Vancouver

Vancouver is a city of glass towers and rainforest mountains, where extreme wealth sits uncomfortably close to extreme need, and the gap between them shapes daily life for a lot of people. The average household income here runs around $110,000 a year, but that number hides how brutal the housing market actually is, with rents that push people out of apartments and onto the street with startling speed. The 2023 homeless count found 4,821 people experiencing homelessness in Vancouver, and outreach workers will tell you the real number is likely higher, since counts miss people staying in cars, on couches, or in places no survey ever reaches. The rain here is relentless nine months of the year, so knowing where to get dry matters as much as knowing where to eat. Union Gospel Mission and the Salvation Army both run shelters and meal programs in the Downtown Eastside, and RainCity Housing operates supportive housing and outreach across the city if you need help finding a stable place to land. First United Church in the DTES has long been a place where people can get out of the weather, use a phone, or just sit somewhere warm without being asked to leave. You've made it this far, and that counts for something — take care of yourself today, and let people who know this city help carry some of the weight.