Category: News

Vancouver, BC – September 2025  — The Crisis Centre of BC welcomes the Report on the Budget 2026 Consultation and applauds the Committee’s recognition of the urgent need to add a mental health option for 911 callers who are experiencing emotional crisis or distress. 

“Right now, police or ambulance are automatically dispatched to suicide and mental health crisis related calls through 911,” said Stacy Ashton, Executive Director of the Crisis Centre of BC and Chair of the BC Crisis Line Network. “If we divert these calls to crisis lines, our responders can provide immediate emotional support, address the risk of suicide safely, and resolve crisis before it escalates.”

BC’s highly trained crisis responders already provide 24/7 support through established crisis lines, helping people in distress find connection, and hope. Fully 98% of our calls are resolved without the need for police or ambulance. By making crisis lines directly accessible as part of the 911 system, we could save public resources while ensuring people receive the right support at the right time.

The Centre urges the Province to use the momentum of the Budget 2026 recommendations to move forward with a fully integrated crisis response model:

• Establishing mental health crisis lines as the fourth option within 911, alongside police, fire, and ambulance.
• Reducing reliance on costly and often traumatizing emergency interventions in cases where a supportive, phone-based response is sufficient.
• Positioning BC as a national leader in suicide prevention and mental health crisis support by leveraging existing, proven crisis line infrastructure.

“With the right investments, BC can ensure that every person in crisis receives care that is effective, respectful, and life-saving,” added Ashton. “The 911 reforms outlined in this report give us a unique chance to make that vision a reality.”

Media Contact
Stacy Ashton
Executive Director, Crisis Centre of BC
sashton@crisiscentre.bc.ca 

Jeffrey Preiss
Director, Development & Communications
jpreiss@crisiscentre.bc.ca

Vancouver, BC — June 17, 2025 – With British Columbians increasingly affected by distressing news, including climate-related disasters like wildfires, international conflicts, tariff uncertainty, and political unrest, the Crisis Centre of BC is urging news outlets to include mental health crisis resources in their coverage.

The 310-6789 mental health crisis line is BC’s primary line offering free, confidential, and immediate support to anyone in British Columbia, 24 hours a day. The Crisis Centre encourages journalists, producers, and editors to reference this number in stories covering traumatic or emotionally challenging topics.

“When the news feels overwhelming, many people in our communities experience anxiety, fear, or uncertainty. People directly affected by the events may want help to think through their next steps,” said Stacy Ashton, Executive Director of the Crisis Centre of BC. “We want to remind folks that they are not alone. Support is just a phone call away.”

By integrating mental health crisis resources into media coverage, journalists, editors, and producers can play a pivotal role in connecting individuals to crisis support lines.

Key Information:

• BC Crisis Line: 310-6789 (no area code needed, available 24/7 across BC).
• Who It’s For: Anyone in BC experiencing emotional distress, anxiety, loneliness, fear, uncertainty, or mental health concerns.
• What We Ask: When covering stories related to traumatic events, please include a note encouraging the public to contact the 310-6789 line for support.

Additional Resources in BC

• 1-800-SUICIDE is the BC suicide prevention and intervention phone line.
• 9-8-8 is the national suicide crisis phone and text line.

Media Contact:

Jeffrey Preiss
Director, Development & Communications
jpreiss@crisiscentre.bc.ca

Vancouver, BC — January 08, 2025 – Voluntary, community-based supports are the only way to ensure proposed involuntary care measures have a chance to succeed.

Stacy Ashton, Executive Director of the Crisis Centre of BC, emphasized the importance of a full spectrum of crisis support:

“It’s common sense to roll out voluntary supports alongside involuntary measures, or you’ll fill 20 beds up on day one and have made no real difference.”

