Front Burner is your essential daily news podcast, brought to you by CBC News & CBC Podcasts. Every weekday Front Burner takes you deep into the stories shaping Canada and the world.
Suicide prevention lines are dealing with an enormous surge in calls, and crisis centres say COVID-19 is to blame. Crisis Services Canada says that calls between August and October increased 159 per cent compared to last year. That surge is being felt at distress centres across the country, including at the Crisis Centre of BC.
Front Burner producer Elaine Chau takes us there and talks to two people who are working directly with people in crisis.
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Where to get help:
Canada Suicide Prevention Service: 1-833-456-4566 (Phone) | 45645 (Text, 4 p.m. to midnight ET only) | crisisservicescanada.ca