Manitoba seeing spike in youth suicide rate
This report contains details referencing suicide some viewers may find distressing.
Communities and advocates are calling for change to help young people struggling with thoughts of self-harm.
Every day Sheena Girouard, Inner City Youth Alive’s Engage Education director, works with young people who've been out of school for several years.
"A good chunk of them are suffering with suicide ideation. Suicide thoughts. Some have plans. We made sure that we're trained to assist them,” Girouard said.
Girouard says isolation is a major factor.
"They're looking for somebody to listen to them. They're looking for their voice to be heard. To be validated. To be understood."
A new report from the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth shows 37 people 21 or younger died by suicide in the past year.
Sherry Gott, the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth says COVID-19 isolation impacted young Manitobans.
“Not being allowed to enter schools because of the pandemic and lockdown. I think just a culmination of that and the lack of resources in the area of mental health support,” Gott said. “Seventy per cent of the suicides were in First Nations communities where there is a lack of support and service.”
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee says First Nations youth need more resources to meet youth where they are, especially in northern communities where suicide is felt by the entire community.
“I think it has a more profound impact on small communities. Everybody knows about it and everybody is affected by it. And its small communities that are isolated,” Settee said. “We have to work with the educational system to make sure there is a program and there's a strategy to make sure to address these things before they're happening.”
Bernadette Smith - the minister responsible for mental health - said in a statement, “We are currently implementing a provincially coordinated suicide prevention strategy including a focus on our relatives in northern and Indigenous communities and 2SLGBTQ+ youth that are over-represented in these alarming statistics."
She says that includes listening to youth.
Kent Dueck - founder of Inner City Youth Alive - says there needs to be more resources dedicated to doing just that.
"It's something that you have to just be comfortable and well versed in just bringing up the topic,” Dueck said.
Dueck says the community is at a tipping point and things need to change soon.
If you are in crisis and looking for support other than the police, you can call 211 to be connected to the appropriate agency or go to mb.211.ca to find a list of available crisis resources.
Help is also available from the Manitoba Suicide Prevention and Support Line at 1-877-435-7170 or by visiting reasontolive.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.