The Port Alberni Friendship Centre is delivering a new pilot project called Connections Through Inclusion, designed to provide culturally grounded support to Indigenous adults with diverse needs. Announced on March 27, 2026, the initiative is a partnership between Community Living BC and Aboriginal friendship centres across B.C. to help residents navigate social services and improve access to community resources.
The program is part of a $900,000 provincial investment aimed at helping Indigenous adults who may be eligible for services, including those with developmental disabilities, autism, or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The Port Alberni location is one of six delivery sites across the province chosen to host a new Community Connections worker. This staff member will provide hands-on assistance to individuals who face complex needs, such as unstable housing or limited support networks.
Workers at the centre will help participants connect with Elders and cultural activities, while also building relationships with service providers. By operating within the friendship centre, the program aims to offer a space that is culturally safe and easier for people to access than mainstream government systems. The pilot project is scheduled to run through early 2027 as part of a broader provincial commitment to reconciliation.
Port Alberni, which sits on the traditional territories of the Tseshaht and Hupaacasath First Nations, has an Indigenous population of nearly 16 percent. The local friendship centre, which was established in 1965, remains a central hub for providing services to Indigenous people living away from their home communities. This initiative is supported by the Aboriginal Housing Management Association to help bridge the gap between housing and essential health and social supports.
