Victoria backs program helping unhoused Indigenous people return to their home communities

The City of Victoria is providing $40,000 in funding to support a relocation program that helps unhoused Indigenous people return to their home communities, reconnect with family and access culturally grounded support.

The program is run by Peer 2 Peer Indigenous Society, an outreach organization led by Karen Mills, a Métis woman from Vancouver Island who has lived experience with homelessness. Mills now works directly with Indigenous people living on the streets of Victoria, particularly in the Pandora Avenue area.

According to the most recent Point in Time count conducted in late March 2025, nearly 30 per cent of people experiencing homelessness in Greater Victoria identify as Indigenous. While some are local, close to half reported they are originally from outside Vancouver Island.

Mills says many people she meets during outreach express a simple desire: to go home.

“People tell me they’re stuck here,” she said. “They might have come for work, a relationship, or a fresh start, and then addiction, violence or trauma takes over. Suddenly, they don’t have the resources or support to leave.”

When someone asks for help returning home, Mills works to reconnect them with family members and their home community to ensure there is support in place. Peer 2 Peer then arranges transportation, helping remove one of the biggest barriers keeping people unhoused in Victoria.

So far, the program has helped four people return to communities as far north as Port McNeill and as far east as Edmonton. Another six people are currently exploring the option.

“It’s about getting people back with their families, their language, their culture — and giving them a real chance to heal,” Mills said.

The funding from the city will primarily cover transportation costs.

Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto said the grant is part of the city’s broader Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan, which focuses on improving safety and inclusion in the downtown core while strengthening community-based services.

Earlier phases of the plan committed more than $10 million toward policing and bylaw enforcement, housing solutions, and support for frontline organizations working with vulnerable populations.

Alto emphasized that the relocation program is entirely voluntary and not about forcing people out of the city.

“This is about supporting people who want to return home,” she said. “Many Indigenous people have been displaced from their families and communities for complex reasons rooted in history and trauma. While the city can’t solve all of that, we can help remove barriers and support organizations that are doing meaningful, respectful work.”

City officials say the funding recognizes the importance of Indigenous-led solutions and culturally informed approaches in addressing homelessness — particularly for those seeking reconnection rather than long-term shelter in Victoria.