Kicked Out of the Area to Hand Out Survival Essentials, Food and Foot Care by the Salvation Army

Five years ago, Manna Homeless Society could comfortably distribute essential survival items—food, clothing, warm blankets, foot care supplies, and temporary shelter support—on the grounds of the Salvation Army Mt. Arrowsmith Church in Parksville. Our weekly two-hour outreach served a manageable number of people in need, with minimal disruption to the surrounding community.

Today, the situation is unrecognizable. Homelessness in the Oceanside region has surged, with the 2025 point-in-time count identifying 94 individuals experiencing homelessness in Parksville and Qualicum Beach alone—an alarming increase that reflects broader trends across Vancouver Island. More people are living in vehicles, tents, or on the streets, many hidden from view yet desperately struggling with poverty, mental health challenges, and addiction.

This growth of people living in cars has overwhelmed our former location. Businesses lost parking spaces, foot traffic spilled onto roadways, and safety concerns mounted for everyone involved. We are deeply grateful to those neighbours and businesses who tolerated the disruption for as long as they did.

Yet, shame on the City of Parksville for its heartbreaking inaction. Despite repeated pleas, the council has failed to provide even a small, safe parcel of land for our modest weekly outreach. Just days ago, on February 11, 2026, we were forced to vacate the Salvation Army property, leaving us to deliver vital services “on the road” without a stable base. There remains no permanent winter shelter in Oceanside, no designated space for basic aid, and no meaningful leadership to address this crisis.

The consequences are already unfolding: rising deaths among the unhoused, strained emergency services, and a community divided by neglect. Turning their backs on the most vulnerable is beyond belief. Parksville deserves better—from its leaders and from all of us.

Robin Campbell

Manna Homeless Society