Orca Place is a site for support and care – a refuge and a home for people from the Oceanside area who have experienced housing and health challenges. Situated in a bright, modular style apartment building built by BC Housing on land owned by the City of Parksville, Orca Place contains 52 studio and one-bedroom suites, including 6 accessible units. Opened in August of 2019, the building provides housing, support, and programs to Oceanside residents who have been assessed and recommended by the local Housing and Outreach Support Team (known as HOST).
Work is currently underway to add three new studio units with private washrooms and kitchenettes to the lower level of Orca Place. Once complete, these renovations will bring the total number of homes to 55, helping expand support for people in the community experiencing homelessness. We expect these new units to open in Fall 2026.
The three-story building has been designed to suit the architectural style of the neighbourhood and each individual apartment includes a private bathroom and a kitchen. Orca place provides a safe, and potentially long-term home for clients who want some independence, but still need support to live on their own.
Orca place offers a variety of supports that increase a program participant’s ability to maintain their unit and move towards greater freedom and responsibility, mapping the services and supports they need to stabilize their housing and move forward with their life goals.