Resources
Our library of over 50,000 suicide-related items, the largest English-language collection in the world, informs the work we do.
Featured Resources
Buddy Up is a suicide prevention public awareness campaign by men, for men.
Together to Live is a step by step guide to creating a community suicide prevention plan.
Excel spreadsheet of suicide data for all Canadian provinces and territories.
Our library of over 45,000 suicide-specific items, the largest English-language collection of its kind, informs the work we do.
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A Caring Conversation: What Suicide Prevention Can Look Like
infoExchange is an original resource that examines topics relating to suicide in a way that encourages conversation, written in an editorial style. “I was officially diagnosed bipolar when I was thirty years old. It was at that breakdown, when I was thirty and ended up in the hospital that I truly felt so disconnected and […]
You can help someone who is thinking about suicide
Cliquez ici pour la version française Haga clic aquí para ver la versión en español Today is September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day. This is the one day a year focused solely on awareness around the issue of suicide and its prevention and this year, we’re spreading the message that suicide can affect anyone and […]
Sexual minorities and suicide prevention
Related resources: Transgender people and suicide fact sheet Transgender people and suicide toolkit Sexual minorities and suicide fact sheet Because sexual orientation is not usually included in a cause of death report or on a death certificate, there is little data connecting sexual minorities and suicide. However, we know from survey data, as well as […]
Suicide myths and facts
In this video, we debunk some common myths about suicide in an effort to educate and reduce stigma! Video created by: Aaron Bischoff; Ethan Ror; Sarah Ensz
Suicide prevention in the workplace
Learn some myths and facts about suicide, and more about suicide prevention in the workplace in this webinar was hosted by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), presented by the Centre for Suicide Prevention on November 29, 2017. View this webinar on the MHCC website This webinar was based on content provided in our […]
Trauma informed care and suicide
Cliquez ici pour la version française Click here to view all our fact sheets on suicide. These fact sheets are a collaboration between the Centre for Suicide Prevention, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. For more information on Trauma and suicide, check out our suite of trauma toolkits: Trauma […]
Injury prevention and suicide
Cliquez ici pour la version française Click here to view all our fact sheets on suicide. These fact sheets are a collaboration between the Centre for Suicide Prevention, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. What is it? Injury prevention aims to reduce harm and increase safety for individuals, […]
Bullying and suicide
Cliquez ici pour la version française Click here to view all our fact sheets on suicide. These fact sheets are a collaboration between the Centre for Suicide Prevention, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. What is it? Bullying is related to negative psychological, emotional and behavioural outcomes. These […]
Aiming for Perfection: The Zero Suicide Movement
infoExchange is an original resource that examines topics relating to suicide in a way that encourages conversation, written in an editorial style. There is a movement within healthcare systems striving to eliminate suicide. Fittingly, it is called the Zero Suicide Movement. When I first heard this name a couple of years ago, I did a […]
What additional resources are needed to prevent suicide?
Having people trained in suicide intervention and suicide prevention is not enough to prevent suicide. That’s a huge step, and that’s something all of us can do but there are four big categories for suicide prevention that are promoted by the World Health Organization; four big categories of categories or initiatives that we can do. […]
What is the cost of suicide?
If we’ve looking to put a dollar figure on a suicide death, it would probably be over a million dollars per death. That sounds exorbitant, and it really is. There was a study done about 20 years ago in the Maritimes that costed out a suicide death at $850,000 so 20 years later we can […]
How prevalent is suicide?
The prevalence of suicide is an interesting question because we think it’s far too prevalent, but in a population it is a rare occurrence and people need to understand that we are hard-wired to live. Having the capability for suicide is very rare, and it’s a very difficult thing to do. It goes against our […]
Why is suicide prevention education important?
Suicide can be prevented if we learn to recognize the people considering suicide. Before we can learn to recognize the people considering suicide or the invitations they might give out, what we need to do is examine our own beliefs and values. Do we think suicide can be prevented? Or do we think it’s always […]
An open letter to my fellow “southern” Canadians
Written in honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day. I had the privilege of visiting Canada’s north last fall. It was a tremendously moving experience, one that has motivated me to write about it for the benefit of others. As we approach Canada’s 150th year, more and more attention is being paid to the diversity and […]
The workplace and suicide prevention
The workplace is a major part of the lives of most Canadians. Many of us spend upwards of 60% of our waking hours at work (Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, 2016). Therefore, when a colleague dies by suicide the emotional and financial costs are enormous not only to family members, but to co-workers and the […]
Thirteen Reasons Why Lesson Plan
This 4-lesson plan set, developed by the Centre for Suicide Prevention, is for Health and Life Skills teachers teaching about suicide prevention using the Jay Asher novel Thirteen Reasons Why. The novel is intended to be read between lessons #1 and #2. Unit rationale Students will begin to identify the complexity of suicide in order […]
Trauma and suicide in children
This toolkit is one of a suite of three focused on trauma. The full suite includes: Trauma and suicide, Trauma and suicide in children and Trauma and suicide in Indigenous people. Introduction When children and adolescents experience trauma, their personal development can be affected. They may develop mental health issues and have a higher risk […]
Trauma and Suicide
This toolkit is one of a suite of three focused on trauma. The full suite includes: Trauma and suicide, Trauma and suicide in children and Trauma and suicide in Indigenous people. Introduction Trauma is very common among people in Canada. Most people receiving treatment for mental health issues have had some form of trauma (Rosenberg, […]
Youth at Risk
For adults For youth How to ask for help Don’t blame yourself! Being unwell, whether physically or mentally, is not a sign of weakness or failure. Looking and asking for help is a sign of strength. As difficult as it is, the first step to finding solutions other than suicide is to ask for help. […]
Does Canada need a national suicide prevention strategy?
infoExchange is an original resource that examines topics relating to suicide in a way that encourages conversation, written in an editorial style. Canada is one of the only G7 countries without a national suicide prevention strategy — indeed one of the few industrialized countries in the world without one. The United States, Australia, Japan, Scotland, […]
Self-harm and Suicide
Self-harming behaviours continue to be a major issue in Canada. This is especially true for young people, whose self-harm rates far outnumber those for adults. Self-harm can sometimes be associated with increased suicidality. Self-harm has been defined as “a preoccupation with deliberately hurting oneself without conscious suicidal intent, often resulting in damage to body tissue” […]
Help save a life!
Helping someone who may be suicidal If someone you know: shows changes in behaviour, appearance, or mood threatens suicide talks about wanting to die deliberately injures themselves appears depressed, sad, withdrawn… You can help! Ask directly, “Are you thinking of suicide?” If they say yes: stay calm and listen let the person talk about their […]
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