Bell Let's Talk, the national campaign aimed at raising funds and ending the stigma surrounding mental health issues, raised more than $6.5 million this year from your texts, phone calls and social media interactions.
As of Thursday morning, a record total of 131,705,010 interactions were recorded — a figure which also includes tweets, Facebook and Instragram posts using the #BellLetsTalk hashtag, and Snapchat posts using the Bell Let's Talk geofilter. That's nearly six million more than last year's record of just under 126 million.
For each of those interactions, Bell, the parent company of CJAD 800, is pledging to contribute five cents to mental health initiatives — which translates to $6,585.250.50.
Since Bell Let's Talk was launched in 2010, a total of $86,504,429.05 was raised.
The money raised from this year's Let's Talk Day will fund several mental health initiatives across the country, including a program to fund the development of online mental health resources by Montreal Neurological Institute focused on the needs of cultural communities, and the CISSS de Lanaudière, to fund improved access to mental health services.
Wednesday's 2017 edition of Bell Let's Talk Day drew support from around the world, including from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ellen DeGeneres, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.