Bowen Park Complex: 500 Bowen Road

Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Saturday, Sunday - Closed

Beban Social Centre: 2300 Bowen Road 

Sunday to Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Nanaimo Ice Centre: 750 Third Street

Sunday to Saturday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Oliver Woods Community Centre: 6000 Oliver Road

Sunday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

All drop-ins are welcome under the terms of the City of Nanaimo Facility Use Code of Conduct.

All drop-in are welcome under terms of VIRL's code of conduct

Nanaimo Harbourfront - 90 Commercial Street
Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Nanaimo North - 6250 Hammond Bay Road
Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nanaimo Wellington Branch - 3200 North Island Highway

Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

19 Nicol Street

Provides daytime programming and space for current shelter guests only

Seven days per week

520 Prideaux Street

This shelter includes 24 overnight emergency shelter beds for men and women. It will operate until May 2025, from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m., Seven days a week.

Email: risebridgeproject [at] gmail.com (risebridgeproject[at]gmail[dot]com )  Phone: 250-268-8428

19 Nicol Street

Offers 24 emergency shelter beds available for adult males who are homeless. 

Phone: 250-714-1142

595 Townsite Road

Provides shelter for men, women, pets as well as storage.  Low barrier, but drugs and alcohol may not be consumed on the premises.

Open 5 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., seven days a week. 

Phone: 205-754-3720  Email: unitarianshelter [at] nflabc.org

301 Machleary Street

Open November 2, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

Has 40 shelter beds for men and women. Shelter services are provided during winter months only from 8 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., seven days a week. No drugs or alcohol permitted. Guests are asked to enter from the back laneway.

St. Peter’s Winter Shelter (direct line): 250-591-5600

Nanaimo Family Life Association (office hours only): 250-754-3331

For at-risk youth from 12 to 18 years of age. No drugs or alcohol are allowed on the premises.

Phone: 250-753-8266

Offers an extreme weather shelter in partnership with Maranatha Church and BC Housing on days with a high of zero degree weather or other extreme weather circumstances. 

Phone: 250-797-0531

702 Nicol Street

Open 24 hours, seven days a week for women only, 19 years of age and up. Please call for more information.

Phone 250-753-1474

Provides an enhanced bagged lunch program handed out from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., Monday to Friday, through community outreach and at the Caledonia Park Showers. Each bagged lunch equals two servings.  Also distributes hot meals Monday to Friday, at the Caledonia Park Showers and seven days a week by outreach.

Phone: 250-797-0531

Provides a brown bag lunch to go that is served by community volunteers to those in need during the hours of 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., seven days per week. All meals are offered at no charge at a variety of locations. For more information see www.wisteriacommunityassociation.com

Mobile Service Phone: 250-591-6443

Food is available to individuals with no income or address check required for service, seven days a week in Nanaimo through 13 free food markets. Dates, times and locations of can be found at www.nanaimoloavesandfishes.org

Phone: 250-754-8347

100 Chapel Street 

Lunch is provided by Nanaimo Foodshare every Monday between noon and 1 p.m.

On the third Tuesday of each month, grocery cards are provided for both individuals and families. This program begins at 9 am on the third Tuesday at the parish office and continues until they run out of grocery cards.

Phone: 250-753-2523

Lunches are provided Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.