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HomeWhat We DoSuicide Prevention

Suicide Prevention

What is the issue?

Suicide is one of the top 10 causes of death in Canada. It’s a serious public health problem with lasting, harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities.

Evidence has indicated that one of the most common risk factors for suicide is a diagnosis of a mental health problem or illness. Fortunately, programs and strategies are available that can make a difference.

What are we doing?

As part of our ongoing commitment to life promotion and suicide prevention, we have created a range of evidence-based resources.

Roots of Hope Icon

Roots of Hope 
A Community-led Suicide Prevention Project, Roots of Hope builds on community expertise to implement suicide interventions tailored to local contexts. Through this project, we are building an evidence base that includes best practices, guidelines, and tools to support the development of a suicide prevention model across the country.

#ShareHope

Using the hashtag #ShareHope allows Canadians to share messages of hope and resilience via Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Not on social media? Click to add a post directly to our #ShareHope wall.

Learning Modules

Suicide: Facing the Difficult Topic Together
A free course designed to equip health care providers with the skills and confidence to have conversations with patients about suicide (accredited for continuing professional development). Developed by the MHCC, in partnership with the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) and HealthCareCAN.

Toolkits

  • Suicide Prevention Toolkits
    Developed by the MHCC, in collaboration with the CASP, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and an advisory committee of people with lived experience related to suicide, these toolkits offer a repository of resources to support people who have been impacted by suicide.
  • Suicide Risk Assessment Toolkit: A Resource for Healthcare Workers and Organizations
    Developed in collaboration with the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, provides a high-level overview of what health-care workers and organization need to consider when using suicide risk assessment tools. It also highlights and describes a range of available tools.

Webinars

A repository of webinars on suicide prevention, life promotion, intervention, and the community response to suicide (postvention).

Fact sheets

Developped through a partnership with us and the Centre for Suicide Prevetion, these fact sheets provide information on suicide and

Research

Safe Messaging and Conversations

  • Mindset: Reporting on Mental Health
    This field guide, developed by the Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma, is designed to help media professionals write more complete stories and avoid contributing to mental health stigma. Among a range of updates in the third edition (2020) is guidance on creating more nuanced accounts related to suicide.

Resources

Learn more about understanding and reducing suicide risk using the resources below.

THE COMMUNITY OF BURIN PENINSULA The Burin Peninsula, an area that stretches southwest from the main island for some 130 km, has a population of about 19,000, spread across several…

THE WELLINGTON COUNTY COMMUNITY Waterloo Region: Wellington County: COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS To minimize potential risks following a suicide death, the Roots of Hope community in Wellington County has focused…

THE WINDSOR-ESSEX COMMUNITY Windsor and Essex County has a population of more than 420,000 across seven municipalities. Windsor itself, with about 230,000 residents, is home to Canada’s busiest border crossing…

THE MEADOW LAKE AND AREA COMMUNITY While the City of Meadow Lake has a population of around 5,400, our Roots of Hope project serves the rural residents of 11 surrounding…

THE MADAWASKA-VICTORIA COMMUNITY The Madawaska and Victoria region in northern New Brunswick is home to about 50,000 people. The area is predominantly French‑speaking and has an economy centred on forestry,…

THE LA RONGE COMMUNITY The La Ronge and Area Roots of Hope Project lies in Woodland Cree territory in northern Saskatchewan within the Precambrian Shield’s boreal forest. Woodland Cree people…

THE HAMILTON COMMUNITY The City of Hamilton, at the west end of Lake Ontario between Niagara Falls and Toronto, is Canada’s ninth largest city, with a population of 767,000 (as…

THE HALTON COMMUNITY Halton is a rapidly growing community with a population of 600,000 (an increase of about 60 per cent from 2001 to 2021). The Halton Suicide Prevention Coalition…

THE EDMONTON COMMUNITY Edmonton is situated in a central Alberta area that measures 648 square kilometres. Its urban population of more than 970,000 reaches nearly 1.5 million across the wider…