Addictions Alcholics Anonymous: Hotline - 1-800-444-9999- if you need to talk to somone Information and Referral -  1-800-663-1441 PREVLINE: Drugs, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, Prevention, Treatment, Education, Resources, National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, Drug News, Smoking Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse   Advocacy CAPITAL HEALTH REGION - FAMILY ADVOCATE -advocates on behalf of families to ensure that health care perspectives, concerns and needs of families are clearly expressed; works with multidisciplinary teams to ensure consistent and complete communication with families; provides parent to parent support by accessing "veteran" parents who can offer a unique form of help to parents of family members with a disability or special health care need; assists in specific inquiries and concerns from families by addressing individual child/family needs OMBUDSMAN- Toll free: 1-800-667-1303 - investigates complaints regarding Provincial Government Ministries, Crown Agencies, Boards or Commissions, schools and school boards, hospitals, universities and colleges, professional  bodies, and local governments; the Ombudsman has the power to make a full and impartial  investigation into any complaint and to make recommendations to make policies and practices more fair. TAPS(Together against Poverty) -  provides advocacy and education on issues involving welfare, employment insurance and residential tenancy VICTORIA HUMAN EXCHANGE SOCIETY -  offers advocacy and support for low income people with special concern for people in recovery from drug and alcohol addictions and people with mental illness; provides liaison to community agencies who provide therapy, counselling and 12 step programs; shared accommodations  initiatives include Gaea Recovery House for Women, and Grandma's House and Charlie Pyott House on Salt Spring Island; offers a computer recycling project and publishes a bi-monthly newsletter for exchange of writings, art and ideas. Canadian Human Rights Commission Animals Capital Regional District Animal Control Division -  Mayne Island: 539-2075 SPCA on Salt Spring - 537-2123 Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre (Salt Spring)- Homeopathy for wildlife Birding Victoria, BC - An Online Birding & Naturalist Guide for Victoria & Southern Vancouver Island. How to cope with Pest Deer - repellents, barriers, plants, scare tactics.   Children Services Kid's Help Phone - We're Canada's only toll-free, 24-hour, bilingual and anonymous phone counselling, referral and Internet service for children and youth. Every day, professional counsellors provide immediate, caring support to young people in urban and rural communities across the country. Victoria Child Care Resource and Referral is a quality enhancement program that offers training, support and resources to home-based child care centres in the Southern Gulf Islands and Victoria, B.C. Counselling Services Victora Need Crisis Line  - Toll free -  call the operator and ask for Zenith 2262  - provides emotional support and crisis intervention by trained telephone volunteers through thecrisis and information phone line, access to emergency mental health services for people inpsychiatric emergency, information and referral services for callers to over 1000 community services, suicide prevention workshops to secondary schools, Salt Spring Community Services - 1-250-537-9971 - provides general and crisis counselling for adults, couples, families, and students; counselling for alcohol and drugs and prevention services; mental health services.  All services are available to all residents of the Southern Gulf Islands. Beacon Community Services. - 9860 3rd St. Sidney, BC. V8L 4R2 - 1 888 993 2299 / 250-656-0134    provides assessment, counselling, short term therapy, grief support, workshops, parenting support and weekly support groups for adults; youth and family programs include support for elementary school aged children and their parents, licensed childcare for teen parents and community residents, lifeskills training and educational alternative programming for teens, street outreach for youth at risk, mediation/counselling for parent/teen conflict Kids Help Phone  - 1-800-688-6868 - We provide counselling services directly to children and youth between the ages of 4 and 19 years and help adults aged twenty and over find the counselling services they need. Education School District #64 Saturna Elementary School SIMS - Salt Spring Island Middle School Fernwood Elementary School - Salt Spring Island Salt Spring Elementary Canada's School Net  -  Interesting site with many learning resources Ministry of Education: Skills and Training  -  a long list of B.C. education sites University of Victoria University of