TORONTO – Wednesday, April 15, 2026 – The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) has announced that it will close on June 30, 2026 after more than four decades of national leadership in suicide prevention and life promotion. 

 

The decision to wind down was reached after a thorough review of all available options, including potential mergers, partnerships, and alternative operating models. Facing significant and sustained funding challenges, the Board of Directors determined that an orderly closure was the most responsible path forward.

 

“This was a difficult decision and not one we arrived at lightly. I have seen firsthand the difference this organization has made – in policy, in communities and in individual lives,” said Marilyn Irwin, President of the CASP Board of Directors. “But I take some comfort in knowing that CASP's legacy is woven into the fabric of suicide prevention in Canada. This work has always been about something bigger than any single organization and I am confident that the people and communities we've served will remain at the centre of it going forward.”

 

“For more than 40 years, CASP has been a home for people who believe that every life matters and that suicide is preventable,” said Andrew Perez, Executive Director of CASP. "We have played a critical role as both a prominent advocate and a unifying voice for a national suicide prevention strategy. Our priority over the coming months is to ensure we honour that legacy while supporting a thoughtful transition of our work to key organizations across the country."

 

Since its founding in 1985, CASP has played a pivotal role in shaping suicide prevention and life promotion at the national level. Its contributions include:

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• Developing the Blueprint for a National Suicide Prevention Strategy, which informed federal and provincial frameworks

• Advocating for national coordination, including the establishment of the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline

• Advancing safe media guidelines and public awareness efforts

• Convening a national suicide prevention conference on an annual basis in every region of the country for more than 35 years 

• Creating space for collaboration among researchers, clinicians, policymakers, frontline staff and people with lived and living experience

• Strengthening postvention supports and community-based approaches across the country

 

CASP's closure makes the need for sustained national leadership in suicide prevention more urgent – not less. The organization continues to call on governments and funders to prioritize a comprehensive, well-resourced national suicide prevention strategy. In the coming months, CASP will focus on stewardship of its work and resources, supporting continuity where possible and working with partners across the sector to ensure that individuals and communities remain connected to support.

 

Help is available. Across Canada, people can call or text the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline available 24/7. Additional programs and resources are available through organizations such as the Centre for Suicide Prevention, the Canadian Mental Health Association and international initiatives such as Partnerships for Life, which continue to advance research, advocacy and coordination.

 

"This community has given us hope every single day," said Perez. "Closing CASP is a real loss, for all of us who have poured our hearts into this work and for every person who has ever shared our vision of a world where people live long, connected and hopeful lives. But I have seen what this movement is made of – the frontline practitioners, the researchers, the advocates and the people with lived and living experience who remind us every day why this work matters. That is not something that closes. The work continues. And I know it will." 

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Further updates will be shared in the coming weeks.

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Media Contact:

Andrew Perez

Executive Director, CASP

416-454-7171

aperez@suicideprevention.ca