• UVic Family Housing 
  • Greater Victoria Rent Bank (emergency rent support)
  • Threshold Housing Society (housing options)
  • Victoria Youth Empowerment Society (various emergency and year-long services including youth emergency shelter, drop-in, counselling, and life-skill programs)
  • Out of the Rain Youth Shelter (youth shelter, seasonal service)
  • Victoria Women’s Transition House (transitional housing for women facing partner violence)
  • Pacifica Housing (affordable housing option, application required)
  • BC Housing (housing support, province-wide)
  • OurPlace (various supports including meals, wellness services, shelter and housing services, and outreach programs)
  • List of where to start for housing search and subsidized housing
  • Burnside Gorge Housing Outreach: outreach for families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, call: 250-388-5251
  • Beacon Community Services: housing outreach for seniors, people living with disabilities, and those at risk for homelessness, call: 250-884-3701
  • Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Vancouver Island: community-based program to find permanent, sustainable housing for clients, call: 250-727-0007 

Advice for house renting:

  • Never deal in cash. … 
  • Never rent sight-unseen. … 
  • Don’t provide confidential info that can be used for identity theft. … 
  • Meet the landlord in person. … 
  • Speak with the current tenants. … 
  • Conduct basic research. … 
  • Be aware of too-good-to-be-true rent rates. … 
  • Be wary of high-pressure sales tactics.

What can a landlord ask for in BC?

  • Name and contact information.
  • Current address and previous rental history.
  • References from previous landlords or employers.
  • Proof of income or employment.
  • Credit history or report.

Advice to avoid roommate scams

  • Be aware of scams. For any rental search, being alert for potential bad actors is always a top priority. … 
  • Run a background check. Performing a background check can give you confidence the person is who they say they are. … 
  • Ask for references.