A Call That Can Save a Life: MADD Canada Launches Campaign 911 Initiative Across PEI

CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island, Nov. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As Islanders prepare for one of the busiest social seasons of the year, MADD Canada is launching a new province-wide Campaign 911 initiative, made possible thanks to the the CFPEI/PEILCC Community Fund. The campaign reminds everyone they can help stop impaired driving before it leads to tragedy.

Every year, hundreds of Canadians are killed, and thousands more are injured in alcohol, cannabis and/or drug-related crashes. Impaired driving remains the leading criminal cause of death in Canada and yet, every one of these tragedies are entirely preventable. Prince Edward Island (PEI) continues to face one of the highest rates of impaired driving in Canada — nearly three times the national average — with drug-related cases on the rise.

“This Campaign 911 initiative puts faces and names to the real, human cost of impaired driving,” said Steve Sullivan, CEO of MADD Canada. “When people see these messages across the province, it reinforces the idea that impaired drivers will be caught. That perception alone saves lives — and that’s why this initiative is vital to making our roads safer for everyone.”

“This campaign is about changing mindsets and fostering a zero-tolerance culture towards impaired driving. I believe it is our responsibility as good citizens to make decisions that help keep our friends, families and communities safer,” said Hon. Jill Burridge, Minister of Finance and Minister responsible for PEI Liquor Control Commission and PEI Cannabis Management Corporation. “As Minister responsible, I am proud of this partnership with MADD Canada that engages people in these important conversations and equips them with information that helps them appreciate the impacts of impaired driving and understand how to make responsible decisions.”

Campaign materials will include bus and transit ads, billboards, bookmarks (distributed at checkpoints and public events), and coasters at bars and restaurants. Visible across the province throughout the holiday season, the ads feature the faces of Prince Edward Island victims and survivors killed or injured in impaired driving crashes:

Stacy Cheverie, 39, was killed by an impaired driver while motorcycling with her husband, Bernard, in Central Kings County, on October 22, 2011.
Bernard Cheverie, 58, was severely injured in the same crash that killed his wife, Stacey.
Jacob Simmons, 27, was cycling in Kinross when his life was tragically cut short by an impaired driver on June 12, 2020.
Laura Vanderweerd, 18, was among four victims killed by a drinking driver in Marshfield on December 18, 2023, where another person was also tragically injured.

MADD Canada launched Campaign 911 in 2007 to educate and empower the public to report suspected impaired drivers to police. At that time, many people did not feel they could call 911 to report suspected impaired drivers. Since then, Campaign 911 has helped change public perception by reinforcing the fact that impaired driving is an emergency and 911 is the right number to call.

To ensure everyone gets home safely this holiday season, and all year long, Islanders are encouraged to:

Never drive a car, ATV or any other vehicle while impaired;
Never get into a vehicle being operated by someone who’s impaired;
Always plan ahead so you know how you are getting home safely;
Call 911 if you see a driver you suspect is impaired.

Impaired driving is 100% preventable. It’s a crime in progress that puts everyone at risk. Together, we can make a difference — your call could be the one that saves a life.

For more information on Campaign 911, including a list of the signs of an impaired driver and what to do if you spot one, visit madd.ca.

For more information, contact:
Dawn Regan, MADD Canada Chief Operating Officer, 1-800-665-6233 ext. 223 or dregan@madd.ca
Arielle Nkongmeneck, MADD Canada Communications Manager, 1-800-665-6233 ext. 240 or ankongmeneck@madd.ca

About MADD Canada
MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a national, charitable organization that is committed to stopping impaired driving and supporting the victims of this violent crime. With volunteer-driven groups in close to 100 communities across Canada, MADD Canada aims to offer support services to victims, heighten awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and save lives and prevent injuries on our roads. To learn more, visit www.madd.ca.

About PEI Liquor
The PEI Liquor Control Commission is a retailer of beverage alcohol, and takes its responsibility seriously – it’s an integral part of providing a high level of customer service, education and customer experience. As part of PEI Liquor’s Corporate Social Responsibility mandate, its job is to promote the responsible use of beverage alcohol, to help reduce the impact on the environment and to give back to the communities it serves. It does this through a number of programs and initiatives.

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