A total of 174 people were counted as experiencing homelessness in Campbell River in the latest point-in-time survey, that’s a drop from 197 reported in the 2023 edition.
Most of those counted were unsheltered.
The count included both sheltered and unsheltered people. “Sheltered” refers to those in shelters, hospitals or other overnight facilities on the night of the count (April 30, 2025).
Of the total, 125 were unsheltered and 49 sheltered.
The survey asked how long respondents had lived in the community. Seventy-seven per cent had been there one year or more, 60 per cent five years or more, and 28 per cent said they had always lived in the area.
The report notes Indigenous people are consistently overrepresented among those experiencing homelessness: 58 per cent of respondents identified as Indigenous, compared with 11 per cent of the census population.
Insufficient income was cited most often as a cause of homelessness (36 per cent). Seventeen per cent mentioned spousal conflict, and 17 per cent cited substance use.
Most people experiencing homelessness were between the ages of 25 and 54. Twenty-five per cent were seniors, and 19 per cent were youths under 25.
Only six per cent of respondents reported having a full or part-time job.
The data also included information on substance use and mental health. Seventy-one per cent reported substance use; 72 per cent reported mental health challenges.
Among those reporting substance use: 31 per cent used opiates, 43 per cent used stimulants, 53 per cent used alcohol, 55 per cent used cannabis, and 74 per cent used nicotine.
This year, the province released count data from 20 communities.
Click here to view data from the 2025 Campbell River point-in-time survey from the Homelessness Services Association of B.C.
– Article includes information from Homelessness Services Association of B.C. via Province of British Columbia
