In Canada, you call 9-1-1 on the phone to get help when there is a life-threatening emergency. Call 9-1-1 when someone's health, safety or property is in immediate danger or there is a crime in progress. It connects you to emergency services for Paramedics, Police and Fire. It is free and the operator can get someone who speaks your language, if needed. Simply tell the operator what language you speak (for example Arabic, Farsi, Ukrainian, etc.) Stay calm, speak clearly and wait for help.
When you are sick, it is NOT an emergency. Please refer to Health & Medical for more information.
When you have a health, food or shelter crisis that is not a life-threatening emergency you can use 211 to find help. 211 is a free online tool to help you find government and community-based non-clinical health and social services.
In this section, you can learn about where to get help when experiencing a crisis. It includes places to get help for suicide prevention and other mental health crises, violence and abuse. There are many community and church-based food programs for those who are in need of food. There are also emergency shelters if you find yourself with no place to live. If you are a refugee claimant, you will want to contact one of the shelters specifically designed for claimants. If you are a woman experiencing abuse, you should look for one of the shelters that serves women and children experiencing family violence and abuse. Homeless shelters are also available, but may not be the best option for newly arrived refugees.