Emergency Shelter & Food Resources
There are both year-round shelters and seasonal winter shelters servicing the region:
Year-Round Shelters(Open Every Day) |
Details |
Location |
Contact |
Hours |
Bus Route |
|
Emergency Response Centre (Men and Women 55+) |
Limited shelter space available for vulnerable men and women who are medically compromised. The shelter is by referral only. Please call for more information. | Nanaimo | 250-753-1474 | 24 hours | |
|
The Salvation Army, New Hope Centre (Men Only) |
Shelter is behaviour based, however, drugs or alcohol may not be consumed on premises. Limited number of pets allowed. Some storage space available for belongings, including carts. | 19 Nicol Street, Nanaimo | 250-714-1142 | 24 hours | 1, 5, 6, 20, 30, 40, 50 |
|
Friendship Lelum Youth Safe House (Youth only) |
For at-risk youth from 12 to 18 years of age. No drugs or alcohol allowed on premises. | 250-753-8266 | |||
|
Nanaimo Unitarian Shelter (Men and Women ) |
Men, women, pets and storage. No drugs or alcohol permitted on premises. | 595 Townsite Road, Nanaimo | 250-754-3720 | 6 p.m. to 7 a.m | 1 |
Winter Shelters and Warming Centres |
|||||
|
St Peter's Winter Cold Weather Shelter Nanaimo |
Co-ed seasonal shelter, 26 bed capacity. Low barrier, but no drugs or alcohol permitted on premises. Hot dinner and grab and go cold breakfast provided. Open every night. Open November 22, 2021 - March 31, 2022 |
301 Machleary Street, Nanaimo |
Direct Line Shelter Manager |
10 p.m. to 7 a.m. | 40 |
|
Oceanside Place Oceanside Area |
Temporary shelter with 25 spaces available operated by Oceanside Homelessness Ecumenical Advocacy Response Team Society (OHEARTS). The building has staff on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Individuals staying at the site will have access to daily meals, laundry, shower and hygiene facilities, and support accessing health and wellness services. | Confidential Location Oceanside Area | 250-228-6904 | 24 hours | |
|
Risebridge Warmreach Nanaimo |
Risebridge Warmreach warming centre is open seven days a week. | 43 Commercial St., Nanaimo | risebridgeproject [at] gmail.com |
5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. |
|
|
CMHA Warming Centre Nanaimo |
The warming centre has a capacity of 12 people and is open 7 days a week. | 489 Wallace St., Nanaimo | 250-244-4042 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | |
|
Caledonia Park Warming Centre Nanaimo |
Operated in partnership between the City of Nanaimo and Nanaimo 7-10 Club Society. The extreme weather day-use shelter has a capacity of 10-12 people and will operate from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. on days when cold weather conditions are deemed severe enough to present a threat to human life. | 110 Wall St., Nanaimo | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. | ||
Table last updated January 4, 2022
People in need of shelter in the Oceanside Area can:
- Contact OHEARTS intake line at 250-228-6904, by phone or text
- Connect with the Mid Island Peer Support Help line at 250-248-6478
- Visit the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen and ask to speak to an OHEARTS outreach worker who can connect people with housing
- Contact the Society of Organized Services (SOS) at 245 Hirst Ave in Parksville and they will connect people with the OHEARTS Shelter
For those experiencing ongoing homelessness, the Homelessness Outreach Response Team, 250-741-7645, is there to help.