Royal Ottawa Place

What Royal Ottawa Place does

ConnexOntario is Ontario's centralized 24/7 helpline and information service connecting residents with mental health, addiction, and problem gambling support services. Founded in 1991 as the Drug and Alcohol Registry of Treatment (DART) by the Ontario Ministry of Health, it consolidated three legacy helplines — DART (1991), the Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline (1997), and Mental Health Services Information Ontario (2005) — under a single brand in 2018. The organization maintains a proprietary database of 5,320+ Ontario service programs and delivers support across phone (1-866-531-2600), text (247247), live chat, email, and the ConnexGO mobile application, with service available in 130+ languages through interpretation. End users — Ontario residents, families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and community organizations — access all services free of charge without referral or identification.

The core technology stack centers on the verified services directory, a multi-channel contact platform, the ConnexCentral provider portal for self-service listing management, Power BI-based Interactive Reports for government and provider analytics, and the ConnexGO iOS/Android mobile app. The organization also operates specialized sub-brand programs: mindyourmind (youth mental health engagement for ages 14-29), Good2Talk (post-secondary student helpline, co-managed with Kids Help Phone, 211 Ontario, and the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions), BetGuard (online gambling self-exclusion), the Provincial Forensic Bed Registry, and the Working in Mental Health careers platform hosted since 2009.

ConnexOntario is a non-profit funded entirely through grants from the Government of Ontario and Ontario Health (Santé Ontario), with no fees charged to users and no earned-revenue component. The organization is community-governed by a Board of Directors representing mental health and addiction agencies across the province. Operational headquarters are in London, Ontario, and the organization has documented 91,192+ cumulative connections and 11,834 contacts receiving crisis support. Marketing and distribution operate through digital channels (website, social, blog, screening tools) plus partnerships with Ontario Health Teams, healthcare providers, and educational institutions.

Name

Royal Ottawa Place

Legal name

ConnexOntario

Website

https://mentalhealthhelpline.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ConnexOntario operates Ontario's centralized 24/7 helpline connecting residents with mental health, addiction, and problem gambling support services via phone, text, chat, email, and a 5,320+ program database. Government-funded non-profit serving individuals, families, and healthcare providers across the province.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Information and Referral Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Crisis Support, Suicide Prevention & Acute Behavioral Triage Platforms (HLALAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI)

Keywords

• Mental health helpline
• Addiction treatment referral
• Problem gambling support
• Healthcare service directory
• Crisis intervention services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa, Ontario

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: ConnexOntario is funded by the Government of Ontario and Ontario Health (Santé Ontario). Services are provided free to Ontario residents. The organization does not charge for information, navigation, or referral services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Royal Ottawa Place (operating as ConnexOntario) runs a free, confidential 24/7/365 helpline and information service connecting Ontario residents to mental health, addiction, and problem gambling support services via phone, text, live chat, and email. The service is backed by a continuously updated database of 5,320+ Ontario programs, the ConnexGO mobile app, and dedicated sub-programs (mindyourmind, Good2Talk, Working in Mental Health, BetGuard, and the Provincial Forensic Bed Registry). All services are provided at no cost to Ontario residents and are funded by the Government of Ontario and Ontario Health.

Product overview

ConnexOntario operates as a unified health services information and navigation platform offering multiple interconnected products and services. The core offering is a 24/7 free, confidential helpline (phone, text, chat, email) backed by a database of over 5,320 mental health, addiction, and problem gambling programs across Ontario. This core service is complemented by the ConnexGO mobile application for on-the-go access, Screening Tools for self-assessment, and Interactive Reports powered by Power BI for data analytics. The ConnexCentral online portal serves partner organizations to manage their listings. Specialized sub-programs include mindyourmind (youth mental health resources aged 14-29), Good2Talk (post-secondary student support), the Provincial Forensic Bed Registry, Working in Mental Health (career platform), and BetGuard (gambling self-exclusion). Together, these products create a comprehensive ecosystem connecting Ontarians to mental health and addiction support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• mindyourmind: A youth mental health resources and engagement platform that combines engagement, technology, and evidence-based design to help young Canadians develop resilience. Partners with community organizations and youth aged 14-29 to co-create interactive tools that strengthen mental health literacy, coping skills, and resilience.
• ConnexGO
• Good2Talk
• Working in Mental Health

