The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced on Wednesday it will launch the number 9-8-8 for Canadians to call or text when they are “in need of immediate mental health crisis and suicide prevention intervention.”
The CRTC says the number will be implemented by telcos and wireless service providers, and will be free of charge. Any calls or texts will be directed to a mental health crisis or suicide prevention service, also complimentary and available 24/7.
For 9-8-8 to work across the nation, the CRTC says some areas where 7-digit dialing is still the norm, need to transition to 10-digit dialing. This includes Newfoundland and Labrador, northern Ontario and the Yellowknife area. Service providers are being ordered to complete the transition to 10-digit local dialing in these areas by May 31st, 2023; an additional six months will be made available for providers to support 9-8-8 for texts and calls.
“We are taking a significant step in making mental health and suicide prevention resources more accessible to everyone in Canada. A single, easy to remember point of contact will provide much-needed help to those in crisis and will be crucial to saving lives. Although much work is left to be done to bring help to people who need it, we have set accelerated timelines to ensure that 9-8-8 is implemented as quickly and as efficiently as possible,” said Ian Scott, Chairperson and CEO of the CRTC.
The goal of the CRTC is to launch 9-8-8 simultaneously across Canada on November 30th, 2023.
Talk Suicide Canada offers existing assistance through its toll-free number 1-833-456-4566 and 1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553) in Quebec.
Adults can text 741741; youth can text 686868; Quebec residents can text 1-855-957-5353. Talk Suicide Canada’s text service is available from 4:00 p.m. to midnight EST by texting 45645.
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Pretty conflicting messaging.
1. Will the instructions say ” call the Assisted suicide line first”? We seem to be insanely keen on recommending that way out….#1 in the world
2. Will the call center be outsourced ? Just asking….
I wonder if they will use the hotline to continue the push to use suicide as a viable cost saving measure.
hello, our current wait time is 1 hour 40 minutes, please hang on the line, figuratively.
With the expansion of and aggressive push for MAiD for mental health issues, it likely won’t be so figurative a suggestion.
is maid assisted suicide?
Yup. More and more stories of it being pushed on/promoted to patients, including those in the midst of a mental health crisis and including guilting patients about how much their care is costing the system if they don’t do it. We’re now the world leader in performing them and I don’t expect it to be much longer for us to be the new “suicide vacation” destination of choice.
Why have a suicide prevention system when we are actively encouraging suicide for the exact same people? AA going to start handing out shots at each meeting?
good lord, I knew the state of mental health care was dog sh*t, but not this bad. The way this world is going to hell, might not be such a bad option lol.
Excellent, this is s good thing.