City's suicide prevention plan to cost $1.4M

Nadeen LaBoucane, an EMT, couldn't take it anymore.

In 2016, she drove to a parking lot in Sherwood Park and took enough prescription drugs to knock her unconscious. Shewas rescued by RCMP.

"There's some things you just can't unseeand there are some things you just can't unhear," LaBoucane said Wednesday.

The first responder of 21 years said she didn't know where to turn at the time.

LaBoucane, an emergency communications officer, was one of a dozen people to attend the community and public services committee meeting insupport of theSuicide Prevention Implementation Plan.

Several agencies have been working on the planfor a couple of years, including the city, Alberta Health Services, the provincial government, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Edmonton police and other community organizations.

A city report reveals214 people in Edmonton died by suicide in 2015,148males and 66 females. Alberta Health says that's double the number of people who died in vehicle crashes the sameyear.

In 2016, hospital emergency rooms saw nearly 2,400visits from victims of suicide attempts, the report said.

• 'Don't give up': Edmonton man brings suicide prevention message to High Level Bridge

The plan includesa public awareness campaign, training for city staff, operating expenses for an implementation team and expanding men's support services. It will cost the city$1.39million over three years.

"I think it's going to be a game-changer," said LaBoucane, whohelped researchtheplan.

The projectwas spurred by the city's decision to put up suicide barriers on the High Level bridge in July 2016.

• Suicide attempts on High Level Bridge down since barriers installed, city says
• City installing $3M suicide-prevention barriers on High Level Bridge

"Working on the High Level Bridge was one small element and we had to look more broadly at cultural impacts that we could make," said Coun. ScottMcKeen.

"We need to create room for people to talk about suicide," he said.

"I think even emerging generations of men continue to be taught about what real men look like. And real men are successful in realms of sports, and they're successful in business and they're unbreakable."

McKeen wants to seeprogress reports from city administration in a year to see how many people the project has helped.

Councillors will decide on the funding request at a council meeting next week.

@natashariebe