Port Alberni Friendship Centre

Port Alberni Friendship Centre is an Indigenous community organization at 3555 4th Avenue in Port Alberni, BC, guided by the wisdom of Elders and committed to providing culturally grounded programs and services for Indigenous people on Vancouver Island. Funded by Island Health, INAC, and other provincial and federal partners, the Friendship Centre offers addiction and mental health counselling, pregnancy and family support programs, and a wide range of community services — all within a framework that honours Indigenous identity and community wellbeing.

Addictions and Mental Health Counselling

The Friendship Centre provides outpatient addictions and mental health counselling funded through Island Health’s Mental Health & Addictions program. Counsellors deliver quality, individualized sessions that address alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, and opioid addiction alongside co-occurring mental health concerns. The cultural foundation of care means that counselling is delivered in a way that is meaningful and responsive to each client’s Indigenous identity, family context, and lived experience — not a one-size-fits-all approach, but one guided by relationship, respect, and Elder wisdom.

Healthycare Pregnancy Program and Family Support

The Healthycare Pregnancy Program Pilot Project offers specialized support for pregnant individuals who are using or thinking about using substances — walking alongside clients on their journey in a non-judgmental, supportive way. This program reflects the Friendship Centre’s commitment to culturally safe, relationship-based care that meets people where they are. Family support services extend the centre’s reach to children, parents, and extended family members — recognizing that wellness in Indigenous communities is always relational and communal.

Community Hub and Cultural Services

The Port Alberni Friendship Centre serves as a gathering place and community hub for Indigenous people in the Alberni Valley — offering drop-in services, cultural programming, Elder-guided activities, and connections to a broad range of provincial and community resources. For Indigenous individuals and families navigating addiction alongside the other challenges of urban and semi-urban life, the Friendship Centre offers a welcoming, familiar, and culturally safe space where help is always available and community is always present.