Supportive housing helps people who have many challenges in their lives, including homelessness or the risk of homelessness, to stay housed. It is ideally suited for people who have been chronically homeless or have cycled in and out of apartments in the past. By staffing these sites, typically around the clock, we are able to support people in their journey forward and respond to neighbourhood needs.
Desmond House provides tenants with an affordable room right in the heart of downtown. Tenants share a kitchen space where cooking together is common and also share washroom facilities. Staff is available on-site to assist our tenants in any way they need weekdays, including a friendly ear, and staff from other buildings on the block help during weekends.
Rooms with Support
717 Pandora Avenue, Victoria
The suites at Mike Gidora Place are small, but tall ceilings allow for a space-adding loft and bring in lots of light. The building also incorporates a social/cultural space for Indigenous tenants who also have access to the Downtown Community Centre next door. Apartments are located in the heart of downtown and close to many beneficial services for people who require supportive housing.
Apartments with Support
749 Pandora Avenue, Victoria
Johnson Manor’s beautiful gardens and carriage house make it both a lovely place to live and a nice addition to the neighbourhood. The greenhouse and raised garden beds get light from the south and west, providing a warm, peaceful place for residents to grow lavender, tomatoes, kale, and many other fresh ingredients for their table. The property is conveniently located near downtown but away from its hustle and bustle.
Apartments with Support
1153 Johnson Street, Victoria
Tenants in Pandora Apartments benefit from a lovely, quiet and spacious courtyard as well as the Downtown Community Centre on the ground floor, where free activities are hosted every day of the week. As with all supportive housing, Cool Aid staff provide a full spectrum of services, including medication monitoring, volunteer opportunities, referrals, regular tenant meetings, and internal social gatherings.
Apartments with Support
757 Pandora Avenue, Victoria
Queens Manor fronts on Douglas Street near the Times Colonist building. Its low-income tenants benefit from the nearby Mustard Seed food bank and other services a 10-15 minute walk away in downtown Victoria. Tenants in this building have taken a very active role in helping one another and meet on a regular basis to socialize and discuss tenant issues.
Apartments with Support
710 Queens Avenue, Victoria
Swift House affords some nice views on the upper floors. It was Cool Aid’s very first apartment building, opened in 1991, and the first supportive housing in the Province. The social room on the ground floor (a feature of most Cool Aid apartment buildings) is well enjoyed by the tenants and includes a donated piano and billiard table plus food serving amenities. A variety of apartment sizes allows some couples to live here.
During the height of Covid-19’s first wave, many people found themselves homeless, tenting in parks around town. In response, the province of BC purchased the former Comfort Inn to provide housing for 170 residents. Renamed, Muncey Place, Cool Aid runs the onsite medical clinic, as well as provides supportive housing at the 30 unit “Tower”. Our Place Society supports 140 residents. Residents at the Tower are provided with 24/7 staffing support, security, and two meals daily.
Rooms with Support
3020 Blanshard Street, Victoria
"Now I’m a peer support worker and help people who are addicted. I get paid and it brings me pride to be one step closer to a full-time job."
Client Volunteer, Recovered Addict
