The Toronto Transit Commission launched a new anti-suicide crisis line at subway stations across the city Thursday morning, the first of its kind in North America.

The program "Crisis Link" comprises a series of signs and specially equipped payphones that will eventually be in all 69 subway stations in the city.

"Mental health is often a difficult subject for many to broach," TTC Chair Karen Stintz said. "The reality, however, is society cannot and should not ignore this critical issue."

The phones are linked to dedicated crisis lines operated by Distress Centres of Toronto during all hours the transit system is running.

A direct dial button will connect callers with a trained counsellor. The counsellors work with the TTC's Transit Control Centre to ensure the individual remains safe.

The phone call is free and confidential.

Along with the payphones, 200 posters will ask commuters, "Thinking of suicide? There's help. Let's talk."

Distress Centres executive Karen Letofsky told The Globe and Mail that it's the first time the word "suicide" has been used in subway advertising in the city.

"We felt it was important to call it what it was," Letofsky said.

Crisis Link will be installed in Bloor-Yonge and Wellesley stations first and will be in every subway station by the end of July.

The project is costing the TTC $100,000 and much of the costs of the phone infrastructure will be paid for by Bell Canada.

The TTC still wants to install platform edge doors to prevent people from jumping on the tracks but it doesn't have the funding.

The platform gates would cost at least $5 million per station and would also require the installation of a computer system to line up the subway doors to the gates.

The TTC already has a program in place for TTC employees suffering from post-traumatic effects stemming from witnessing suicide on the transit system.

Over a 10-year period up to 2009, 150 people killed themselves on Toronto's subways. In 2010, 26 people committed suicide and so far this year, seven people have killed themselves in Toronto's transit system.

With files from The Canadian Press.