The listings under General Referrals are a good place to start when you are looking for information about a particular topic. If they cannot supply the specific information you need, they will be able to refer you to the correct organization to answer your question.
Emergency: 911
This is the general emergency number for police, fire and ambulance. If your call is not an emergency, you should phone the non-emergency number for the service you need in your area listed at the front of the phone book.
Vancouver Island Crisis Line: 1-888-494-3888
Crisis line workers provide 24/7 telephone support to help clients through a crisis situation, provide referrals to emergency Mental Health and Addictions Services and provide information about community resources.
Poison Control Centre: 1-800-567-8911
Provides information on poisons and treatments of poisoning.
General Information
BC Health and Seniors Information Line
A general referral line for issues related to seniors including all relevant BC Government programs. This is an excellent place to start if you have any questions related to services available for seniors in BC. They will also mail publications to you including BC Seniors Guide, Healthy Eating for Seniors and Move for Life.
| 250-952-1742 | 1-800-465-4911 | www.seniorsbc.ca |
Health Services
Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA)
All chronic care programs, including home support, provided by VIHA are accessed through the General Inquiries Line. You will be referred to the Central Intake program and an appointment will be made with a Registered Nurse who will assess your situation. VIHA’s community programs including community nursing, case management, nutrition, rehabilitation and the quick response team are all coordinated through this single point of access system.
| 250-388-2273 | 1-888-533-2273 | www.viha.ca |
Beacon Community Services Home Support
If you have been assessed and are now a Home Support Client, you may contact your home support scheduler by calling the number below and you will be referred to the appropriate team.
| 250-658-6407 | www.beaconcs.ca |
HealthLink BC
This is a valuable resource for any non-emergency questions you may have about healthcare and nutrition. The service is available at no charge 24/7 and you will be connected to a nurse, dietitian or pharmacist depending on your inquiry.
| 811 | 711 (Deaf/hearing impaired) | www.healthlinkbc.ca |
VIHA’s Mental Health and Addiction Services
Provides a variety of programs on both an inpatient and outpatient basis.
| Mental Health and Addiction Services Intake Line | 250-519-3485 |
Government Services
Service Canada
Service Canada is the central intake number for referral to all federal government services.
| 1-800-0-Canada | (1-800-622-6232) | www.seniors.gc.ca |
Service BC
Service BC is the central referral line for all provincial government services
| 250-387-6121 | www.gov.bc.ca |
Municipal Government Services
Listed below are the general inquiry lines for each of the municipalities in the CRD.