Supports

211 is a helpline that quickly and confidentially connects people to the social services, programs and community supports they need. When you reach out to 211, you are connected to a real person who will talk to you about your situation and refer you to the right program or service for you.

This is a free, anonymous and confidential 24-hour telephone and TTY crisis telephone line available to all women in the province of Ontario who have experienced any form of abuse.

If you are a victim of sexual assault living in Ontario and would like to speak to a lawyer, you may be eligible for up to four hours of free, confidential legal advice by phone or video. This service does not include legal representation in court.

Get 24/7, culturally sensitive crisis counselling, advice and support for Indigenous women and their families living in urban, rural and remote communities, both on and off reserve. Support is available in English, Ojibway, Oji-Cree and Cree.

The hotline is a confidential, victim-centric, multilingual service, operating 24/7 to connect victims and survivors with social services, law enforcement, and emergency services, as well as receive tips from the public.

ConnexOntario is a free and confidential service offering support through phone, chat, text, and email for people in Ontario. It provides information about mental health, gambling, and addiction services available both within and outside their community.

Family Information Liaison Units (FILUs) help families of missing and murdered Indigenous people access all the available information they are seeking about their missing and murdered loved ones from multiple government sources.

Survivors of Federal Indian Day Schools and their family members (regardless of Indigenous status or place of residence within Canada) are able to access community-based cultural and emotional supports, as well as mental health counselling services.

Get 24/7 crisis counselling and referral services for Francophone and French-speaking women.

You can find helpful resources and support online for victims and survivors of gender-based violence. But it’s important to know that your browser saves a record of your internet activity. If you are concerned that someone is trying to see where you have been online, there are steps you can take to stay safe. You can also click on the gold “Quick Escape” button in the bottom right corner of your screen to leave the APS website.

Visit a healing lodge to access residential and day programs using traditional Indigenous healing and contemporary therapeutic interventions to reduce the impacts of, or trauma arising from, sexual assault, physical, mental and emotional abuse or family instability.

Access a list of healing, health and wellness services, including counselling, advocacy, residential and day programs, referrals and translation services.

The Hope for Wellness Helpline offers immediate help and crisis intervention to all Indigenous people across Canada. Experienced and culturally competent counsellors are reachable by telephone and online ‘chat’ 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program provides cultural and emotional support, and mental health counselling services to Survivors of Indian Residential Schools and the families of former students.

This program supports Indigenous communities in providing survivor-focused and localized responses to human trafficking through culturally-grounded presentations, educational materials, trauma-informed tools and resources, and awareness and prevention tools specific to Indigenous human trafficking.

Available across Canada 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to kids, teens and young adults who want confidential and anonymous care from trained responders.

For the phone number, texters may request to speak with an Indigenous crisis responder by texting FIRST NATIONS, INUIT, or METIS to 686868.

YouthLine offers free, anonymous support through an Ontario-wide 2SLGBTQ+ peer-support HelpLine.

The Lifeguard App is available for use in Northwestern Ontario. The lifesaving app, which can be downloaded from Google Play or Apple’s App Store, is designed to combat the opioid epidemic by providing real-time substance warnings, NWO resources and supports, education, use alone timer, and more.

Access a list of residential and non-residential mental health services and support, including crisis intervention, suicide prevention and counselling.

Indigenous individuals and families can access a range of culturally appropriate non-residential (day program) mental health services, including supports for at-risk children, youth and families.

Survivors, family members and those affected by the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls are able to access mental health counselling, emotional support, community-based cultural support services and some assistance with transportation costs.

This support line is an independent, national, toll-free support call line that is available to provide support for anyone who requires assistance. This line is available free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of a residential school experience.

The National Overdose Response Service (NORS) is a virtual safe consumption site available for all Canadians, 24/7 * 365. Their service is 100% confidential, anonymous and judgement-free. Their only priority is to keep you safe while you use drugs.

This toll-free 24/7 crisis line is for Indigenous youth and is available for residents of Canada and the United States.

Sexual assault centres in Ontario provide support to survivors of sexual violence and prevention education to the community. Sexual assault centre services are free and confidential. Sexual assault centres support survivors of recent as well as past sexual violence . You don’t have to report what happened to the police in order to get support at a sexual assault centre.

The Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) is a not for profit organization to empower and support all Indigenous women and their families in the province of Ontario through research, advocacy, policy development and programs that focus on local, regional and provincial activities. ONWA delivers culturally enriched programs and services to Indigenous women and their families regardless of their status or locality.

There are 37 treatment centres across Ontario dedicated to providing comprehensive, trauma-specific care and treatment to victims/survivors of sexual and domestic violence. While is not required, you can call your local program ahead for information about their hours of operation, the hospital’s procedures or to address any questions or concerns.

The Seniors Safety Line (SSL) is the only 24-hour crisis and support line for seniors in Ontario who have experienced any type of abuse or neglect. Callers receive emotional support, safety planning, information and referrals in over 200 languages. The SSL is a “senior friendly” service with a live counsellor available to help navigate often difficult systems, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

ShelterSafe.ca is an online resource for women and their children seeking safety from violence and abuse. It includes a clickable map to connect women with the nearest shelter that can offer safety, hope, and support.

If you are dealing with thoughts of suicide, or if you are worried about someone else, and reach out to the Suicide Crisis Helpline, a trained responder will listen without judgement, provide support and understanding, and can tell you about resources that will help.

Access a list of suicide prevention and mental wellness services for Indigenous communities.

Get 24/7 multilingual crisis and referral services for male survivors of sexual abuse, both recent and historical. Supports include counselling, peer support, and referrals to community support services to meet long-term needs.

Trans Lifeline is a grassroots hotline non-profit organization offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis – for the trans community, by the trans community.

This is a multilingual telephone service that provides information for victims of crime (and their families) about services available throughout Ontario. The support line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Wounded Warriors Canada is a national mental health service provider utilizing clinical best practices and evidence-based care to create an environment of compassion, resiliency and hope for trauma exposed professionals and their families. Facilitators are all professional clinicians.