Key takeaways
- 911: police, fire or ambulance when life, health or property is in danger right now
- 988: Suicide Crisis Helpline, call or text, 24 hours a day
- 211: free help to find local services such as food, shelter and legal help
- 811: nurse advice by phone in most provinces
- Poison: 1-844-764-7669 (1-844-POISON-X); in Quebec 1-800-463-5060
- All of these are free. You can ask for an interpreter in your language
Which number should I call?
| Number | Use it for | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 911 | Emergency: someone is badly hurt or not breathing, a fire, a crime happening now, a car crash with injuries | 24/7 |
| 988 | Suicide Crisis Helpline: if you or someone you know is thinking about suicide. Call or text | 24/7 |
| 211 | Find local help: food, shelter, housing, mental health, legal, settlement and government services | Phone 24/7 in most areas |
| 811 | Talk to a nurse about a health problem that is not an emergency (most provinces) | 24/7 |
| 1-844-764-7669 | Poison centre (1-844-POISON-X), all provinces except Quebec | 24/7 |
| 1-800-463-5060 | Centre antipoison du Québec | 24/7 |
| 1-800-668-6868 | Kids Help Phone, for young people. Or text CONNECT to 686868 | 24/7 |
Numbers checked October 2026 against Government of Canada sources.
When to call 911
Call 911 when you need police, fire or an ambulance right now. Examples:
- Someone is unconscious, not breathing, has chest pain or severe bleeding
- A fire, or you smell gas
- A crime is happening, or someone is threatening you
- A serious car crash
When you call:
- Say which service you need: police, fire or ambulance.
- Give your address or location. Stay on the line.
- If English is hard for you, say the name of your language in English (for example, “Punjabi”). The operator can add an interpreter.
- Follow their instructions. Do not hang up until they tell you to.
911 is free from any phone, including a phone with no plan. Do not call 911 for non-urgent problems. For a crime that is over, such as a stolen bike, call your local police non-emergency number. In Toronto, for example, that is 416-808-2222.
Ambulance trips are not always free. In many provinces, residents pay a fee for an ambulance even with a health card. Never let cost stop you from calling 911 in an emergency.
Mental health and suicide crisis
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8. The Suicide Crisis Helpline is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in English and French. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Other free lines listed by the Public Health Agency of Canada:
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868 (24/7, for children and young people)
- Hope for Wellness Help Line: 1-855-242-3310 (24/7, for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples)
- Provincial lines: for example, Info-Social 811 in Quebec and the Alberta Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642
Moving to a new country is stressful. Feeling lonely, worried or very sad for a long time is common, and help is available. A family doctor, a walk-in clinic, or a settlement worker can refer you to free counselling.
What 211 can help with
211 is a free, confidential service that connects you to local community, health, social and government services. A real person answers. In Ontario, for example, you can dial 2-1-1 or text 2-1-1 at any time, and phone help is available in more than 150 languages.
Call 211 if you need:
- A food bank or free meal today
- An emergency shelter or a place to stay
- Help paying rent or utilities
- A settlement agency or language class
- Legal aid, a tenant clinic or help with an eviction
- Mental health and addiction services
You can also search 211 online. Our newcomer support finder lists 211 and other key programs for your area.
Health problems that are not emergencies
- Call 811 to speak with a registered nurse, free and 24/7, in most provinces: for example Health811 in Ontario, HealthLink BC 811, Health Link 811 in Alberta and Info-Santé 811 in Quebec. Nurses tell you whether to go to the hospital, a clinic or stay home.
- Walk-in clinics see patients without an appointment.
- Pharmacists can help with minor problems and, in many provinces, prescribe for some common conditions.
- No health card yet? Some provinces have a waiting period. See health card by province. Community health centres often see people without coverage.
Shelter, violence, fraud and exploitation
- Shelter tonight: call 211 or your city’s shelter line. Shelters help anyone, whatever their immigration status.
- Violence at home: call 911 if you are in danger. Women’s shelters and crisis lines give safe, confidential help. In Ontario, the Assaulted Women’s Helpline is 1-866-863-0511. Leaving an abusive partner does not take away your permanent residence.
- Human trafficking or forced work: the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-833-900-1010 (24/7, confidential).
- Fraud and scams: report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 and to local police. See immigration scams and rental scams.
- Problems at work: if your employer does not pay you or keeps your passport, contact your provincial employment standards office or call 211.
Non-urgent city problems: 311
Many large cities, including Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg, have a 311 line for city services that are not emergencies. Call 311 for problems like a broken streetlight, garbage collection, noise, potholes, snow clearing or questions about city programs. Some cities let you report problems through a 311 app or website.
If your city does not have 311, call the main city hall number. For a crime that is not happening now, use the police non-emergency number or report it online on your local police website.
Be ready before an emergency
- Save 911, 988, 211, 811 and the poison centre number in your phone.
- Learn your full address and nearest major intersection. Teach your children to say them.
- Keep your health card (when you get it) and a list of medicines with you.
- In winter, keep warm clothes and a blanket in your car. See what to buy for winter.
- Sign up for your city or province’s emergency alerts.