Products and services

• 24/7 ConnexOntario Helpline Service Free, confidential 24/7/365 helpline providing information, navigation, and referrals for mental health, addiction, and problem gambling services across Ontario, accessible via phone (1-866-531-2600), text (CONNEX to 247247), live chat, and email.
• ConnexOntario Services Directory Searchable web-based directory of 5,320+ Ontario mental health, addiction, and gambling support service programs, with continuously updated listings for self-serve browsing by individuals, families, and healthcare providers.
• ConnexGO Mobile Application Free mobile app for iOS and Android that helps Ontarians discover mental health, gambling, and addiction services, call, email, or chat with live agents, locate crisis services, search for nearby treatment, save search results, and access a virtual library of mental health resources.
• mindyourmind A ConnexOntario program that combines engagement, technology, and evidence-based design to help young Canadians aged 14-29 build mental health resilience through interactive tools co-created with community organizations and youth.
• Good2Talk Free, confidential helpline for Ontario post-secondary students offering professional counselling, mental health and addiction information, and connections to local resources, accessible 24/7 via phone, text, and online peer support communities; co-managed with Jeunesse, J'écoute, 211 Ontario, and the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions.
• Working in Mental Health Careers Portal Careers website in the mental health and addictions sector that allows employers to post job listings and student internships and provides information on university and college programs, career paths, and training opportunities.
• BetGuard Online Gambling Self-Exclusion Platform

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Government of OntariocoreOthersPrimary funder of ConnexOntario services. Provides financial support enabling free 24/7 access to mental health, addiction, and gambling support services for all Ontario residents.
• Ontario Health (Santé Ontario)coreOthersProvincial healthcare organization that funds and oversees ConnexOntario. ConnexOntario works with Ontario Health to maintain a comprehensive database of mental health, addiction, and gambling services.
• mindyourmindcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA program of ConnexOntario that combines engagement, technology, and evidence-based design to help young Canadians build mental health resilience. Partners with community organizations and youth aged 14-29 to co-create interactive mental health tools.
• Good2TalkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative providing free, confidential mental health helpline for Ontario post-secondary students. ConnexOntario co-manages this initiative with Jeunesse, J'écoute, 211 Ontario, and the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions.
• 211 OntariominorGTM or Marketing PartnerOntario's community and social services helpline partnered with for the Good2Talk initiative supporting post-secondary students.
• Jeunesse, J'écoute (Kids Help Phone)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in the Good2Talk initiative providing mental health support for post-secondary students in Ontario.
• Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and AddictionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in the Good2Talk initiative providing mental health support for post-secondary students in Ontario.
• Ontario Health TeamsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHealthcare integration partners who use ConnexOntario's database and referral services to connect patients with appropriate mental health and addiction services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Jack.org: Canadian youth mental health charity focused on awareness, training, and resource navigation for young people. Adjacent to mindyourmind's youth mental health mandate, with comparable mission and government/non-profit partnership model but different delivery mechanism (advocacy and training rather than helpline).
• Foundry (BC): Integrated youth mental health and substance use service network in British Columbia offering both in-person and virtual navigation. Comparable service directory and youth mental health focus, but with a stronger integrated-care delivery model rather than a pure helpline.

Direct peers

• Crisis Services Canada / Talk Suicide Canada: Canada-wide 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention helpline. Directly comparable 24/7 crisis support and triage model, with overlapping crisis-line capability where ConnexOntario handles 11,834+ crisis contacts.
• 211 Ontario: Ontario's community and social services helpline. Directly comparable to ConnexOntario as a free, 24/7 multi-channel helpline providing information and referral across health, social, and community services, with an explicit partnership with ConnexOntario on the Good2Talk initiative.
• Here247 (Alberta): Alberta's 24/7 virtual mental health and addiction service providing navigation, counselling, and crisis support. Closely comparable operating model (24/7 free multi-channel helpline + referral navigation), but geographically focused on Alberta rather than Ontario.
• Kids Help Phone (Jeunesse, J'écoute): Canada-wide 24/7 e-mental health service for young people offering phone, text, and live chat support. Directly comparable multi-channel helpline model for mental health, with overlapping youth (mindyourmind) and post-secondary (Good2Talk) segments.

Regional players

• BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services (HealthLink BC 8-1-1): British Columbia's 24/7 health information and navigation service including mental health and substance use triage. Comparable 24/7 navigation model with multi-channel access, but provincial scope and broader health mandate.
• Info-Santé 8-1-1 (Quebec): Quebec's province-wide 24/7 nurse triage and health information line. Comparable 24/7 helpline and triage architecture, but serves Quebec residents in French and is operated by the provincial health system rather than a non-profit.

Broad incumbents

• Wellness Together Canada: Federally funded portal offering free mental health and substance use support, including counseling by text and phone. Comparable in mission and free-access model, but federally backed and broader in scope, positioning it as both a partner and competitive substitute.
• Health811 (formerly Telehealth Ontario): Ontario's province-wide 24/7 telehealth service providing nurse-led triage, health advice, and now mental health navigation. Comparable 24/7 helpline delivery model, but broader in scope (general health, not specialty behavioral health) and a potential substitute or partner for ConnexOntario.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fconnexontario
• Facebookfacebook.com/people/ConnexOntario/100067992339601
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/royal-ottawa-place
• Instagraminstagram.com/ConnexOntario

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Royal Ottawa Place