Which number should you call now?
The right first point of contact depends on your situation. You do not have to wait until your difficulties reach a certain threshold before asking for help.
| What you need | First point of contact |
|---|---|
| Immediate danger or urgent medical care | 911 or emergency services |
| Suicidal thoughts, for yourself or someone else | 988, by call or text, day and night |
| Someone to talk to or information about local resources | A provincial helpline suited to where you live |
| Support related to your student life | Your institution’s health or support service |
988 is a suicide crisis line, not a general counselling line. You can also look for support on your campus after an initial call: one-time listening support and follow-up are not necessarily the same service.
Free provincial helplines: five examples
The following resources are selected examples, not a directory of every province and territory. They are available 24 hours a day. A free call or helpline does not guarantee that every service offered afterward will also be free.
| Location and who it serves | Contact | Support and limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Quebec, for people who live there | 811, option 2 | Info-Social offers free, confidential psychosocial support and can provide advice or referrals. Geographic and telephone restrictions apply; see below. |
| Ontario, for current postsecondary students | 1-866-925-5454 or text GOOD2TALKON to 686868 | Good2Talk provides free, confidential support to students enrolled at an Ontario postsecondary institution, including international students. Calling and texting do not necessarily connect you with the same type of counsellor. |
| British Columbia | 310-6789, with no area code | A toll-free line offering emotional support and local referrals. The service indicates that English is available and interpretation may be possible; ask what is available for your situation. |
| Alberta | 1-877-303-2642 | A confidential, toll-free line in the province for mental health support and referrals. |
| New Brunswick, for residents of all ages | 1-866-355-5550 | A toll-free mental health and addictions line in French and English. |
In Quebec, Info-Social excludes the Cree Territory of James Bay and Nunavik. The service can be accessed from within Quebec using a landline or a mobile phone with a Quebec number; it cannot be called from outside the province. If 811 does not work, the official page recommends contacting your telephone service provider.
Is your province or territory not listed in this table? The Government of Canada’s “Mental health support: Get help” directory lists resources by province and territory. Check the cost and access conditions of the service you choose separately: not every link in a directory necessarily leads to a free service.
For young people: text instead of calling
In Canada, Kids Help Phone offers young people free, confidential text-based support in French and English, day and night. Text CONNECT to 686868 to reach a trained volunteer.
The organization specifies that the conversation is confidential, but not anonymous. If you have questions about confidentiality and its limits, you can ask them at the start of the conversation. In immediate danger, use 911 instead.
Finding support on campus
Your institution can be a starting point if you want to talk about what you are going through during your studies. Look for the “mental health,” “student support” or “student wellness” sections of your campus website, then check how to make an initial request. Here are two examples specific to their institutions; they do not describe the services available at all Canadian universities.
At Université Laval, the Intervention de proximité service offers free, confidential, one-time listening support, in person or remotely. To make an initial request, first book an appointment in monPortail with a member of the Intervention de proximité team, then fill out the help request form. This is one-time support: the service description does not promise psychotherapy or an immediate appointment.
At McGill University, the Student Wellness Hub describes GuardMe as free, unlimited mental health support available to all McGill students, day and night, through the TELUS Health Student Support app. This does not guarantee there will be no wait. The page distinguishes this service from Maple: the stated no-cost access to GuardMe should not be assumed to apply to all other care described.
To learn more about these institutions, you can read the StudyCanada profiles for Université Laval and McGill University. To get help, contact the relevant service at your own institution directly.
Before an appointment: useful questions
You do not need to know the exact name of the support you are looking for before getting in touch. You can start simply: “I’m an international student and I’d like to talk to someone. Which service would be right for me?”
To understand what is being offered, ask:
- Access: Can I use this service based on my status and campus? What is the first step?
- Format and language: Is the conversation available in person, by phone or remotely? In what language can I receive support?
- Wait time and next steps: When can I expect an initial contact? Is this one-time listening support or follow-up?
- Costs: Is the initial contact free? What about a consultation or a service I am referred to?
- Confidentiality: What does it cover, and what are its limits?
- Insurance: If there may be a cost, what does my insurance cover for this service?
Write down the answers and contact information you receive. If you are referred elsewhere, ask the new service the important questions again: the conditions of the first helpline do not automatically apply to the next consultation. Do not delay urgent help to check your insurance.