3 students walking outside on VIU Nanaimo Campus

Crisis and Emergency

Need help now?

Community Supports and Services

  • Brooks Landing Walk-in Counselling Clinic (Mental Health and Addictions)
    Open Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5:15 pm
    Unit 203, 2000 Island Highway North, See Brooks Landing Access and Crisis Services or call 250.739.5710
  • Vancouver Island Crisis Line at 1.888.494.3888 (24/7)
    Crisis Chat VI Crisis, and text (250.800.3806) 6 to 10 pm, 7 days a week
    Note that due to a staff shortage, chat and text services may not be available
  • First Nations and Inuit helpline and chat is available 24/7. Call 1.855.242.3310 for culturally competent counsellors, services in English, French, Ojibway, Cree and Inuktitut.
  • Here2Talk  Here2Talk is a free and confidential program that provides all students currently registered with a BC post-secondary school access to single-session  of 24/7 mental health support and community referral services via app, phone and web. Call 604.642.5212 or Toll Free at 1.877.857.3397.
  • 9.8.8 Suicide Crisis Helpline offers phone or text support to people in every province and territory 24/7 and 365 days a year through the Government of Canada mental health support.
  • YouthInBC is a 24-hour suicide hotline for youth under age 25. Call 1.800.784.2433; chat, 12 pm to 1 am PST.
  • CrisisCentreChat is a 24-hour suicide hotline for adults 25+. 
    Call 1.800.784.2433,  chat 12 pm to 1 am PST
  • CrisisServicesCanada  offers suicide prevention and support. Call 1.833.456.4566 (24/7)  text (4546) and chat (2 pm to 10 pm PST).
  • Haven Society for women who have been sexually assaulted or in situations of domestic violence.
     Call the 24-hour crisis line at1.888.756.0616 or see Haven Society for a variety of services
  • Search the Health and Wellness Resources for a more comprehensive database of other Vancouver Island community resources

Emergency on-campus

For medical emergencies, call 9 1 1

If 9 1 1 is called, please have someone nearby call 1.250.740.6512 to report the incident to VIU

Emergency, first aid, security, ambulance, fire, police, bomb threat

7 days a week, 24 hours a day

Campus emergency phone numbers

  • Nanaimo Phone: 250.740.6512
  • Cowichan Phone: 1.250.740.6512
  • tiwšɛmawtxʷ (Powell River) Phone: 604.485.2878

Emergency off-campus

Police, fire and ambulance services

7 days a week, 24 hours a day

  • Phone: 9 1 1

Nanaimo Regional General Hospital

7 days a week, 24 hours a day

  • Phone: 250.755.7691
  • Location: 1200 Dufferin Crescent, Nanaimo, BC V9S 5R6