Katherine G Hastings, Jodh Ghuman, Jeanna Pillainayagam, Irha Kashifa Asim, Ayah Has, Bridget Young, Emily Jenkins, Amir Ashtari, Skye Barbic
Suicide remains a leading cause of death among youth in Canada, yet youth with lived experience are rarely involved in shaping suicide research activities, data interpretation, or reporting. This commentary, co-authored with youth advisors from an integrated youth services initiative in British Columbia, presents a case example of youth engagement in suicide-related research. Drawing on participatory and relational approaches, we reflect on how youth engagement informed the interpretation of administrative data, encouraged more thoughtful approaches to suicide reporting, and highlighted practical considerations for relational and ethical engagement. We emphasize that ethical research on suicide must move beyond risk avoidance towards more transparent and youth-centred partnerships to enhance health services and policy recommendations for suicide prevention.