Suicide is the second most common cause of death among Canada’s young people. A report from the Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates says making sure communities have the appropriate services is the way governments can help prevent these tragic deaths.

Three broad findings about youth suicide are the impact of traumatic childhood experiences, the importance of service integration and continuity, and listening to children and youth.

A report from the Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth which was integrated into these overall findings talked about the lack of emotional support as a significant factor for Indigenous youth contemplating suicide. The negative consequences of residential schools continues on with parental substance use and neglect.

Another contributing factor is substance abuse as a way to escape boredom and the sense of hopelessness. The youth suggested improved access to effective treatment and rehabilitation services, including culturally-based approaches as options. Bullying and cyberbullying was also identified as an issue for Canadian youth and in some communities, the lack of sports and recreational activities .

Canada’s youth advocates recommend having all services integrated and communicating with each other because right now the systems tend to operate independently of each other, making it difficult to coordinate what is needed.