Social Development and Poverty Reduction
Summary
- The Port Alberni Service BC office was destroyed by fire on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, and services at the location are disrupted
- Income assistance and related services are available at 4805 Mar St., Port Alberni
- Service BC services, including ID verification, government payments and fishing and hunting licenses, are available online, via phone or at offices in Courtenay, Nanaimo and Ucluelet
- Driver’s licensing services are available at the ICBC office in Nanaimo
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People in Port Alberni can continue to access income assistance, government payments and other essential services following a fire that damaged the Service BC office on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
Service BC and its ministry partners have set up a temporary office to restore services in the community as quickly as possible. The temporary office will begin offering additional Service BC services in the coming weeks.
The temporary location at 4805 Mar St. will operate Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Income and disability assistance clients can receive cheque issue payments at the temporary location. Clients can access services by calling 1‑866‑866‑0800 or online through MySS: https://www.gov.bc.ca/servicebc.
The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction clients who are not set up for direct deposit are encouraged to enrol and provide their banking information over the phone to complete setup.
Members of the public requiring other Service BC services can continue to access support:
- by calling 1-800-663-7867
- through online by visiting: https://www.gov.bc.ca/servicebc
- at Service BC locations in Courtenay, Nanaimo and Ucluelet
- through self-service and online government services available through provincial websites
- through the ICBC office in Nanaimo for ICBC services
Quick Fact:
- Service BC connects people to services for driver’s licences, health cards, B.C. birth certificates, business registry, tenancy disputes, and more.
Learn More:
- To learn more about Service BC, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/organizational-structure/ministries-organizations/ministries/citizens-services/servicebc
