Chilliwack

Chilliwack sits in the Fraser Valley about an hour east of Vancouver, a mid-sized city surrounded by farmland and mountains that still carries a small-town, agricultural feel even as it grows fast. Average household income here has hovered around $95,000 in recent years, but that number hides a lot of struggle, since rents have climbed sharply while wages for many jobs haven't kept pace. The 2023 Homeless Count for Chilliwack recorded 466 people experiencing homelessness, a number local outreach workers believe is likely an undercount given how many people are couch-surfing or living in vehicles rather than sleeping outside. The Salvation Army Chilliwack Community Church operates a shelter and meal programs, Ruth & Naomi's Mission offers a drop-in, showers, and emergency shelter beds, and the Chilliwack Community Services provides support with housing, food, and other basic needs. Cyrus Centre is also worth knowing about if you're under 25, since they focus specifically on youth. Winters here get cold and wet, so layering matters more than people expect, and it's worth asking staff at any of these places about warming centres when the temperature drops. You're not invisible here, and there are people in this city who will treat you like you matter, because you do.