A lone bench sits in Winnipeg’s Whitter Park, surrounded by several growing saplings. The bench is inscribed with the words, “I think of you, and the world is beautiful.”
This Forest of Hope is the third in a growing initiative by the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) aimed at promoting healing for those impacted by suicide, raising awareness, and fostering conversation about suicide prevention. These Forests of Hope are an effort to create spaces where communities can come together, remember loved ones, and support each other in healing.
In Winnipeg, mental health challenges were worsened by the isolating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 2023 report from the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth (MACY) showing rising cases of suicides and drug-related deaths in Manitoba among young people. Initiatives like the Forest of Hope play an important role in connecting individuals to support.
