For on-campus emergencies, contact:
BCIT Safety, Security, and Emergency Management
SW1–1000 (Burnaby campus)
604-451-6856 (24 hours/day)
Crisis intervention & suicide prevention
The following crisis and information lines are open seven days a week during the times listed. All of the lines will take calls from anywhere in the Lower Mainland. In a dangerous situation, call 911 or the local emergency number in your phone book.
- Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC
- 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) (24 hours/day)
- Vancouver: 604-872-3311 (24 hours/day)
- South Fraser: 604-951-8855 (24 hours/day)
- Tri-Cities: 604-540-2221 (24 hours/day)
- Richmond: 604-279-7070 (9:00am – 12:00 midnight)
- Fraser Health Crisis Line: 604-951-8855 (1-877-820-7444) (24 hours/day)
- Trans Lifeline 877-330-6366 (8:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.)
Community services
- Information on community and government services and programs BC211
Dial 211, e-mail help@bc211.ca, or text 604-836-6381 (24 hours/day) - Alcohol and drug information and referral service
Lower Mainland: 604-660-9382 (24 hours/day)
Outside Lower Mainland: 1-800-663-1441 (24 hours/day) - Crime and violence
Crisis support and information regarding family violence, sexual violence, and all other crimes
Province wide: 1-800-563-0808 (24 hours/day) - First Nations and Inuit hope for wellness line
Nationwide: 1-855-242-3310 (24 hours/day)
- Problem gambling help line
Province wide: 1-888-795-6111 (24 hours/day) - Sexual assault service
BC Women’s Hospital: 604-875-2881 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
Vancouver General Hospital Emergency Department: 604-875-4995 (24 hours/day) - Sexual assault crisis and information
WAVAW (Women Against Violence Against Women): 604-255-6344 (24 hours/day) - Sexual assault information
UBC Sexual Assault Information
604-822-9090 (recorded information 24 hours/day) - Spousal abuse/family violence transition houses
Vancouver: 604-872-7774 (24 hours/day)
Burnaby: 604-298-3454 (24 hours/day)
Richmond: 604-270-4911 (24 hours/day)
North Vancouver: 604-987-3374 (24 hours/day)
Critical incidents
Occasionally, an event is experienced by an individual as sudden, unexpected, incomprehensible, shocking, and personally upsetting (dependent on that individual’s personal threshold and past experiences). These incidents have the potential to result in physical and/or emotional distress which can affect day-to-day functioning. Sometimes the effects of a critical incident don’t appear immediately but rather several days or weeks, even months later. Critical incidents that require a response depend on the size, scope, and severity of the incident and may include, but are not limited to:
- Sudden death
- Suicide or threat of suicide
- Life threatening injury/illness
- Sexual assault
- Mental health crisis
- Drug/alcohol overdose
- Violent or threat of violent crime on campus
- Campus disturbance/riot
- Natural disasters
Any member of the BCIT community (including students, employees, contractors, and visitors) should report a critical incident as soon as possible to an instructor/chief instructor/program head, supervisor, education manager, or administrative manager, who is then responsible for reporting the incident to BCIT Safety, Security and Emergency Management.
If circumstances or urgency preclude such a referral, individuals may contact BCIT Safety, Security and Emergency Management directly at 604-451-6856 (24 hours/day – Security Office Non-Emergency line) or 604-456-8009 (Security Manager).
The following excellent resources describe common responses and coping to distressing events and outline returning to work following a critical incident:
Common Responses to Distressing Events and Helping Others [PDF]
Coping With and Returning to Routines After a Critical Incident [PDF]