Philosophical Shifts - Our History
Every time we grow, we learn. By connecting to the people that we support and with the communities where they live, we’ve been able to identify what works and what can be changed. It can also mean finding out what’s missing and working towards providing a needed service or different approach.
Scroll back through time, as far back as 1982 if you want, and learn more about RainCity, our curiosity, and the ongoing ways we learn from our neighbours, our participants, and each other.
RainCity Timeline

Foxglove opens in Surrey
Gibsons Modular Opens
On March 10, 2021 we began moving tenants into this brand new modular housing project School in Gibsons, BC.
The exterior artwork is a collaboration between two Nations. The artists are Simon James, who is from the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw Nation, and his apprentice, elder Sheryl Rivers, who is from the Squamish Nation.
Our Overdose Prevention Site opens in Yaletown
We moved into Yaletown from St Paul’s Hospital to have more space and provide services to more people. The new location has been named the Thomus Donaghy Overdose Prevention Site. Thomus, a Peer Worker, died in July 2020. The artwork in the mural featuring Thomus was done by Vancouver Graffiti Artist Smokey D.
First Safe Consumption Site in Sechelt
An outdoor gazebo on the roof-top deck of our Sechelt shelter became the location of the Sunshine Coast’s first public safe consumption site. It began operating on July 23, 2020. Read the story here.
Kingsway Community Station Opens
🚻 It’s important infrastructure that’s often overlooked during a pandemic – clean and safe toilets and sinks. Now the City of Vancouver, and other partners have a solution. @NEWS1130 @BT_Vancouver @raincityhsg @CityofVancouverhttps://t.co/GLbpFxAKM6 pic.twitter.com/l3AOWW19M4
— CityNews Vancouver (@CityNewsVAN) May 29, 2020
A partnership with the City of Vancouver, the Kingsway Community Station opened at the end of May, 2020, has four washrooms and office space for women (trans, cis, gender diverse and two-spirit folks included) that are involved in sex work and are working in and around the Kingsway area. It’s staffed by Peer Workers who have an understanding of sex work either through lived experience or close allyship with the sex work community. NOTE: the site moved to Fraser in Kingsway later that year.
Green Timbers in Surrey Breaks Ground
On Nov 22 we broke ground for our first building in Surrey, BC at Green Timbers.
Trethewey Modular Housing
Trethewey Modular Housing is our fourth modular building to open and our second in Chilliwack, BC. Nov 15, 2019.
Myths of Homelessness
On June 26 we launched our Myths of Homelessness series of short videos to help dispel the myths many people think are fact about homelessness.
Yale Modular Housing
Yale Modular Housing, our second modular building to open and our first in Chilliwack, BC. April 28, 2019.
Sunshine Coast Shelter
Sunshine Coast Shelter gets a new home with 24 hour staff and an additional 5 spaces.
Peer Witnessing
Peer Witnessing work expanded to include 9 programs.
Housing First Outreach Worker
Housing First Outreach Worker begins work at 3030 Gordon to support people to find housing throughout the community.
Fraser Health Harm Reduction Program
Fraser Health Harm Reduction Program launches in Surrey and Maple Ridge.
Peer Services Department
Peer Services Department is established to support peer work throughout the organization and in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health Authority.
Surrey Housing First Intensive Case Management Team
Surrey Housing First Intensive Case Management Team starts with 35 rent supplements to help ensure people can have some choice about where they want to live.
Housing First Principles: Videos and Workbook
Housing First Principles: our Videos and Workbook we officially launch our ‘Housing First: Principles to Practice’ toolkit, complete with animated videos, a Facilitator’s Guide and a Workbook.
Housing First Assertive Community Treatment Team
As part of the At Home/Chez Soi national research demonstration project, RainCity is chosen to lead a Housing First Assertive Community Treatment Team in Vancouver.
Homelessness Outreach Team
Homelessness Outreach Team begins working with people living on the streets to help them access community and government programs and assist them in securing stable housing (program ended in 2014).
The Vivian
Concurrent Disorders Outreach Team
Concurrent Disorders Outreach Team was established to develop ongoing relationships with people experiencing homelessness in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside that are living with mental health and substance use issues, and connect them to housing and other services (program ended in 2014).
Princess Rooms 2
Private sector funding was received, making it possible to provide 24/7 support at Princess Rooms. This seed money enabled us to establish a pilot program for supported low-barrier housing.
Strengths Model
The Strengths Model is adopted, which recognizes that if we focus on individual’s strengths, talents, knowledge, skills and experience, then people can more likely achieve their goals.
Harm Reduction
Harm Reduction philosophy is adopted in the spring of 2000, including a series of strategies to support people to use substances more safely, manage their use, and explore next steps.
Client-Centred Approach
Client-Centred Approach is adopted. This approach is based on the philosophy that people tend to move naturally toward growth and healing and recognizes that each of us are expert in our own lives.
Triage Emergency Services & Care Society
A review of the shelter in the late 1980’s determined a purpose-built shelter was required to better support people experiencing homelessness in Vancouver’s Downtown. A location was confirmed on Powell Street in the Downtown Eastside. At that time, St James Community Services Society had concerns about potential neighbour opposition to the proposed site so a separate non-profit was created to address any ‘not in my backyard’ controversy. Triage Emergency Services and Care Society was incorporated in 1990.
Triage Emergency Shelter
Triage Emergency Shelter In 1982, Triage Emergency Shelter was opened at Main Street and Prior in Vancouver in a former Bank of Montreal building. The shelter was a program of St James Community Services Society and used a traditional model to temporary shelter with limited or no privacy afforded to people using the shelter.
We strive to keep this timeline and other areas of our website as up to date as possible. If you have any observations or ideas about this page or others on the website, please email Bill Briscall at bbriscall@raincityhousing.org.