Today, la Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) and its partners are proud to unveil the brand-new podcast À coffre ouvert (available in French only). Launched at the height of Mental Health Week, this initiative highlighs the Intermédiaires, who openly address issues related to dependency and mental health problems, without taboos. 

Hosed by the humourist and actor Jonathan Roberge, the first four episodes touch on the subjects of alcoholism, performance-enhancing drugs, post-traumatic stress problems, and detecting signs of distress. Experts also join the conversation, bringing a different angle to the Intermédiaires’ first-person experiences.

“When the CCQ approached me to talk about the project and I found out about the Intermédiaires network, I thought it was amazing,” Roberge said. “I thought it was truly wonderful to see so many men and women giving back as volunteers, in the field! I’m happy to get the word out about the Réseau d’Intermédiaires through the podcast. If it can inspire other sectors to establish this kind of solution, all the better!”

À coffre ouvert is intended as a gateway to discussion about these social issues, which are far from exclusive to the construction industry.

“We can be proud to have a network of peer supporters so invested in our industry. The more we make people aware about these problems, the better we will deal with them as a community! If the À coffre ouvert podcast encourages one member of the industry to seek help or provides tools to a friend or family member who was worried and didn’t know how to start the conversation, we will have reached our goal!”

— Le Comité de promotion des avantages sociaux de l’industrie de la construction.

Watch this overview of the podcast – it won’t leave you indifferent!

The first four episodes are available on various listening platforms in audio format (Spotify, Apple podcasts and Balado Québec), and on YouTube in video. To access them and learn more about the Intermédiaires, visit www.intermediaires.org.

Who are the Intermédiaires?

For more than 30 years, the Intermédiaires have formed a province-wide mutual-aid and listening network composed of volunteer workers and employers supporting their peers struggling with dependency or mental health issues. 

In 2025, the construction industry can count on more than 700 Intermédiaires present on construction sites in every region of Québec. They are trained to appropriately listen to and support their peers living with these challenges and to guide them to the available resources, such as Construire en santé, a health-promotion and -management program run by MÉDIC Construction.

By providing confidential assistance and guidance to people who ask for their help, the Intermédiaires are valuable change agents in their environment. Their presence in the field contributes to early detection of problems and encourages a culture of mutual aid.

To find out more about the Réseau d’Intermédiaires, visit www.intermediaires.org.

Getting help

Your Intermédiaires are there to support you. On construction sites, you can identify them quickly by spotting the “i” symbol on their helmet, or you can contact your association.

If you need help, you can also contact a healthcare professional from the Construire en santé program, at 1 800 807-2433. This frontline service is offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Construire en santé program is offered exclusively to eligible MÉDIC Construction insureds and their dependents.