Resources & Community Supports
When to Seek Support
You can seek support at any time you feel you need it. You do not have to wait until you have a crisis to seek support. If you have been struggling to cope with your usual daily activities or have noticed changes in your mood, personality, or daily habits then it is best to consider reaching out for support. If you have been struggling to cope for two weeks, it is recommended that you seek support. Remember, you deserve access to care no matter how small you may think your concerns are. Asking for help is empowering yourself to take care of your mental health and wellness. The information on this page can serve as a starting point for navigating the supports and resources available to you. However, we also appreciate that this can be an overwhelming place to start. If you need help figuring out which supports are right for you, if you need supports & resources that are not listed below, or if you’re just hoping to chat with someone, please contact the Student Resources team at studentresources@jibc.ca.
Crisis Supports
If you are concerned about yourself:
For emergency situations, including immediate risk of harm to yourself or someone else, immediately call 9-1-1 or visit your local emergency room:
- Royal Columbian Hospital: 330 E Columbia Street, New Westminster
- Surrey Memorial Hospital: 13750 96 Avenue, Surrey
- Eagle Ridge Hospital: 475 Guildford Way, Port Moody
If you are concerned about someone else:
f you think someone else is experiencing an emergency, call 9-1-1. If the person you are concerned about is willing, you can also take them to the nearest emergency room. (See addresses listed above).
If someone talks about ending their life, and you are unsure of how serious the situation is, call 9-8-8 for advice. It’s best to seek support early. Don't wait until the situation gets worse.
24- Hour Crisis Lines
Having thoughts of suicide? Call or text 9-8-8
Experiencing a mental health crisis? Call 310-6789
Online Chat: Crisis Centre Chat
Crisis support for anyone who is struggling to cope, having thoughts and/or plans of suicide, or worried about someone else who is having thoughts and/or plans of suicide.
When you call or text 9-8-8, you will reach a trained responder at one of nearly 40 local, provincial and territorial, and national crisis lines, who co-deliver the service.
Here2Talk
Call: 1-877-857-3397 (Canada Wide)
+1-604-642-5212 (Outside of Canada, long distance fees may apply)
Online Chat: online text chat through the Here2Talk app.
A free, 24/7 service that connects students with mental health support.
Open to all students registered in B.C. post-secondary institutions.
There may be wait times depending on time of day.
Call:1-800-567-8911
24-Hour Emergency line. Call if you are concerned about a possible poisoning or exposure to a toxic substance.
VictimLinkBC
Call or text: 1-800-563-0808
A 24/7 confidential service. Provides information and referral services to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence, including victims of human trafficking exploited for labour or sexual services.
Services in up to 150 languages, including many North American Indigenous languages.
KUU-US Crisis Line
Call: 1-800-588-8717
BC Wide Indigenous Toll Free Crisis and Support Line
Adults/Elders line: 250-723-4050
Youth line: 250-723-2040
Métis Line (1-833-638-4722)
Hope for Wellness
Call: 1-855-242-3310
Online Chat: Hope for Wellness Chat
24/7 service. Offers mental health counselling and crisis intervention to Indigenous people across Canada.
Indian Residential School Crisis Line
Call: 1-800-721-0066
A 24/7 national service for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of their residential school experience.
InKamatsiaqtut Help Line
Call: 1-800-265-3333
A 24/7 confidential Mental Health Support line for Northerners in Crisis.
Call: 1-877-330-6366
- Available Monday through Friday, 10 AM – 6 PM Pacific.
Battered Women's Support Services:
Call: 1-855-687-1868 (24/7 crisis & intake line)
- Provides support and advocacy for women, trans women, and gender minorities who have experienced abuse.
Distress Supports
Access & Assessment Centre
Call:1-604-675-3700
Visit: 803 West 12th Avenue Vancouver, BC
Walk-in: 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. 7 days a week. Phone availability: 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 365 days a year.
The AAC helps individuals and families access mental health and substance use services in Vancouver. Services include referral intake, on-site assessment, crisis intervention, and short-term treatment.
Battered Woman Support Service (BWSS)
Call: 1-855-687-1868
Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
Non-profit organization that provides emotional support, resources in the community, to assess women in their coping strategies, to highlight their strengths and to help create a safety plan for women who are dealing with violence and/or the effects of abuse.