British Columbia Simon Fraser University North Island College Employment BC WorkInfoNet : Making useful labour market and career information accessible to B.C. Workers' Compensation Board of BC Peninsula Community Assn Employment Services- 250-656-0851 Saanich Job Bank   Financial Canada Pension Plan - 1-800-277-9914 (English) - A beginner's guide BC Ministry of Human Resources: Income Support Programs- full listing of income assistance support programs Ministry of Social Services  - Sidney -  111-2506 Beacon. Sidney,  BC.  656-3941  (use the enquiry B.C. number to call toll free - see under Government) Child Care Subsidy  - Low–income families may be assisted with child care costs. BC Family Bonus  - a tax–free payment for all low– and modest–income families PovNet Website  - provides up-to-date information about welfare and housing laws and resources in British Columbia Veterans Affairs Canada Debtor Assistance- 250-387-1747 (Victoria) Currency Conversion - if you need a good calculator tool to convert many different countrie's currency, try this one. Government Government of Canada - Official website Government of British Columbia Canada Post Postal Code Lookup Capital Regional District (CRD) - Victoria British Columbia Regional Government Capital Health Region - DIRECTORY OF COMMUNITY SERVICES Islands Trust  -   in 1974 the Government of British Columbia enacted special protective legislation entitled the Islands Trust Act.   The Act states that the object of the Islands Trust is to: "...preserve and protect the trust area and its unique amenities and environment for the      benefit of the residents of the trust area and of British Columbia generally, in      cooperation with municipalities, regional districts, improvement districts, other persons      and organizations and the government of British Columbia Sidney by the Sea - Government Veterans Affairs Canada Enquiry BC  -  1-800-663-7867  - If trying to contact a BC government program outside your area, you may call ENQUIRY BC, provide them with the phone number listed for the program and they will transfer your call, toll free PEP - Provincial Emergency Program - The Provincial Emergency Program, as an essential part of the public safety network of British Columbia, will be the leader in emergency management, helping people to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters. Canadiana  -  The Canadian Resource Page Royal Canadian Mint RCMP   Health - Physical and Mental Health CRD - Sidney Health Unit  -  539-3099 Health Organizations and Support Groups Mood Disorders Association Of B.C. Home Page Internet Mental Health Depression.com | Home Sleep/Wake Disorders Canada:Narcolepsy, Insomnia, Restless Legs Syndrome, Sleep Apnea... Alzheimer Society - Victoria AIDS Respite Care Society AIDS Vancouver Island-  1-800-665-2437 CanSurmount Support Group 1-250-592-2244 - a Support Group of Cancer Survivors Who Are Available to Give Emotional Support To Cancer Patients and Their Families. Victoria Pain Clinic - link to: Gateway to Pain for information  that is of practical use to chronic pain sufferers and their families Workers with Disabilites Project Healthy Kids Family Caregivers Network Society  - offers assistance to people coping with caring for a loved one with a chronic illness. You can email them at fcns@islandnet.com B.C. Medical Service Plan - online forms - Should I get my Well water tested Housing Salt Spring Transition House - 1-250-537-0735  provides general and crisis counselling for adults, couples, families, and students; counselling for alcohol and drugs and prevention services; mental health services THE VICTORIA HUMAN EXCHANGE SOCIETY has Branches on SaltSpring Island and Mayne Island. This totally volunteer non-profit society supports people who are working hard to solve their own problems. In this fragile economy, anyone can become homeless or unemployed almost overnight. The society encourages those who are still comfortably off to share gifts with those who are homeless, jobless and otherwised disadvantaged. The society is grassroots, building the model of support around each persons's needs and challenges rather than fitting persons into an institutional model. * special concern for people in recovery from drug and alcohol addictions & people with mental illness; provides liaison to community agencies who provide therapy and 12 step programs. * shared accommodations initiatives include Gaea Recovery House for Women in Victoria; Grandma's House and Charlie Pyott House on Salt Spring Island; and Fran Thibeau House in Sidney. Note that Gulf Islanders may stay at the Sidney or Salt Spring Houses at $10.00 a night in an emergency. Regular monthly rates for these three houses are $325.00 single (incl.utilities and some basic foods and supplies) $500.00 couple. No pets/ No storage. Definitely no drugs or alcohol. The Tenant Survival Guide - guide to tenants' rights and responsibilities under the Residential Tenancy Act in British Columbia. Residential Tenancy Information Line - 1-800-665-8779 - general information, and to request forms and our landlord, tenant and rent protection guides: Landlords in British Columbia  -  provides valuable information about how the Residential Tenancy Act affects landlords in British Columbia. Tenants in British Columbia  -  provides valuable information about how the Residential Tenancy Act affects tenants in British Columbia.   