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Mental health calls are dominating the RCMP’s time and resources in the Northwest Territories, according to their chief superintendent.
Dyson Smith gave a public briefing on Thursday night on crime in the territory. Part of his presentation included laying out the most common types of calls for service police received in 2025.
Nearly a fifth of all calls were for mental health concerns, according to RCMP’s own statistics.
And they eat up a lot of time. Police got more than 7,300 mental health calls last year. On average, calls last about 4 hours, according to Smith.
That adds up to nearly 30,000 hours total, or roughly three-and-a-half years of police time.
“That is a significant amount of police resources and time,” said Smith.
Smith says better programming and support would help address this. And it would give police more time to dedicate to enforcement and investigations.
Other services in N.W.T. seeing spike in mental health calls
Merril Dean, a registered psychologist in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, isn’t surprised by the volume of mental health calls RCMP is experiencing. She says people at risk, including in communities where services are limited, may rely on the police more.
“Unfortunately in some communities [RCMP] may be the only agency that is there 24/7,” she said.
The RCMP isn’t the only agency seeing an influx of mental health-related calls.
Panic attacks, depression and anxiety were among key reasons for an uptick in calls to N.W.T.’s 811 health advice line. A little more than 7,400 calls were made to 811 in the territory in 2024-25, up from about 6,000 calls the year before.
A record number of youth in the North are also calling Kids Help Phone for mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts, the non-profit also told CBC News.
The organization has seen a gradual increase in calls every year since the pandemic, but says it saw the most dramatic increase this year. The Northwest Territories in particular saw a 25 per cent spike.
Dean says while virtual phone-based mental health services are critical, barriers persist in smaller communities including unreliable internet and lack of a private space.
“It’s not uncommon to hear counselors and therapists talking about working with a client who is sitting in a vehicle outside in their yard at -35 to do a therapy session,” she said.
Virtual supports present additional hurdles for people whose first language isn’t English.
“Now you’re putting them into a situation where they’re to engage in counselling on a phone line where you can’t see any of the nonverbal communication that typically goes on between people,” she said,
Dean says the territory needs more in-person services and consistent staffing.
“I know young people I work with talk about struggling to access mental health services in small communities, because every time a worker comes, it’s a new worker.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, here’s where to get help:
In the Northwest Territories, residents can call 811 to speak with a registered nurse for confidential advice and support.Suicide Crisis Helpline24/7 by phone or text 24/7, toll free by dialing or texting 9-8-8. Hope For Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310 (phone, available in Inuktitut, Cree and Ojibway upon request).Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (phone), live chat counselling onthe website.Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention:Find a 24-hour crisis centre.
This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you’re worried about.