Call: 1-833-HLP-LINE (1-833-457-5463)
Open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, excluding statutory holidays.
A trauma-informed helpline for people who have experienced or witnessed an act of racism in BC. The helpline provides free and confidential access to information and safe supports from anywhere in BC, in over 240 languages.
Other Mental Health Supports & Resources
Alcohol & Drug Information Referral Service:
Call Toll Free: 1-800-663-1441
Call: 604-660-9382 (in the Lower Mainland)
- Provides information about substance misuse treatments or supports in your area.
BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services
Provide health care services to people with complex needs, including severe and persistent mental health and substance misuse issues.
Includes information on mental health & substance misuse by topic. Works with youth and young adults (aged 14 to 29) to co-create interactive tools and innovative resources to build capacity and resilience.
Important contacts for accessing mental health and substance misuse support, crisis support, and hate crime or victim support in BC.
The National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC):
1-866-633-4220 (toll free)
- Provides information, resources, and a helpline for people worried about disordered eating and weight preoccupation. Online chat available.
- A non-profit organization based in Vancouver, BC that works to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives. We provide a safer space for 2SLGBTQIA+ people and their allies to fully self-express while feeling welcome and included. Our building serves as a catalyst for community initiatives and collective strength. Offers a legal clinic, gender affirming programs (GAP), youth services, seniors & older adults services, and a low-cost counselling program
- Helps 2SLGBTQ+ people & loved ones connect with resources & find a supportive community. The Pflag Canada network provides peer support, education and advocacy for a Canada that affirms respects and values all sexualities, genders and gender expressions.
Call: 1-855-956-1777 (toll free in BC, Sat-Thurs from 6-9 pm)
QChat Online (Sat-Thurs from 6-9 pm)
- QCHAT is an LGBTQIA2S+ peer support association made up of peer volunteers across British Columbia, and our organization exists to provide peer support and referral services to youth residing within the province.
- Aims to improve gender-affirming care across BC by supporting the delivery of equitable and accessible care, surgical planning, and peer and community support for trans people across the province.
- Aims to disseminate human rights information that is accurate, accessible, and relevant to the safety and well-being of trans and gender-diverse individuals and their supportive allies across British Columbia.
First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day: 1-855-344-3800 (Call to book an appointment)
- Provides virtual health care and referral support for people who do not have a doctor or are unable to get an appointment. It is for all First Nations people living in BC and their family members, including family members who are not Indigenous.
Doctors are available by video or phone from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day.
First Nations Health Authority: Mental Health and Cultural Supports
- Provides free counselling to people of Indigenous heritage.
DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
- Call: 604-597-0205 Offers peer support and mental health and substance misuse services to newcomers and racialized people.
Multicultural Mental Health Resource Centre
- Provides resources in multiple languages to support culturally safe and competent mental health care for Canada’s diverse population.
- Offers tools and resources to promote mental wellness in first responders.
- First Responders First: PTSD Toolkit Provides resources and services for first responders to understand PTSD and the steps of PTSD programs.
First Responders First: PTSD Toolkit
- Provides resources and services for first responders to understand PTSD and the steps of PTSD programs.
- Committed to developing specialised services for both first responders and healthcare providers.
BC First Responders' Mental Health
- A multi-agency committee that works to promote positive mental health and provide mental health and wellness education, training, and support to first responders, their loved ones, and their communities.
Free/Reduced Cost Counselling
- Counselling, health and wellness services and resources for youth ages 12-24.
- A resource list of lower-cost, sliding-scale and free counselling services in Metro Vancouver (primarily Vancouver). Updated quarterly.
Self-Help Apps & Online Resources
Practice mindfulness to cultivate positive mental health.
Keep track of your mood.
Customise goals and create positive habits and routines. A habit-tracking app that encourages you to reach your goals.
A tool to help you monitor anxious thoughts, practice relaxation, and develop a self-help toolkit you can use.
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) offers free coaching on learning to manage stress, low mood, depression, and anxiety. Coaching is offered by phone, online, or in video format.
CTRI Stress Reduction Resources
Includes guided grounding and mindful breathing exercises.
BC Crisis Centre Guided Mindfulness
Tools Provides guided mindfulness exercises and resources. Recommends helpful apps to help you practice mindfulness.