Canadian Crisis Support Lines

Living with chronic pain can take its toll on mental health, so learning effective coping skills is essential. Crisis lines provide a friendly voice to talk to when life just feels completely overwhelming. They are especially helpful when it feels too daunting to share distressing emotions with family or friends.

Crisis lines

Crisis lines are typically run by mental health centers and are great resources for individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis. They are usually a nonprofit or charity-based organization that depends on volunteers to staff the lines. Crisis lines are a free service and are typically available 24/7.

• Talk Suicide Canada
  Talk Suicide Canada provides nation-wide 24/7, bilingual crisis-support for Canadians.
  
  For English, call: 1-833-456-4566
  For French, call: 1-866-277-3553
  
  Support via text message is available from 4pm to Midnight EST.
  
  For English, text support: 45645
  For French, text support: 535353
• Canada Wellness Together
  Canada Wellness Together provides free, confidential, 24/7, crisis intervention via text.
  
  Text “Wellness” to 741741 for adults
  Text “Wellness” to 686868 for youth
  Text “Frontline” to 741741 for front line workers
• Kids Help Phone
  Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, confidential support to kids, teens, and young adults in English and French.
  
  Phone: 1-800-668-6868
  Text : 686868
  
• Hope for Wellness
  Hope for Wellness provides 24/7 culturally sensitive crisis support for all Indigenous peoples throughout Canada. Services are available in English and French. It is also available in Cree, Ojibway (Anishinaabemowin), and Inuktitut; however, these languages may not be available at all times.
  
  Phone: 1-855-242-3310
  Online Chat is also available
  
• Canadian Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line
  This crisis line provides support for former Residential School students and their families. It is available 24 /7 and can provide emotional and crisis referral services.
  
  Phone: 1-866-925-4419

Warm lines

Some individuals may have used a crisis line in the past and did not find the experience helpful. Warm lines are an alternative option to crisis lines. They are run by individuals who have personally experienced their own mental health issues, challenging times, or traumas. Warm lines are usually operated on a daily basis during specific hours.

• Progress Place
  Progress Place offers peer support warm line that is free and confidential. The peer support group is composed of people with experience in mental health challenges. It is available to those who are 18 or older. Progress Place Peer Support warm line is available via phone or text from 3pm – midnight EST, 7 days a week.
  
  Phone: 1-888-768-2488 or 416-960-WARM (9276)
  Text: 1-647-557-5882
  
  Online chat is available between noon and midnight, 7 days per week.

Social support lines

Feeling socially isolated and would like a kind voice to talk to for a bit? Social support lines are a beneficial coping tool.

• 211
  This is a help line that is available in all 10 Provinces and 3 Territories. It helps to connect individuals with social services, programs, and community support. 211 is also completely confidential.