Crisis Support in Alberta: Who to Call or Text Now

If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department. If you are in crisis or at risk of suicide or self harm, please reach out now.

If you're struggling right now, you don't have to figure out what kind of help you need before you reach out. Every helpline on this page is free and confidential, and the people who answer are there to listen. You don't need a diagnosis, a referral or the right words.

Call or text 988

988 is Canada's Suicide Crisis Helpline. You can call or text 988 any time, day or night, in English or French. You don't have to be thinking about suicide to reach out. If you're overwhelmed and not sure you can keep yourself safe, 988 is a good place to start.

Alberta-wide lines

• Mental Health Helpline: 1-877-303-2642. Available 24/7 for anyone in Alberta.
• Addiction Helpline: 1-866-332-2322. Available 24/7, including support for problem gambling.
• Health Link: 811. Available 24/7 for health advice, including mental health.
• 211 Alberta: call or text 211, or chat online. Available 24/7 in more than 170 languages, and can connect you to local support anywhere in the province.

Support for specific communities and experiences

• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868. Available 24/7 for kids, teens, and young adults.
• Hope for Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310, or chat online. Available 24/7 for Indigenous people across Canada.
• Indigenous Support Line: 1-844-944-4744. Available 24/7 for Indigenous people in Alberta.
• Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419. Available 24/7 for survivors and anyone affected by residential schools.
• Trans Lifeline: 1-877-330-6366. Run by and for trans people. Hours are limited, so check their website.

Violence and abuse

• Alberta's One Line for Sexual Violence: 1-866-403-8000, or chat online. Available 9 am to 9 pm daily, in more than 170 languages.
• Family Violence Info Line: 310-1818. Available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
• Alberta Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-387-5437. Available 24/7.

Local distress lines

• Distress Centre Calgary: 403-266-4357. Call, text, or chat, 24/7.
• Edmonton Distress Line: 780-482-4357. Available 24/7.
• Brite Line: 1-844-702-7483. Available 24/7 for 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Edmonton.

Outside Calgary and Edmonton, call or text 211 to find crisis support in your community.

Getting through the next few hours

When you're in crisis, the goal isn't to fix everything. It's to get through the next few hours safely. A few things can help.

Reach out to someone. Call or text a crisis line, or someone you trust. You don't have to explain everything. You can say, I'm not doing well and I don't want to be alone right now.

Be around people, if you can. Go to a friend's place, sit in a coffee shop, or ask someone to come over. Being near other people can make the hardest hours feel less heavy.

Give your mind somewhere else to go. Music, a show, a walk, time with a pet, a shower, or anything that holds your attention for a little while. This isn't avoiding the problem. It's getting through until you have more support.

Make your space safer. If there's something around you that you could use to hurt yourself, put distance between you and it, or ask someone to hold onto it for now.

Use your safety plan, if you have one. A safety plan is a short, personal list of your warning signs, what helps, who you can call, and how to keep yourself safe. If you don't have one yet, a therapist can help you make one when things are calmer.

If you can't keep yourself safe, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.

If someone you care about is in crisis

It can be frightening when someone you love tells you they're struggling or thinking about suicide. You don't need to be an expert to help. What matters most is that you stay with them and take it seriously.

• Stay calm and listen. If they're telling you, they're reaching out for help.
• Ask directly whether they're thinking about suicide. Asking does not put the idea in their head or make it worse. It often brings relief.
• Don't minimize what they're feeling or rush to fix it. You can say, I'm glad you told me, and I want to help you stay safe.
• Ask whether they have a safety plan and how you can help. If there are things around that they could use to hurt themselves, help put distance between them and those things.
• Call or text 988 together. If they're in immediate danger, call 911.

Supporting someone in crisis is hard. Afterward, reach out for support for yourself too. Crisis lines are there for you as well.

The numbers in this post were last checked in September 2026. If a number doesn't work, call or text 211 or 988.

About the Author

Carol Korenowski is a writer, speaker, and mental health advocate who created Therapy Alberta.