Toronto Marks One-Year Milestone for City-Wide Mental Health Crisis Service

More than 29,000 calls answered by Toronto Community Crisis Service as awards recognize frontline impact

TORONTO — The City of Toronto celebrated a major milestone today as the Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) marked one year since its expansion city-wide, with over 29,000 calls for mental health support responded to and more than 7,000 referrals to essential services.

Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik (Spadina–Fort York) joined front-line crisis workers, agency leaders, and city officials at a special event honouring the service’s growth. An awards ceremony recognized 22 individuals across six categories — from “Dedication to Service” to “Call-Taking and Dispatch Excellence” — highlighting the people behind TCCS’s city-wide success.

Launched in 2022 and expanded across Toronto in 2024, the TCCS is the city’s fourth emergency service, operating 24/7 with mobile crisis teams that provide in-person, trauma-informed mental health support to residents aged 16 and older. The service is grounded in a community-led and consent-based approach, offering an alternative to traditional police response in mental health crises.

City of Toronto recognizes service award recipients in celebration of the Toronto Community Crisis Services’ one-year anniversary expanding city-wide

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— City of Toronto 🇨🇦 (@cityoftoronto) July 8, 2025

“One year ago, we launched the Toronto Community Crisis Service across the city to provide the right response to people in crisis and to improve safety in our communities,” said Mayor Olivia Chow in a statement. “Today is an important milestone to solidify Toronto’s reputation as a safe and caring city, as we continue to advance our SafeTO action plan.”

The city shared impressive figures that show the growing impact of TCCS:

• 29,000+ calls for service

• 23,000+ mobile crisis dispatches

• 7,000+ referrals for housing, substance use, and mental health supports

• 1,200+ case management connections

• 78% of 911-transferred calls in 2024 resolved without police involvement

Deputy Mayor Malik praised the collaborative model and frontline staff:

“This program is helping residents in crisis get the meaningful support they need—we see this in our data and, most importantly, in the experiences we hear from our communities.”

Five community anchor partners help deliver the program across Toronto:

• TAIBU Community Health Centre

• 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations

• CMHA Toronto Branch

• Gerstein Crisis Centre

• Findhelp | 211

The service can be accessed by dialling 211, offering a low-barrier point of entry to immediate, compassionate mental health care. The city emphasized that TCCS represents a fundamental shift in public safety—placing mental health response firmly within the realm of community care.

As Toronto continues to develop alternatives to traditional emergency response through its SafeTO strategy, the TCCS stands as a model for other municipalities across Canada seeking to expand their crisis support frameworks.

📞 To learn more about the Toronto Community Crisis Service, visit: toronto.ca/community-safety-wellbeing-programs

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