Halifax’s Tranquility Online, whose digital solution helps people deal with anxiety, has been acquired by Toronto-based health insurer Green Shield Canada for an undisclosed sum.

The companies issued a statement on Wednesday saying Tranquility Online would retain its name and continue to be based in Halifax under the leadership of Co-Founder and President Joel Muise.

Founded in 2017, Tranquility’s website and app offer an automated, digital version of cognitive behavioral therapy—a form of psychotherapy designed to cultivate self-awareness and short-circuit harmful patterns of thought.

“Tranquility is thrilled to be joining the GSC group of companies,” said Muise in a press release. “With a shared vision on social impact and the future of digital mental health care, we look forward to collaborating on critical support for patients whenever and wherever they need it. This acquisition is also a major victory for the Halifax technology ecosystem – one that was not possible without our local investors, clients, partners and stakeholders.”

Muise co-founded the company with Dr. Alissa Pencer, a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Instructor with Dalhousie University, and together they have struck partnerships with several organizations to grow the business. For example, it is be working with Dal and the University of New Brunswick on a research project funded by the Canadian Institute for Health Research. 

Green Shield is Canada’s fourth-largest provider of medical and dental benefits, and recently it has been acquiring or investing in a portfolio of startups to improve its digital offering, which it calls its Digital Clinic. The acquired companies include Inkblot Therapy, which offers digital therapy and employee assistance plans, while the investments or partnerships include telemedicine provider Maple, digital pharmacy PocketPills and pharmacogenetics company GenXys.

Green Shield said the Inkblot and Tranquility teams will soon begin working on integrated solutions with a focus on building a full-service digital mental health offering.

Said Joe Blomeley, Green Shield’s Executive Vice-President of Mental Health: “In partnership, GSC, Inkblot and Tranquility will play a key role in knocking down barriers and providing a much-needed alternative for patients struggling to navigate the mental health system, enduring long wait-times or facing expensive treatment options.”