Yes, the 988 mental crisis hotline will work in all northern communities, Northwestel confirms – CBC

Sep 07, 2022

Yellowknife area will move to mandatory 10-digit dialing before hotline launches

When the new 988 mental crisis and suicide prevention hotline rolls out across Canada next year, all communities in the Yukon, N.W.T. and Nunavut will have access to it.

Catherine Newsome, a senior communications manager for Northwestel, confirmed in an email Tuesday that the telecom plans to implement the three-digit hotline in every northern community by Nov. 30, 2023.

While some communities around Yellowknife will need to move to mandatory 10-digit dialing — meaning people will have to dial the area code for all calls — seven-digit dialing will still be available in other areas in all three territories.

“In Yellowknife, Behchokǫ̀, Whatı̀ and Dettah, some local phone numbers begin with 9-8-8,” Newsome explained.

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/988-crisis-line-northwestel-1.6573887

NationTalk Partners & Sponsors Learn More