Editor’s note – Editor’s note – 197 ‘unsheltered’ Campbell River residents were reported in the 2023 Point-in Time count. Data from the 2021 census suggests another 3,450 are paying more for rent or mortgages than they can afford.

There is less data from rural areas, but anecdotal evidence suggests that the number of peopleliving in unstable conditions on Cortes and Quadra Island’s is higher than the 77 and 41 reported through the 2022 ‘Collecting Stories of Where You Live’ survey. They couch surfed, lived in vehicles,  sheds etc, or outside. (11 Cortes residents and 12 people in Area C reported they were ‘unsheltered.’) Emma Wallace, who oversaw the project, suggested the actual number of Cortes residents living in ‘unsheltered’ or ‘at risk’ conditions might be 10% higher than what was reported. This gap between is believed to be even greater on Quadra Island, where there were fewer respondents to the survey. As someone recently pointed out, you need access to a computer to fill in an online survey.

By Madeline Dunnett, The Discourse,  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Comox Valley residents have the opportunity to participate in a range of free education workshops this spring, thanks to the Strengthening Communities’ Services Program administered by the Union of BC Municipalities. 

The workshops run from April 10 through June 25 and are open to the public. They cover topics including mental health first aid, trauma-informed frontline response education and gender diversity education in the workplace.