The Crisis Centre of BC, along with nine other crisis centres across the Province, answers the 310-6789 mental health crisis line and 1800SUICIDE line. “We are already part way to on-demand community-based crisis support. The Province has invested in crisis lines and our call answer rate has increased by 46% as a result. Crisis mobile response teams featuring mental health and peer support are available in 33 communities. These measures work, but are not yet funded to answer every single call or able to send teams to support folks 24/7. The cost of community-based support is tiny compared to the cost of building institutions, but one cannot succeed without the other.”

The announcement of two secure involuntary care sites set to open in Surrey and Maple Ridge is meant to provide care for the small subset of people needing urgent mental health and addiction care. “We hear from folks before involuntary care, during involuntary care, and after involuntary care – we hear everything on the lines. Involuntary care is preventable with community-based supports, and community-based supports are what people need to be successful upon release. Quite simply, we cannot afford to keep people in involuntary care forever, so we have to ensure people have supports on the outside as well.”

Media Contact
Stacy Ashton
Executive Director, Crisis Centre of BC
sashton@crisiscentre.bc.ca 

Vancouver, BC – July 24, 2024 – The Crisis Centre of BC acknowledges today’s Vancouver City Council decision to include the installation of suicide prevention barriers on the Granville Street Bridge into its Capital Plan, but we are disappointed that this essential work is still contingent on other levels of government coming to the table first.

The original motion, introduced by Councillor Christine Boyle, was designed to save lives – now. Amendments brought forward mark a step forward in creating a suicide-safer Vancouver, but they do not address the urgency of the lived and living experiences of folks directly impacted by suicide on Granville Street Bridge.

The Centre supports the inclusion of suicide bridge barrier funding in the National Suicide Prevention Action Plan. We encourage the City to apply for infrastructure funding from all levels of government. But these actions can happen after City Council makes a clear commitment to fund and install suicide prevention fencing as quickly as possible.

The lives of Vancouver residents should not rely on resolving debates about funding.

“While the motion as passed did not meet our hope of prioritizing the lives of residents by unanimously supporting the installation of barriers as soon as possible, the motion still carries weight to bring about significant change in our region, province and country,” said Stacy Ashton, Executive Director of the Crisis Centre of BC. “By bringing forward the addition of bridge suicide barriers as a priority addition to Canada’s National Suicide Prevention Action Plan, Vancouver is demonstrating a commitment to this work; we would have liked that commitment to go further to create safety on Granville Bridge now.”

The Crisis Centre of BC remains dedicated to supporting individuals in crisis and advocating for suicide prevention measures. With today’s decision, the organization is hopeful for a future where bridges are symbols of hope and connection, rather than despair.

About the Crisis Centre of BC

The Crisis Centre of BC is a leading provider of crisis intervention and suicide prevention services in British Columbia. The Centre operates 24/7 crisis lines offering barrier-free, non-judgemental, confidential support and follow-up, as well as education and training programs that promote mental wellness and equip schools, organizations and communities to assist people at risk of suicide.

• 310-6789 (no area code needed)
  BC Mental Health Support Line
• 1-800-SUICIDE / 1-800-784-2433
  BC Suicide Prevention and Intervention Line
• 9-8-8
  National Suicide Crisis Helpline / Ligne d’aide en cas de crise de suicide

Media Requests

Jeffrey Preiss
Director, Development & Communications
jpreiss@crisiscentre.bc.ca

Stacy Ashton
Executive Director, Crisis Centre of BC
Chair, BC Crisis Line Network
sashton@crisiscentre.bc.ca

Vancouver, BC – July 17, 2024 – The Crisis Centre BC is calling on the Vancouver City Mayor and Council to champion public safety and mental health by supporting the upcoming motion regarding suicide prevention fencing for the Granville Bridge. The motion will be brought forward to Council on July 24, 2024.

“Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy,” states Stacy Ashton, Executive Director at Crisis Centre BC. “Suicide prevention fencing on Granville Bridge will save lives.”

