.
• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH): Canada's largest mental-health teaching hospital, based in Toronto. Directly comparable as a specialty psychiatric hospital with inpatient beds, outpatient clinics, brain stimulation services, research mandate, and government funding — operating in the same Ontario/Canadian public system.
• St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton — Mental Health and Addictions: Hamilton-based academic hospital with a dedicated Mental Health and Addictions program covering inpatient, outpatient, forensic, and community services under public funding — comparable scope and academic-teaching mandate.
• Providence Care (Mental Health Services): Southeastern Ontario specialty hospital in Kingston delivering inpatient mental-health, geriatric and rehabilitation services. Comparable public-hospital specialty model with academic partnerships.

Others

• Wounded Warriors Canada: National charity partner of Ontario Shores on the First Responder Assist program. Adjacent — not a competitor — but a key delivery partner and ecosystem participant for first-responder mental health, which Ontario Shores treats.

Regional players

• Douglas Mental Health University Institute: Quebec's flagship psychiatric university institute affiliated with McGill. Comparable academic and specialty mandate, but operates in a different (provincial) funding and regulatory system.
• BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services (PHSA): British Columbia's provincial specialty mental-health service line. Comparable tertiary mental-health portfolio (forensic, inpatient, outpatient, research), but operates in a different provincial jurisdiction with separate funding.

Emerging players

• Telus Health / MindBeacon (TELUS Health MyCare): Canadian digital mental-health platform delivering CBT, iCBT and telepsychiatry. Comparable to Ontario Shores' stepped-care, telepsychiatry, and OSP Program offerings, with overlapping patient populations but a low-cost, digital-first delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OntarioShores
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRcfX15NObccf-NdmjwPvsQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Ontario-Shores-Centre-for-Mental-Health-Sciences-102663705972899
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ontario-shores-centre-for-mental-health-sciences
• Instagraminstagram.com/ontarioshores

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ontario Shores Centre For Mental Health Sciences