Cowichan Street Survival Guide

You deserve food, safety, and care. Use these. Share them. You are not alone.

📄 Official Guides & PDFs

Official Cowichan Street Survival Guide 2025

An official local survival resource compiled by the Cowichan Community Action Team and community partners. It includes meals, shelters, harm reduction, OPS, counselling, needle disposal boxes, pregnancy support, 2SLGBTQIA+ support, transportation, washrooms, foot care, employment, laundry, haircuts, phone and internet access, showers, health and dental care, pet care, legal support, ID replacement, disability assistance, bylaw information, complaints, and rights.

View Official Guides & PDFs →

🍽️ Meals

Cowichan Valley Basket Society

📍 5810 Garden St, Duncan

📞 250-746-1566

✉️ office@cvbs.ca

🕐 Mon–Sat 10am–4pm · Lunch 11am–3:30pm

Bread, fruit & veg daily. Coffee/pastries 10–11am. Hampers Mon–Fri 10am–1:30pm (register from 9am or phone). One hamper / 30 days.

📞 Call ✉️ Email 📍 Map

Meals on the Ground

📍 Duncan United Church (back door), 246 Ingram St

✉️ info@cgcf.ca

🕐 Mon, Wed, Fri 5pm — open on holidays

✉️ Email 📍 Map

Duncan United Church

📍 246 Ingram St

📞 250-746-6043

🕐 Dinner 3rd Sunday monthly, doors 5pm

📞 Call 📍 Map

Duncan Christian Reform Church

📍 930 Trunk Rd

📞 250-748-2122

🕐 Dinner last Saturday monthly, doors 5pm

📞 Call 📍 Map

Sunday Sandwiches

📍 5810 Garden St (CVBS backyard)

🕐 Every Sunday & stat holidays 12–1pm

📍 Map

House of Friendship Breakfast (First Nations)

📍 5462 Trans-Canada Hwy

📞 250-748-2242

✉️ ajack@hofduncan.org

🕐 Mon–Fri 6–9am

📞 Call ✉️ Email 📍 Map

Warmland Shelter Meals

📍 2579 Lewis St

📞 250-715-1132

🕐 Breakfast & dinner for shelter clients, 7 days

📞 Call 📍 Map

Burger Sundays

📍 Warmland Shelter

🕐 Free burgers & juice, 2nd Sunday monthly (St. Edward's volunteers)

📍 Map

🛏️ Shelters

Warmland House Shelter

📍 2579 Lewis St

📞 250-715-1132

✉️ cmhacvb@cmha.bc.ca

Two-point sign-up: morning before leaving + 5pm. First come, first served. Miss the list → guaranteed bed next night.

📞 Call ✉️ Email 📍 Map

Cedar Branches Women's Shelter (19+)

📍 222 Cowichan Way

📞 250-466-9492

✉️ support@cwav.org

Capacity 8. Clients can stay 24/7. Call for availability/waitlist.

📞 Call ✉️ Email 📍 Map

Temporary Warming / Cooling Shelters

Activated as needed — info shared at OPS, shelters, and foodbank.

Temporary Overnight Shelter Rules & Safety

Community-made planning image. Not an official legal map. This card does not give permission to camp anywhere. Always follow current municipal bylaws, posted signs, park closures, fire bans, environmental protections, and bylaw officer direction.

Possible areas shown in the community image to verify before use:

Quamichan Lake / forest-side areas
Mount Tzouhalem Park area
Stocking Lake area
McInstrey Nature Park area
McAdam / Rotary area

These are not guaranteed legal shelter locations. They are areas from a community-made planning image that must be checked against current local rules before use.

Before setting up anywhere:

Check posted signs
Stay away from sensitive natural areas
Do not block trails, roads, fields, playgrounds, buildings, or emergency access
Keep the area clean
Leave no garbage behind
Respect bylaw officers, park staff, nearby residents, and other park users
Leave early and peacefully if asked to move

Use this as a caution and planning reminder, not as permission or legal advice.

💊 Harm Reduction

Cowichan Valley Wellness & Recovery Centre

📍 5878 York Rd

📞 OPS: 250-597-7779

🕐 OPS 7 days 8am–8pm

Counselling · Outreach · Primary Care · Opiate Agonist Therapy

📞 Call 📍 Map

Margaret Moss Health Unit

📍 675 Canada Ave

📞 250-709-3050

🕐 Mon–Fri 8:30am–12pm, 1–4:30pm

📞 Call 📍 Map

Public Health Outreach (Island Health)

📞 250-510-5480

🕐 7 days, varying hours

📞 Call

Ts'ewulhtun Health Centre (Cowichan Tribes)

📍 5768 Allenby Rd

📞 250-746-6184

🕐 Mon–Fri 8:30–12pm, 1–4:30pm

Nasal naloxone provided. Harm Reduction Team & Kwun'atsustal Counselling.

📞 Call 📍 Map

NARSF Mobile Health Outreach

📞 1-844-482-4239 / text 250-510-3637

🕐 Tuesdays 1–8pm

📞 Call

Warmland House Shelter

📍 2579 Lewis St

📞 250-715-1132

✉️ cmhacvb@cmha.bc.ca

🕐 All hours except 1–7pm when OPS is open

📞 Call ✉️ Email 📍 Map

B.C. Drug Toxicity Update 2026

BC Coroners Service update posted May 13, 2026. Data is preliminary and subject to change as investigations and toxicology results are completed.

Key figures:

400 suspected unregulated drug-toxicity deaths reported in B.C. during January to March 2026
January: 150
February: 115
March: 135
March averaged approximately 4.4 deaths per day
B.C. reported 1,826 deaths in 2025

Safety reminder: If someone may be experiencing an overdose, call 911 immediately. Carry naloxone if available and follow current harm-reduction guidance.

Source: BC Coroners Service. Statistics may be updated as investigations are completed.