Courtenay

Courtenay sits on Vancouver Island in the Comox Valley, a mid-sized city of mountains, farmland, and a slower coastal pace that draws retirees and young families alike, though that charm masks a real affordability crunch for anyone without steady income. Average household income here runs around $85,000 a year, a figure that puts rising rents and grocery costs out of reach for a lot of people. The 2023 Point-in-Time Count for the Comox Valley identified 126 people experiencing homelessness, a number advocates say likely undercounts the reality of couch-surfing and hidden homelessness in the region. The Comox Valley Transition Society runs shelter and outreach programs and is often a first stop for people needing a safe bed or connection to services. The Salvation Army Comox Valley offers food support, clothing, and some emergency assistance, while Lush Valley Food Action Society works on food security through community meals and good food boxes for those stretching every dollar. Wachiay Friendship Centre also supports Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members with cultural and social services. You are not invisible here, and the people who built these organizations did so because they believe you deserve help, dignity, and a way forward.