—Vancouver, BC, October 3, 2015—

Last night the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) welcomed Dr. Sonu Gaind as its new CPA President.

Dr. Sonu Gaind is an Associate Professor with the University of Toronto’s Department of Psychiatry and a past-president of the Ontario Psychiatric.

He has been actively involved in health policy development and advocacy for many years. In his various roles he has helped form health policy, developed service delivery models to improve patient care and access for high-need/high-risk patient populations, negotiated significant increased resources for mental health care for disadvantaged psychiatric patient populations, and engaged medical colleagues across the province and country to be more aware of and advocate against stigma and policies that discriminate against those with mental illness.

“With unprecedented public interest in mental health, we stand at a unique point in time, facing both challenges and tremendous opportunities. I look forward to working with the public and engaging stakeholders as we help define the mental health care system of the future,” said Dr. Gaind.

Dr. has been acknowledged nationally and provincially for his teaching and advocacy work, receiving a CPA Presidential Commendation in 2009 for his role in significantly advancing the practice of psychiatry in Ontario. He is also the recipient of the Jane Chamberlin Award for Outstanding Contributions to General Hospital Psychiatry, the University of Toronto Henry Durost Award for Excellence in Creative Professional Activity, the CPA-COPCE Award for the Most Outstanding Continuing Educational Activity in Canada and the Toronto French School Prix de Distinction des Anciens Élèves for making a significant impact in both his professional field and the community.

In addition to his academic and leadership roles, Dr. Gaind has maintained a community practice consulting to family physicians since residency. For over a decade he worked as a psycho-oncology consultant at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, and in 2014 left the hospital to take on the role of Chief of Psychiatry and Medical Director of Mental Health at the new Humber River Hospital, North America’s first fully digital hospital.

The Canadian Psychiatric Association is the national voice for Canada’s 4,700 psychiatrists and more than 900 psychiatric residents. Founded in 1951, the CPA is dedicated to promoting an environment that fosters excellence in the provision of clinical care, education and research.