HomePage / Culture & Environment / Community and Social Service Programs / Homelessness / Services and Supports

Services and Supports

This page provides a short-list of the emergency shelter, nutrition and hygiene services available to residents of Nanaimo. For a full list of low and no-cost support services available in the city of Nanaimo, please refer to the Surviving in Nanaimo guide.

Emergency Shelters

RDN Regional Housing Resource List:

  • Salvation Army New Hope Centre
    (19 Nicol Street) 250-714-1142
    Has 24 emergency shelter beds available for men.   
  • Island Crisis Care Society Samaritan House
    (355 Nicol Street) 250-753-1474
    Has 14 emergency shelter beds available for women.    
  • Winter Shelter First Unitarian Fellowship of Nanaimo
    (595 Townsite Road)  250-754-3720
    Has 30 emergency shelter beds for men and women.
  • The Centre Shelter (Co-Ed) - Nanaimo Women's Resources Society and the Nanaimo Citizen Advocacy Association
    (St. Peter's Church, 301 Machleary Street)  Coordinator   250-268-6151 or Shelter 250-268-6150
    Has 35 shelter beds for men and women, winter months only (November to March).
  • Friendship Lelum Youth Safe House
    (250-753-8266)
    Co-ed, year-round shelter for 'at-risk youth' between 12-18 years.
  • Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) shelter and housing support information, click the links below:

Emergency Food Providers

  • Salvation Army New Hope Centre
    (19 Nicol Street) 250-714-1142 / 250-753-0810
    Meal program open for lunch and dinner. Bread & baked   goods available during meal times while supplies last.
    Lunch is served from 12:00 to 1:00 pm. Supper is served from 4:00 to 5:30 pm ($2.00 for hot meals). 
  •  7-10  Breakfast Club
    (285 Prideaux Street in the Community Service Building -   entrance off Fitzwilliam St) 250- 714-0917
    Provides a hot nutritious breakfast, homemade soup, plus a   brown bag lunch to go that is served by community volunteers to those in need during the hours of 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. All meals are offered at no charge.
  • Loaves and Fishes Community Food Bank
    (1009 Farquhar Street) 250-754-8347
    List of satellite food banks available at http://nanaimoloavesandfishes.org/index.php?pageID=schedule.

Hygiene Services

  • Shower Program - City of Nanaimo/First Unitarian Shelter
    Caledonia Park (110 Wall Street)
    250-668-4607/shelter@ufon.ca
    Free showers available - Monday to Friday, 7 am to 10 am
    Towels and toiletries are supplied.
  • Portable Toilets 
    Several portable toilets have been located downtown for the   convenience of residents, visitors and homeless individuals.

Last updated: October 18, 2019

Is there anything wrong with this page?

Help us improve our website

Don't include private or financial information in this form.

Collection and use of your personal information
Information collected on this form is done so under the general authority of the Community Charter and Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA), and is protected in accordance with FOIPPA.  Personal information will only be used by authorized staff to fulfill the purpose for which it was originally collected, or for a use consistent with that purpose. Questions about the collection of your personal information may be referred to the Legislative Services Department at (250) 755-4405, or via email at foi@nanaimo.ca.
Privacy Policy