Nationwide 3-digit suicide prevention hotline launching next year, CRTC says Social Sharing
988 will be adopted as the official three digits for the hotline
A long-anticipated three-digit suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline will come online in 2023, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said Wednesday.
The CRTC said it will use 988 as the hotline’s number — the same three digits adopted for a similar hotline in the United States that launched in July.
- Mental health experts say Canada needs a 3-digit suicide crisis hotline
- Minister admits it’s taking Ottawa ‘a long time’ to set up suicide hotline
MPs voted unanimously in favour of establishing a three-digit hotline in December 2020, as demand was rising for mental health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conservative B.C. MP Todd Doherty, who tabled the motion on the hotline, said he heard the news while out running errands and had to sit in his truck and cry for half an hour.
“It took way too long to do this but today is a great day,” he said.
Doherty, whose best friend died by suicide at the age of 14, said there is still work to be done to implement the hotline but he’s glad things are heading in the right direction.
“When minutes and seconds count, this will save lives,” he said.
Once the hotline is active, Canadians will be able to call or text it and be directed to mental health services free of charge.
- Ottawa beefing up suicide prevention services, but 3 digit hotline could be more than year away
- 3-digit suicide prevention hotline gets green light from House of Commons
Following the CRTC announcement, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced it’s tapping the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health to lead and coordinate service delivery for the hotline.
Statistics Canada reported in 2021 that, on average, more than 10 Canadians were dying by suicide every day.
The CRTC said it anticipates the hotline will be launched on Nov. 30, 2023.
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