Legal THE LAW CENTRE FINDING CANADIAN LAW ON THE INTERNET British Columbia Civil Liberties Association Divorce  Resources People's Law School- an independent, non-profit, non-partisan Society whose purpose is to provide British Columbians - especially those with special needs - with impartial and reliable information about the laws affecting their lives. Dial a Law -  1-800-565-5297 -  prerecorded legal information on a wide variety of topics Lawyer Referral Service  -  organized by the profession to provide the names of lawyers interested in meeting with you to discuss your legal problem. There is no charge for the referral, but the lawyer will charge $10 for the first half hour and some amount for additional time. The Canadian Law List  -  A comprehensive listing of Canadian law firms, lawyers, judges and government departments featuring law firm profiles, areas of practice and related services to the legal profession. John Howard Society  -  Victoria -  goal is to understand and respond to problems of crime and the criminal justice system. Seniors Office For Seniors: Information for Seniors Guide Peninsula Senior's Hotline   - (250) 655-4402 Age of Reason - Senior Citizen's Resource Centre SeniorNet - The nonprofit SeniorNet provides adults 50+ access to and education about computer technology and the Internet to enhance their lives and enable them to share their knowledge and wisdom.   Vancouver Island Memorial Society - Join the thousands of Memorial Society members who have said 'NO' to excessive funeral spending, and 'YES' to simple dignity on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.   Youth Youth against Violence Contact Line-  1-800-680-4264 - is a way for youth and adults in B.C. to take a stand against youth crime, school violence and gangs. It's a safe, anonymous and confidential way to prevent violent crimes, and get help or information. Youth International Internship Program-  To provide youth of Canada with a first paid international  work experience to prepare and position them for future employment. International Youth Programs  -  (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) This page has listing of international exchange programs for youth.  Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO)  -  enables men and women to work alongside people in poorer countries in order to share skills, build capabilities and promote international understanding and action in pursuit of a more equitable world. Voluntary Services Overseas - Canada  - as above Youth Challenge International -  combines community development, health work, and environmental research in adventurous projects conducted by international teams of volunteers aged 18-25 years. Since 1989, Youth Challenge has promoted international cooperation and understanding through dynamic living and working exchanges between the people and cultures of different nations Youth Resource Network of Canada Katimavik - If you're 17 to 21 years of age, want to see Canada, meet all sorts of different people and live the adventure of a lifetime   Miscellaneous The Red Book Online  -  the most complete online guide to community, social and government agencies and services across the Lower Mainland. Bridges for Women Society - check out the survivors handbook. A good listing of agencies. United Way of Greater Victoria -  list of agencies The Royal British Columbia Museum - Victoria The British Monarchy - The Queen's homepage Vancouver Aquarium Culture Net - CultureNet is a World Wide Web window on Canadian culture. It is a home or signpost for Canadian artists and cultural organizations, and a jumping off point for other Canadian cultural networks. Pitch In Canada - carries out promotional, educational and action programs to reduce, re-use, recycle and properly manage and dispose waste. They initiate clean-up and beautification programs to enhance, conserve and protect Canada's environment and encourage Canadians to take pride in their communities The Hunger Site - Just by clicking on a button you can donate a free meal. Limited to once a day. Writers Web Links - A great list of reference links if you're looking for information on just about any subject.