Bell Let's Talk Day sets record, raises $8.2M for mental health initiatives

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The 12th edition of Bell Let's Talk Day was the most successful one yet, setting new records for the initiative.

Bell, which owns CTV News, says it logged 164,298,820 "messages of support for mental health" on Wednesday.

Those messages took the form of voice calls and text messages by Bell customers, using the #BellLetsTalk hashtag on Twitter and TikTok, and views of the Bell Let's Talk Day video on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.

With the company pledging to donate five cents to mental health initiatives around the country from each interaction, the more than 164 million messages equate to a record donation of $8,214,941.

"Whether you checked in with a loved one, joined in on social media or participated in an event, you took action for mental health and helped us move towards a brighter future," said Mary Deacon, chair of Bell Let's Talk, in a statement.

Wednesday's total breaks the record set in 2021, when more than 159 million interactions were made, with Bell donating roughly $7.96 million towards mental health initiatives in Canada.

In total, more than $129 million has been raised for mental health initiatives since the Bell Let's Talk program began.

Canadian mental health charities looking to apply for money from the Bell Let's Talk Community Fund have until March 15 to do so.