Welcome to the Vancouver Island Queer Resource Collective!
This site was created and is maintained by queers for queers on a purely volunteer basis. We aim to help queer folk from all walks of life find the resources and support they need and to help themselves grow theirselves and their communities, no matter what background they’re coming from or where they fall under the rainbow.

Territory Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge that this website was originally created on the unceded traditional territories of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples, now called the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, and the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples. We would like to acknowledge that the resources curated here are created and maintained by and for all people residing in the traditional Tribal Regions of the Coast Salish, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Kwakwaka’wakw peoples. We aim to work from a place of compassion, understanding, and inclusion. We would like to recognize that sharing resources for safety and healing can be a part of community care and reconciliation while also recognizing the intersectional harm that colonization has brought to indigenous people and settlers alike through the introduction of anti-gay and anti-trans sentiments. To learn more about the land you are on, visit Native-Land.ca. We welcome feedback regarding this acknowledgement and any other aspect of our site.

In light of COVID-19, it is important to keep ourselves and our community safe. Please do your best to approach community involvement in a safe and appropriate way in accordance with the latest recommendations. For more information about recommendations and our current state in the pandemic, please visit the BC CDC website and the Government of Canada website.

The current recommendation is for everyone to wear a face mask if it is available. If you would like to make a face mask, please check out this post with a list of available resources and printables to make your own.

We will not be updating the community connections pages to reflect changes in groups, meetings, and other events as it is too much to take on at this time. Please be sure to verify when and where groups will be getting together, if at all, prior to attempting to attend.

Why do we use “queer”?
We have named our collective “Queer” in order to be as inclusive as possible and to differentiate ourselves from other community groups and organizations. Whether you visit us for our resources or connections, work with us, or only pass us on to others, we hope you will use the words you identify with most, whether or not those words include “queer.”
This page has more information on our word choice.

Need Connection?

If you need a community support group, check out our Victoria Support Groups or our Island Support Groups pages.
If you need a community connection, check out our Community Groups and Organizations page.
If you need a single-person touch point, to meet before a group or just to connect, contact us. Please note: this is not a place to look for crisis support.

In Crisis?

Vancouver Island Crisis Line:
– 24/7 call: 1-888-494-3888
– 6pm – 10pm text: 250-800-3806
– 6pm – 10pm online chat: click here for the chat or get more information

Kids Help Phone:
– 24/7 call: 1-800-668-6868
– text: “CONNECT” to 282828
– 24/7 chat: Kids Help Phone Chat

KUU-US Crisis Line Society:
– Indigenous Elders and Adults Call 24/7: 250-723-4050
– Indigenous Youth Call 24/7: 250-723-2040
– Call Toll-free 24/7: 1-800-588-8717

Trans Lifeline:
– Canada-wide 24/7 call: 1-877-330-6366

BC provincal-wide Suicide Line:
– 24/7 call: 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE)

Canada Suicide Prevention Service:
– 24/7 call: 1-833-456-4566
– 5pm to 1am text: text 45645
– chat: Crisis Services Canada
– 24/7 French call: 1-866-277-3553 (1-866-APPELLE)

Need 2:
– Youth text 6pm-12am: 778-783-0177
– Youth chat 6pm-12am: Youth Space

For crisis lines elsewhere in Canada: Click Here
For crisis lines elsewhere in the world: Click Here