The work of Jacqueline Podewils and the Housing is Healthcare initiative continues to shine a light on the barriers faced by people who must leave their communities to access care. Their efforts are helping ensure that no one experiences financial hardship simply because they need medical treatment. Access to care is not a privilege; it is a right guaranteed to all residents and provinces are obligated to ensure that this access is reasonable and without financial barrier or other burdens.
As this important work progresses and awareness grows about the hardships many still face in receiving the care they need, we are also reminded that housing is healthcare in so many other ways.
Across rural BC, homelessness and underhousing have become increasingly visible. Many small towns that once saw little or no homelessness now have visible encampments and residents living without stable shelter. Underhoused people have always been part of our communities, but the scale and visibility of homelessness today reflect deep systemic inequities that can no longer be ignored.
Solutions do exist. The work being done in the Duncan area and the Cowichan Valley is setting an example for others to follow. The Village is an inspiring initiative that is saving lives, improving community safety, connecting people to essential supports, preventing crime, and helping restore dignity and stability for many. It stands as a powerful reminder that when we treat housing as healthcare, we strengthen our communities as a whole.
‘I am desperate’: North Cowichan street is home to addiction and housing crisis
by Skye Ryan Chek TV
November 6, 2025 5:52 pm
On crutches and living beneath a tarp on Lewis Street, a North Cowichan senior who spent 44 years roofing is among roughly 50 people who have been camped there for years, saying he never imagined he’d end up unhoused in his retirement.
“I’m 66 years old, no safety net; 44 years, and this is what I have for that,” said Stephen Ruben.
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Yet local housing and addictions treatment advocates told CHEK News Thursday, that they have a solution that could be rolled out right now.
“This is possible, it can be almost immediate, it’s not a huge cost,” said Cindy Lise, a facilitator with the Cowichan Community Action Team.
The project is called The Village, and is located on Duncan’s Trunk Road. According to supporters, it is already showing success with the unhoused who have moved into its 34 modular units, yet they are struggling to get more people off the streets, because of funding.
