If you require emergency services, please call 911 immediately.
Hi, there.
If you are reading this and you are in crisis, there is help out there.
Below you will find a variety of local and regional resources that you can access. Whether it is someone to talk to, food to eat, a place to sleep, or just getting connected with help you will find some great emergency resources.
Remember... you are never alone. Everyone needs help sometimes.
Are you thinking about harming yourself or committing suicide?
Are you in distress and in need of someone to talk to?
Are you homeless or in need of emergency shelter?
Have you been physically or sexually assaulted?
Are you hungry and in need of food for you or your family?
Are you concerned about your sexual health, sexually transmitted infections, testing, or treatment (including, but not limited to, HIV)?
Are you concerned with your substance use (alcohol, drugs) whether about catching/transmitting disease, cutting down, entering detox, or other forms of treatment?
Are you experiencing a mental health or suicide crisis?
The Crisis Line (519-821-0140, OR Toll Free: 1-877-822-0140)
This line is free, TTY accessible, open 24/7 and is staffed by people highly skilled in helping people who are experiencing major crises and who feel unable to cope. The Crisis Line can refer you to the best resources in our area specific to your needs. This is not an LGBTQ-specific line and is therefore not necessarily staffed by someone who is LGBTQ. This line serves Guelph/Wellington, Orangeville, and Dufferin County. For both youth and adults.
Waterloo Region: (519) 745-1166
Grey-Bruce County: 1 (877) 470-5200
A list of other Distress Centres across Ontario
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Are you in distress and in need of someone to talk to?
Distress Line (519) 821-3760, OR 1-888-821-3760
The distress line is a 24/7 telephone listening service. They support people who are lonely, confused, and/or in distress about their circumstances and need someone to talk to. Through active and non-judgmental listening, they encourage and support people in looking at options when facing difficult times. Referral service. This is not an LGBTQ specific line and as such the listeners are not necessarily LGBTQ.For Guelph/Wellington, Orangeville and Dufferin County.
Waterloo Region: (519) 745-1166
Grey-Bruce Region: 1 (877) 470-5200
LGBT Youthline (1-800-268-9688)
Open: Sunday - Friday 4pm-9:30pm
The LGBTQ youthline is a toll-free Ontario-wide peer support phone and instant message service for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, queer, and questioning young people. That means you can talk or chat to one of the youth volunteers who know where you're coming from. TTY is available. You can email a question, too! (askus@youthline.ca)
OUTline (519-836-4550)
Open: Tuesday and Wednesday (6pm-9pm)
OUTline provides peer support and information services on issues relating to sexual orientation and gender diversity to all individuals and families in the University of Guelph and surrounding community, especially those in the early stages of the coming-out experience and those most at risk. For more information about OUTline check out their website.
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Are you homeless or in need of emergency shelter?
Emergency Shelter Line (519-767-6594, OR 1-888-821-3760)
This 24/7 service is for individuals who are in need of temporary shelter. They cannot find you permanent housing, but can help find you somewhere warm and safe to sleep. A volunteer will ask for your name, gender, and location so that they can refer you to an appropriate shelter. With one phonecall, you will be directed to a facility that will suit your needs.
Note: We have been unable to discern whether or not the shelters in Guelph which are segregated by gender are open to trans residents. As soon as this information becomes available, we will post it here.
Waterloo Region: 519 -745-1166
Grey-Bruce Region: 1 - 877- 470 5200
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Are you hungry and in need of food for you or your family?
There are a variety of food banks in Guelph and surrounding area. For more information, click on the name of the food bank!
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Have you been physically or sexually assaulted?
For women:
Guelph/Wellington Women in Crisis
Crisis Line: 519-836-5710, OR 1-800-265-7233
GW Women In Crisis work to end violence against women and children in all its forms: physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, and/or financial. Their services are inclusive and provide equal treatment for all women accessing their services (lesbian, bisexual, and trans women). They run a variety of programs (below) but call the number above to be directed to the right service for you:
Sexual Assault Centre of Guelph,
Marianne's Place,
Rural Women's Support Program, and
Transitional Support Program.
For men:
Amvosa (Kitchener) 519-744-7645, OR: 1-800-553-3277
24/7 phone line providing active listening, and referrals to sevices in your community
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Are you concerned about your sexual health, sexually transmitted
infections, testing, or treatment (including, but not limited to, HIV)?
It can be very frightening if you feel you may be at risk for sexually transmitted infections. The only way to be sure, is to speak to a healthcare professional and to get tested if necessary.
To get tested and treated for STIs:
Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health's sexual health clinics provide free and confidential services including STI testing, counselling, and birth control options. For a list of their clinics (Fergus, Guelph, Mount Forest, Orangeville, Palmerston, and Shelburne).
Waterloo Region: find a list of clinics here.
Grey-Bruce Region: find a list of clinics here.
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Are you concerned with your substance use (alcohol, drugs) whether
about catching/transmitting disease, cutting down, entering detox, or
other forms of treatment?
There are many reasons why people drink or use other drugs. However, there are issues specific to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, intersex, and queer people's lives that can further affect our substance use. There are a variety of options for you depending on what you are considering.
First, if you use injection drugs, or smoke drugs with a pipe, don't use anyone elses equipment. If you need access to syringes and equipment or safer crack use kits, call the AIDS Committee of Guelph (519) 763-2255 to find out how to access these services and how to keep yourself and your friends and family safe.
For information about Narcotics Anonymous, call 1-866-311-1611
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health provides services including assessment, group therapy, day and residential programs, education, and relapse prevention specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit and queer people.
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