Todd is one of many people in the Comox Valley currently experiencing homelessness. Todd worked various jobs throughout his life but has struggled with addictions; losing his mother and having a negative relationship with his father has left him on the streets of the Comox Valley. Todd is currently on a waiting list for government-funded rehabilitation.

 “Any treatment centre in BC has a wait of around 8 months and that’s what put me out here. “

The last official survey of homelessness in the Comox Valley took place in 2020 and identified 132 people suffering from this phenomenon. In the following three years, both the pandemic and a crippling shortage of housing have shaken Vancouver Island, no doubt affecting the homeless population of the Comox Valley.

Sarah walks past the tent of Leann and Sam; two of her friends also experiencing homelessness. Sarah was released from the hospital earlier that day. Unsure of where she is going, and how to stay warm and dry for the night, Sarah wanders the park looking for a familiar face. When offered a ride to a warmup centre she replies:

“I can’t go to a warmup centre”, which is a common theme among people I met in the storm.

In downtown Courtenay, people wander through the streets, some crying under the limited shelter of storefronts as they freeze and shiver. Others wander through the centre of the streets, wrapped in as much fabric as they can get their hands on.

People walk along the sidewalks ignoring the sight of those struggling, and cars swerve around the human obstacles on the snow-covered roads as if going around roadkill on a highway.

As flurries of snow hit the Comox Valley, the government approved an emergency warm-up shelter. Nicole Morrison has worked in Community outreach for years. Coordinating/cofounding ‘Community cares Peer Outreach’ with the help of co-founders Brandi Kothlow, and Susan Edwards, and board members Dr. Susan Booth and Reverend Marion Edmondson.  She and her team have assisted in the implementation of multiple other emergency warmup shelters in the Comox Valley through the years.

 As the cold came to the Comox valley Nicole was awarded the contract alongside St. John the Divine church in Courtenay. Working together and with the help of peer outreach (People/Peers with lived experiences) referred to as their “street family”, and other volunteers they have managed to implement a 30-bed emergency warm-up shelter.

“We have 30 maximum beds, we still leave the doors open, people can still come in and use the bathroom, have a hot drink and whatnot,” said Nicole.

Nicole is also provided with prescriptions to hand out to people who don’t have permanent addresses or are unable to show up in person at pharmacies. Most of the costs of these prescriptions are subsidized by the government through various programs, and any unclaimed prescriptions are returned the following day.

I met Kristen as she was warming up after removing her wet socks. At 41 years old, she suffers from crippling pain caused by scoliosis inflicted by a car accident years ago.

Recently Kristen was attacked by a group of men: “One guy kicked me in my head 10-15 times and then grabbed me by the throat and threw me in the air, a big guy”. We continue to talk as other people fill the building, beds slap onto the church floor, and people go through donations to find dry clothing for themselves. 

“The week before that I was found in a storm drain, I was drugged and raped.”

Kristen tries to stay positive but in talking, she believes, like many people I talked to, that she will die on the streets. Whether by suicide or overdose she feels as though that’s her future.

This leaves the question of “Where are people to go?”. The community has failed to provide sufficient housing for the Comox Valley, and they have also failed to accommodate the most at-risk citizens in our area. Emergency warm-up shelters do not have the permits or the resources to house people full-time, the weather forecast chooses whether people will have accommodation. These shelters are only open from 8 pm to 8 am.

Emergency warm-up shelters do not have the permits or the resources to house people full-time, the weather forecast chooses whether people will have accommodation. These shelters are only open from 8 pm to 8 am.

Full-time shelters like Connect and Pidcock offer people a warm space during the day. Currently, the Connect Shelter is being upgraded to a 33-bed overnight shelter from a 10-bed. The Pidcock shelter in Courtenay is run by the Salvation Army and runs 24 hours, it also holds around 30 beds. These two shelters operate day and night (with some exceptions). weather permitting, Nicole and Saint John, the Divine church will also operate. Combined the Shelters only have a capacity of 70 people, 93 people once renovations at Connect are finished. The homeless population of the Comox Valley sits at well over 130 people.

The Comox Valley Regional District housing needs assessment shows the state of the current situation: about 70% of Comox Valley’s rentals fall under the Secondary market unit type. Primary market unit rentals encompass apartment buildings and various forms of townhouses. This assessment does not even account for the long effects of the covid lockdown, and the dire housing situation the Comox Valley is in.

The average mortgage payment in Vancouver currently sits at around $1975/month. The fact that Vancouver is the most expensive city to live in Canada shows an ominous sign. We can see just how inflated rental prices are in the Comox Valley. With a rental price averaging $1,105 for a 1 bedroom, in the Comox Valley, and disability paying only $935 for a single person per month. It seems almost impossible for someone to get off the streets as a solo person, let alone for citizens with jobs to progress in their own lives.

Over 230,000 people in Canada experience homelessness every year, in a country where the weather can be so harsh it can prove to be fatal. Canadians shouldn’t be losing limbs to the elements.

Asking Nicole if she thinks what we are doing is enough.

“Housing, we need housing. Nothing is enough till everyone has a roof over their head.” She says.

If you or anyone you know would like to help support the local warming centres at this time, can reach out on the Community Cares Peer Outreach Facebook page and message Nicole Morrison. Or if the centre is open due to weather you can drop it off at St. John The Divine Church, after 8 p.m. located at 579 5th St, Courtenay, BC V9N 1K2.