Crisis Helplines in Canada

All numbers verified October 2026. If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.

Call or text 9-8-8 — Suicide Crisis Helpline

9-8-8 is Canada’s national suicide crisis helpline — call or text, 24/7, free, anywhere in Canada. If you are thinking about suicide, worried about someone, or grieving a suicide loss, 9-8-8 responders listen without judgment and help you make a safety plan.

Call or text: 9-8-8
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
Cost: free
Who: anyone in Canada — in crisis, worried about someone, or bereaved by suicide

Kids Help Phone — 1-800-668-6868

Kids Help Phone supports young people (and adults concerned about a young person) with counselling by phone, text and online chat. Free, confidential, anonymous.

Call: 1-800-668-6868 (24/7)
Text: text CONNECT to 45645 (youth) or 45644 (adults); text PARLONS to 45645 for French
Chat: online chat at kidshelpphone.ca
Who: youth, and adults worried about a young person

Hope for Wellness — 1-855-242-3310

Hope for Wellness offers immediate mental-health counselling and crisis intervention for Indigenous people across Canada, by phone and online chat. Counselling in English and French, with Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut available on request.

Call: 1-855-242-3310 (24/7)
Chat: online chat at hopeforwellness.ca
Who: First Nations, Métis and Inuit people

Trans Lifeline — 1-877-330-6366

Trans Lifeline is a peer-support hotline run by trans people, for trans and questioning people — including support around housing crises and family rejection.

Call (Canada): 1-877-330-6366
Hours: check translifeline.org for current hours
Who: trans, non-binary and questioning people

More helplines

2-1-1 — community and social services referrals, 24/7, free (Ontario and most of Canada).
1-866-925-5454 — Assaulted Women’s Helpline (Ontario), 24/7, multilingual.
1-833-456-4566 — Talk Suicide Canada phone line (also reachable at 9-8-8).
1-800-268-9688 — Drug and alcohol helplines vary by province; call 2-1-1 for your local line.

For the full searchable list of shelters, food banks and support services, visit the Ontario Resource Directory. If you need a place to stay tonight, see Emergency Housing & Shelters in Ottawa.