We take your privacy and security very seriously. We won’t pressure you to give us information — it’s up to you how much or how little you share. You can find more information about steps we take to keep your details confidential in the terms and conditions of the service.
What happens when I call?
Before you connect to a crisis responder, two things will happen:
You will hear a brief recorded message to let you know you are in the right place.
You will be able to choose whether you want to speak to someone in English or French.
You will then be put through to a crisis responder. If you are placed on hold for a short time, please stay on the line — we will answer your call.
What happens when I text?
Before you connect to a crisis responder, three things will happen:
You will be asked to let us know if you want to text in English or French
You will be asked a few short questions about how you are feeling so we can better support you
You will then connect to a crisis responder
How much does it cost to contact you?
Talk Suicide’s phone number is toll-free, which means you can call for free wherever you are in Canada, from any device, whatever kind of phone plan you have. Texting us is free if you have an unlimited texts plan. If you do have a monthly limit for text and you go over this limit, you may be charged by your service provider.
Who will I be speaking to?
Whether you reach out by phone or text, you will connect to someone who has been trained in suicide prevention. This means that if you are having thoughts of suicide or you are worried about someone else, the person you speak to will have had specific training in how to support you.
Talk Suicide crisis responders are based around the country - the first available responder will answer your call. Wherever possible, we will connect you to someone who is in your part of Canada. Whoever you connect to, they will have had the training they need to support you and will be there to help and listen.
Can you really help me?
“I was feeling down, and he made me feel much better”
“I have a much more positive outlook”
“your many volunteers… have helped me greatly in pushing through the dark and back into the light”
These are some of the things we hear from people who reach out to us. More than 80% of people who have called Talk Suicide felt an increase in their ability to cope. Our crisis responders are caring people who are committed to doing their best to provide meaningful help.
Will I have to wait?
Our goal is to connect to you as quickly as possible. Sometimes, if we are experiencing high demand, you might need to wait. If you find you are on hold, please stay on the line. You can also try texting us on 45645. If it’s an emergency, call 9-1-1.
Will you call 911/the police?
In the vast majority of calls, the police (or any authority) will not be involved. Our goal is to make sure everyone who reaches out to us stays safe. We will only call emergency services if you are at risk of dying or seriously harming yourself — if you are expressing a strong desire to take your own life, you tell us you are in the process of ending your life, or tell us that you may do so in the very near future. The most important thing to remember is this only happens in a very small number of cases.
If you are calling about yourself and you need emergency help, the responder will make every effort to support you and help get you to a safe place. We will try other options for safety planning before contacting emergency services. We’re not able to promise we won’t call 911, but we will do our best to support you whatever happens.
If you’re thinking about reaching out to us but you’re unsure because you’re worried about emergency services being involved, please call or text us — we can talk it through with you.
If the person I am talking to does call 911, what happens next?
On the rare occasions that we call emergency services, it usually means that emergency responders will come to see you, in-person, wherever you are. Depending on your location and your situation, it may be the police who come to check on you, or it may be another service (e.g. EMS, fire and rescue). Often all appropriate services will respond to a 911 call. Again, this only happens in a very small number of cases, when your safety is at serious, imminent risk. If you’re worried, please call or text us and we can talk it through.
Will you call 911 if I am calling about someone else?
If you are calling about someone else, we will not call emergency services. However, we can arrange for one of our crisis responders to reach out to the person you are worried about, if you are concerned for their safety.
Help when you need it
It’s important to talk about suicide. Connect any time: