Blog Posts

The application portal for the one-time top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit is now open

The application portal for the one-time top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit is now open! The Government of Canada has introduced a new affordability measure to help lower-income renters who are most affected by the rise of inflation and struggling…

Four Heroines

Photo by jplenio on Pixabay   Four older women’s passages through the labyrinth of homelessness, converge in lived expertise as researchers   On an August morning in 2021, a group of researchers congregated in a boardroom…

In the Labyrinth of Homelessness

Narrated by: Hilary Marks   Christy took pride in being a community researcher, a role in which she applied her analytical mind, empathetic ear, and dedication to giving back – even when she had lost so much herself. “If…

Pitching Shelter from Isolation

Narrated by: Gabrielle Gabrielle is the youth storyteller for Face 2 Face with Stigma. She is also a person experiencing homelessness and drug use and uses these experiences to educate others.   Maria is a natural protagonist…

Seeking Creature Comforts

Photo by Alexas_Fotos on Pixabay   In the spring of 2020, Jessica began working for a University of Victoria study that examines homelessness and housing insecurity in older women. In this role, she is a researcher who holds a rare…

Seeking A Good Night’s Sleep

Narrated by: Jessica Stepushyn Jessica is a facilitator and creative for Face 2 Face with Stigma who also has lived experience of mental illness and invisible disabilities.   When Leanne was offered housing at a sheltering hotel…

Winding Streets And Clocks

Narrated by: Bailey Bailey is a storyteller for Face 2 Face with Stigma who is also 3 years into recovery from addiction and mental illness.   For much of her life, Celeste had to be a “scrapper” in order to survive. Of the…
An image of the BC Legislature building on a sunny day.

BC Budget 2022 begins to acknowledge systemic causes of homelessness

The Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness notes with hope the provincial government’s commitments to increase supports for people experiencing homelessness – particularly its commitments to youth. The 2022 Budget commits $35…

Election 2021 – Where do the Parties Stand on Housing?

Wondering which federal party shares your concerns about housing? Vote Housing, a national non-partisan campaign designed to engage and mobilize Canadians around housing issues in this federal election, has compiled a breakdown of each major…

$500,000 Goal for Transitional Housing Community Reached

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News Release VICTORIA, BC – (March 5th, 2021) - In less than 3 months time, the citizens and local businesses of Victoria have come together to raise more than $500,000 to fund the capital expenses for 30 transitional housing units to be…

Victoria’s First Youth-Led Social Enterprise Model

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News release Victoria’s first youth-led social enterprise model Will house youth experiencing homelessness VICTORIA, BC – (January 27, 2020) - Victoria’s first youth-led social enterprise housing model will initially welcome 12…

Developer, coalition pitch ‘tiny homes’ for homeless, using shipping containers

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Developer, coalition pitch 'tiny homes' for homeless, using shipping containers A local developer and the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness are joining forces to raise $500,000 to convert 30 shipping containers into a temporary…

In Crisis?:

If you require urgent emotional support, including having thoughts of suicide and other mental health issues, please call Vancouver Island Crisis Line: 1-888-494-3888.

Youth (under 25 years of age) may access youthspace.ca for online emotional support.

For other resources, including shelter availability, visit bc211.ca