The Crisis Centre of BC is a signatory to a Letter to Mayor & Council sent on July 17, 2024.  Other signatories include: Tom Lancaster – General Manager, CMHC-Granville Island; Ruhamah Buchanan – President, PSAC Local 20378, Granville Island; Jonny Morris – Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Mental Health Association, BC; Jeannine Martin, President, Vancouver Regional Construction Association; Jane Talbot, Executive Director, Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association; Ivy Haisell, Executive Director of the South Granville Business Improvement Association.  

“The heartbreaking reality is that people attempting suicide from the bridge are acting in moments of crisis,” says Ashton.  Suicide prevention fencing offers a critical opportunity for intervention and prevents final decisions made in someone’s most difficult moments.  These fences save lives, prevent injuries, and prevent trauma for the first responders and bystanders who are moved to help and who witness these events.

By prioritizing this motion, the Council can send a strong message that they value the safety and well-being of all Vancouver residents.

About the Crisis Centre of BC

The Crisis Centre of BC is a leading provider of crisis intervention and suicide prevention services in British Columbia. The Centre operates 24/7 crisis lines offering barrier-free, non-judgemental, confidential support and follow-up, as well as education and training programs that promote mental wellness and equip schools, organizations and communities to assist people at risk of suicide.

• 310-6789 (no area code needed)
  BC Mental Health Support Line
• 1-800-SUICIDE / 1-800-784-2433
  BC Suicide Prevention and Intervention Line
• 9-8-8
  National Suicide Crisis Helpline / Ligne d’aide en cas de crise de suicide

Media Requests

Jeffrey Preiss
Director, Development & Communications
jpreiss@crisiscentre.bc.ca

Stacy Ashton
Executive Director, Crisis Centre of BC
Chair, BC Crisis Line Network
sashton@crisiscentre.bc.ca

Vancouver, BC – June 17, 2024 – The Crisis Centre of BC is calling for the widespread implementation of bridge barriers and fencing as a key strategy in preventing suicide.

“We are talking about a human being who is likely experiencing their darkest moment,” says Stacy Ashton, Executive Director of the Crisis Centre of BC. “Our goal is to keep them safe and show them that their life matters. Bridge fencing on all bridges, combined with readily available crisis phone access, can achieve this.”

Ashton emphasizes that bridge barriers are not just about preventing suicide, but about creating a safety net and offering a chance for intervention.

“When someone is in crisis, a bridge can become a symbol of finality. Barriers and fencing buy time, allowing that person the opportunity to connect with help and find hope,” she says.

The Crisis Centre cites a report by Toronto Public Health, which highlights the effectiveness of bridge barriers. The report found a 93 per cent reduction in suicide deaths at bridge locations where barriers were implemented.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” says Ashton. “Suicide rates may fluctuate, but what matters most is that the vast majority of people find a path to lives worth living when we’re there for them during their most difficult times. Bridge barriers are a crucial piece of the puzzle in preventing suicide.”

The Crisis Centre acknowledges that aesthetics and cost may be considerations, but believes these concerns can be addressed through design and collaboration.

“We urge bridge authorities and government officials to prioritize public safety and mental health,” concludes Ashton. “Let’s work together to make sure every bridge is a symbol of hope and connection, not despair.”

About the Crisis Centre of BC

The Crisis Centre of BC is a leading provider of crisis intervention and suicide prevention services in British Columbia. The Centre operates 24/7 crisis lines offering barrier-free, non-judgemental, confidential support and follow-up, as well as education and training programs that promote mental wellness and equip schools, organizations and communities to assist people at risk of suicide.

• 310-6789 (no area code needed)
  BC Mental Health Support Line
• 1-800-SUICIDE / 1-800-784-2433
  BC Suicide Prevention and Intervention Line
• 9-8-8
  National Suicide Crisis Helpline / Ligne d’aide en cas de crise de suicide

Media Requests

Jeffrey Preiss
Director, Development & Communications
jpreiss@crisiscentre.bc.ca

Stacy Ashton
Executive Director, Crisis Centre of BC
Chair, BC Crisis Line Network
sashton@crisiscentre.bc.ca