A Living Hope Champion, Councillor Scott McKeen

Author: Living Hope Leadership Team 

It all started in 2015 with a discussion at Edmonton City Council on whether or not to put suicide prevention barriers on the historic High Level Bridge. City Council approved the barriers, but also recognized the need for an approach that focused further upstream at prevention, and thus the planning for Living Hope: A Community Plan to Prevent Suicide in Edmonton began.

It has been many years of developing a strategy, subsequent implementation plan, and now putting those plans into action and planning for sustainability. As we approach the final year of implementation we are saddened to see our steadfast champion, Councillor McKeen, move on from his role as a City Councillor. Whether it was advocating for mental health and suicide prevention from within Council, supporting various endeavours of the plan within the community, or listening to those with lived experience, Councillor McKeen has tirelessly worked to elevate this work as a priority in Edmonton. 

On behalf of all the staff, partners, stakeholders and community members involved in Living Hope, we thank you Councillor McKeen for your contributions over the years. We hope that we can still count on crossing paths with you as you advocate for mental health from a different vantage point in Edmonton.