Somewhat overlooked amidst the flurry of end-of-term work, Quebec has renewed its national suicide prevention strategy until 2028. The cabinet also decided to maintain funding of $15 million per year.
Thus, $30 million will be invested in 2027 and 2028 to implement the strategy’s 15 measures aimed at preventing suicide deaths, attempts, and suicidal ideation.
When the strategy was launched in 2022, the government set several targets to be achieved by 2026, including reducing the number of suicide deaths to below 1,000.
According to the most recent data from the Quebec National Institute of Public Health, 1,043 people took their own lives in 2023. This is the lowest suicide rate in Quebec since data on suicide deaths has been available.
The Quebec Association for Suicide Prevention (AQPS) welcomes the extension of the strategy but remains unsatisfied with the funding allocated, given the significant needs.
“The renewal of the strategy is very good news, as it provides essential stability,” said Hugo Fournier, president and CEO of the AQPS, in a press release. “However, it should be noted that the announced funding renews the annual budget exactly as announced for 2023.”
“In a context where needs remain significant and costs are rising, this stability must be followed by additional resources to allow Quebec to go further in suicide prevention.”
Today, there are three suicides every day in Quebec. It is the seventh leading cause of death for men and the 10th for women, among all causes of death in the province.
“Suicide is multifactorial, and its prevention must be equally so,” Fournier emphasized. “This is the great strength of a national strategy: it allows us to align our efforts, support stakeholders, and stay focused on a common goal.”
He hopes that monitoring of the strategy’s implementation will be strengthened and that its impact will be better assessed through collaboration with the stakeholders involved.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
If you need help, reach out. Call SOS violence conjugale 24/7 at 1-800-363-9010.
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