24-Hour Crisis Line Text or Phone: 403-266-4357

211

Community Navigation

Free, Confidential,
24/7 Support

Contact 211 to gain access to a broad network of community, social, health, and government services. Your call, text, or chat will be answered by a professional 211 community resource specialist who is trained to assess your needs and refer you to the appropriate service(s).

211 services are available across Alberta and can help in over 170 languages over the phone.

Visit the 211 Website
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If you’re experiencing an emergency, please call 911.

Ways to contact 211

Call 2-1-1

Text info to 211

chat with 211

911/211 Co-Location Initiative

Transforming Crisis Response

In 2022, Distress Centre Calgary, Calgary Police Service and Calgary 911 partnered to launch the 911/211 Co-Location initiative to better serve the community. Through this initiative, 211 staff are co-located with 911 staff in the 911 call centre. This allows for non-emergency calls that don’t require a police response to to be diverted to 211 and more appropriate community resources and services.

Some calls, while urgent and distressing, do not require a 911 response. By directing these calls to 211, individuals are able to speak with a live responder who can provide immediate support and link them to the right services. This collaborative approach ensures Calgarians receive timely and appropriate help, whether through emergency response or community support.

Basic Needs Fund

The Basic Needs Fund (BNF) is an emergency financial assistance fund, intended to help Calgarians and residents of nearby communities out of an unforeseen, unexpected financial crisis. Support may include help with rental arrears, eviction and disconnection notices, first month’s rent, damage deposits, or unexpected medical expenses.

The BNF is a collaborative initiative between Distress Centre Calgary, CUPS, and Rise Calgary.

To be eligible for the Basic Needs Fund, you must:

  1. Reside in Calgary, Alberta or surrounding area
  2. Be sustainable or have a plan of sustainability in place. Sustainability means your monthly budget is sufficient to cover your expenses under normal circumstances
  3. Not have accessed the fund in the past 12 month

Call 211 to apply for the Basic Needs Fund.

Accreditation

211 Calgary is accredited by Inform USA.