Emergency

Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at qathet General Hospital

  • 5000 Joyce Avenue Powell River, BC V8A 5R3
  • Fax:  (604) 485-3305

Need help immediately?

If there is a life-threatening safety concern, please call 9-1-1 or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.

Suicide prevention hotline: 1-800-784-2433

BC Crisis Line: 604-310-6789

Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868

Indigenous Crisis and Support Line - KUU-US Crisis Support Line: 1-800-588-8717

Harm reduction: Toward the Heart 

We provide needle exchange services for anyone wanting to dispose of used needles safely and legally. We also provide clean needles, sterile water, alcohol wipes and health information to encourage safer injecting practices. The goal of our needle exchange services is to reduce the spread of HIV, Hepatitis C and other diseases. Needle exchange services also reduce the number of discarded needles in public and the incidence of needle-stick injuries.

How to access

  • Drop in

    Visit us during regular hours for needle disposal and harm reduction supplies, including safer injection, safer smoking and safer sex supplies.

  • Peer mobile services & supports

    We drop off clean supplies for safer use and provide and pick up containers for disposal of used supplies. We also offer naloxone training and kits, referrals to resources and support, and information about safer drug use.

    (604) 414-8395 or (604) 223-8184
    Please call or text 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday
    Not available on statutory holidays.
    Same-day service may not always be available.

Hours of operation

Currently open
  • Monday:   2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday:   Closed
  • Wednesday:   2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Thursday:   Closed
  • Friday:   1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Saturday:   Closed
  • Sunday:   Closed

Closed on all statutory holidays.

Parking and transportation

​​Free parking is available.

Getting here by ferry

qathet General Hospital is two ferry rides away from the City of Vancouver.

Take the Langdale ferry from the Horseshoe Bay Terminal.  Ferry schedules can be found at: http://bcferries.com. Drive up the Sunshine Coast along Hwy 101 from Langdale to Earl's Cove.  Take the Saltery Bay ferry from Earl's Cove.

From the Saltery Bay ferry terminal, travel along Hwy 101 for approximately 20 km until you reach a "Welcome to Powell River" sign.  Continue inside the city limits until you reach a street with a right-hand lane and a store/gas station called Pacific Point Market.  At the corner on your right, turn right.  You are now on Joyce Avenue.  Follow Joyce Avenue through four sets of stoplights.  Approximately 1 km past the fourth light, you will approach the hospital on the right.

Getting here by air

Contact Pacific Coastal Airlines by e-mail at www.pacific-coastal.com or by telephone at 1-800-663-2872 for schedules of flights from Vancouver. 

qathet General Hospital

qathet General Hospital (formerly Powell River General Hospital) is a 42-bed facility providing services that include surgery, endoscopy, ICU, obstetrics, in-patient psychiatry, oncology, emergency and diagnostic services.

Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Sites

Harm reduction and needle distribution sites provide harm reduction supplies, including safer injection, safer smoking and safer sex supplies, along with harm reduction education and referrals to health services, addictions services and other social supports.