Unhoused people in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area are once again without a consistent overnight cold weather shelter.
Temporary overnight warming centres have so far opened for a handful of days at the Christian Fellowship Centre in Qualicum Beach and Oceanside Community Church in Errington, but outside of that, unhoused people are left to deal with the cold.
To stay warm, they are sleeping in cars, huddling in sleeping bags in tents, living under overpasses and "couch-surfing", according to Robin Campbell with Manna Homeless Society.
“The last two years, I’ve never seen so many women on the street and that is a shock," Campbell said. "Older women — women of retirement age living in their cars, or living outside.”
BC Housing has overnight shelter and extreme-weather response shelter funding available, according to a statement from the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, and "is always willing to work with municipalities should they wish to move forward with the necessary approvals that would allow these sites in their community."
"Neither Parksville nor Qualicum Beach is scheduled to have an overnight shelter open this winter season at this time," the statement continued.
During the recent cold weather snap, the City of Parksville extended hours at the Parksville Civic and Technology Centre as a warming space.
The city also provided approximately 250 self-heating meal kits to Oceanside Task Force on Homelessness and Society of Organized Services, who distributed the meal kits during the cold weather response, according to a statement by Mayor Doug O'Brien.
"This is a complex issue that requires the collaboration of multiple agencies to provide wraparound services to this vulnerable population," O'Brien said in a statement to the PQB News. "We continue to measure outcomes and will strive to improve service deliverables as required and when approved by the provincial authority."
O'Brien added that warming centre activation is contingent upon funding approval by the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, as well as additional requirements including weather threshold forecast and the availability of a service operator.
The warming centres at the CFC and Oceanside Community Church are a collaboration between Qualicum Beach, the Regional District of Nanaimo and Parksville through Emergency Management Oceanside, according to Deb Tardiff, manager of communications for the city.
The Mayor of Qualicum Beach, Teunis Westbroek, said long-term solutions include building more affordable housing and providing care for mental health an addictions, “in a way where we can see progress. We can help them having a more productive life.”
Westbroek added that some units in the affordable housing project on Village Way will be ready for occupancy soon and "some of those units would be available for the unhoused.”
“There should be a warming centre in every community," he said. "I think we should all look after our own and there’s opportunities to have some of these elsewhere, whether it’s a church or a community hall or even a regional district facility."
Westbroek added that he believes many unhoused people don't want to stay at a warming centre because "they don’t know who else is there and they like the freedom of not being monitored".
When the Christian Fellowship Centre opened as a warming centre for the second time in 2025, four people attended, out of a capacity of 15, on the night of Feb. 1, according to Violet Hayes, executive director of Island Crisis Care Society.
The Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs said it recognizes there is an "urgent need" for shelters, especially during the winter. The provincial government and BC Housing have funded 6,700 shelter spaces in 59 communities around B.C., which is a 31 per cent increase compared to last year.
Stephanie Higginson, MLA for Ladysmith-Oceanside, said she is committed to working with working with the Ministry of Housing, BC Housing, local governments and local non-profits "to look for solutions that are supported by the community".
"In many ways, this is an issue newer to our community than it is to others," Higginson said in a statement emailed to the PQB News. "Which means there’s a lot of room for us to learn from how other communities have tackled this complex issue and tailor our solutions to meet the unique needs of our community."
The lack of shelter space in the area is not discouraging people from "living rough" in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area, Campbell said, and many unhoused people are frightened of living in the shelters or the streets of Nanaimo.
He added that Manna has tried, without success, to admit unhoused people with medical problems to shelters in Nanaimo: “Nanaimo is full”.
Campbell said the long-term solutions include more supportive housing facilities, like Orca Place in Parksville.
He also suggests a safe parking program — a place where people living in their vehicles can stay overnight and be provided with basic amenities.
Organizations such as the SOS are doing what they can to support people who are unhoused or at risk of losing their homes. The SOS's Emergency Assistance and Advocacy Program and Seniors Advocacy Services Program are both dedicated to supporting people facing unexpected financial challenges.
“Our compassionate program co-ordinators are committed to advocating for clients, guiding them toward overcoming financial barriers and achieving lasting self-sufficiency," said Bonnie Brown, administration and clients services manager. "So we try and help, maybe not out of their situation but help them alleviate their situation.”
SOS also provides financial vouchers that can be used to purchase life essentials such as groceries, gas, medicine, and in some cases, propane. They also assist residents with applying for housing programs and housing subsidies, as well as government benefits, according to Brown.
Another thing people come to SOS looking for is shelters, warming centres and housing, she added. SOS does not provide those services but does assist with connecting people with the appropriate community services.
The number of people experiencing homelessness in the PQB area only continues to increase, based on indicators such as the number of clients visiting the SOS.
"It’s shocking how many people are sleeping in their cars, if they’re lucky enough to have a car,” Brown said.
