Alberni Valley Hospice Society

What Alberni Valley Hospice Society does

The Alberni Valley Hospice Society is a registered non-profit charitable organization founded in 1982 and headquartered in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada, that provides hospice palliative care, grief and bereavement support, and advance care planning services to the Alberni Valley community. Its core service is Ty Watson House, a 4-bed residential hospice housed in a century-old heritage home that opened in 2008 and operates under a unique collaborative model in which the Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health) provides nursing staff while the society operates the facility and covers hospitality and non-clinical costs. Beyond residential care, the society delivers free individual and group grief and bereavement counselling for adults and children (including art-based therapy), advance care planning workshops, holistic health services such as Reiki and Healing Touch, respite and vigil sitting, home-visit volunteer support, and a public lending library. All programs are provided free of charge to community residents, with only a small per diem charged at Ty Watson House to offset hospitality services.

Name

Alberni Valley Hospice Society

Legal name

Alberni Valley Hospice Society

Website

https://albernihospice.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Alberni Valley Hospice Society is a non-profit founded in 1982 in Port Alberni, BC, that provides free hospice palliative care, grief and bereavement counselling, and advance care planning to residents of the Alberni Valley community, operating the 4-bed Ty Watson House residential hospice in partnership with Island Health.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospice and Palliative Care Services

NAICS

Home Health Care Services (62161), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLADAHAC

Residential Hospice / Hospice House (Facility-Based)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Elder Care & Long-Term Care/Hospice & Palliative Care (Home/Facility-Based)

SECONDARYHLADAHAA

Home Hospice (Routine Home Care)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Elder Care & Long-Term Care/Hospice & Palliative Care (Home/Facility-Based)

SECONDARYHLADAHAH

Community-Based Palliative Care (Home-Based Non-Hospice)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Elder Care & Long-Term Care/Hospice & Palliative Care (Home/Facility-Based)

SECONDARYHLAFAEAO

Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Home Health & Hospice Providers

SECONDARYBPAGACAK

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

Keywords

• Hospice palliative care
• Bereavement counselling
• Residential hospice
• Advance care planning
• End-of-life care

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Alberni

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream including cash donations, planned giving, monthly donations, and donations of securities. 70% of annual budget comes from donations and community fundraising events.
2. Government Grants: Less than 15% of annual operating budget from government sources. Nursing care is paid through Vancouver Island Health Authority.
3. Fundraising Events: Major annual events including Black Ty Gala, Butterfly Month, Annual Raffle, Light Up Hospice, and Sockeye Derby.
4. Membership Fees: Annual membership with runs April 1 to March 31 annually, aligned with fiscal year.
5. Per Diem Charges: Small per diem rate at Ty Watson House to offset hospitality services for both extended and respite stays.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Alberni Valley Hospice Society provides free hospice palliative care services to community residents facing life-limiting illness, death, and bereavement. Its primary offering is Ty Watson House, a 4-bed residential hospice housed in a century-old heritage home providing 24-hour end-of-life care. The society also delivers individual and group grief and bereavement counselling for adults and children, advance care planning workshops, holistic health services such as Reiki and Healing Touch, respite and vigil sitting care, home assistance visits, and a public lending library, with a small per diem charged only for Ty Watson House stays to offset hospitality services.

Product overview

Alberni Valley Hospice Society operates as a single integrated hospice palliative care organization providing end-of-life services through two main facilities: Ty Watson House, a 4-bed residential hospice in a heritage home, and a Community Office serving as the hub for counselling, volunteer training, and administration. The society offers a comprehensive suite of grief and bereavement support services including individual counselling for adults and children, support groups (Companions through Grief, Walk & Talk), and telephone support. Additional services include Advance Care Planning workshops, Holistic Health Services (Reiki, Healing Touch), home assistance, respite/vigil sitting care, and a lending library. The organization conducts multiple annual fundraising events including the Black Ty Gala, Butterfly Month, Annual Raffle, Light Up Hospice, and Sockeye Derby, along with product-based fundraisers such as chocolate bars and Vital Voices books. Services are provided free of charge to the community, with only a small per diem charged for Ty Watson House residential stays.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ty Watson House Residential Hospice A 4-bed residential hospice facility set in a century-old heritage home providing 24-hour compassionate end-of-life care for people facing terminal illness in the Alberni Valley. A small per diem rate is charged to offset hospitality services for both extended and respite stays.
• Grief and Bereavement Counselling Individual grief and bereavement counselling sessions plus support groups (including Companions through Grief and Walk & Talk) and telephone support for community members who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Provided free of charge.
• Child and Youth Grief Counselling Art-based grief counselling for children and youth led by a professional art therapist, using creative expression to help young clients process emotions and memories of lost loved ones. Provided free of charge.
• Advance Care Planning Free workshops and individual support to help community members initiate conversations about healthcare wishes and create formal advance care plans and health care directives for future medical decisions.
• Holistic Health Services A variety of services provided by certified holistic practitioners including Reiki and Healing Touch, offered to hospice clients and their families.
• Respite and Vigil Sitting Care In-home, community, hospital, or Ty Watson House support providing breaks for caregivers and companionship for clients approaching end of life.
• Home Assistance Regular or as-needed volunteer home visits to assist clients with errands, outings, and companionship services in their own homes.
• Lending Library A comprehensive, up-to-date lending library accessible to the public during office hours, providing educational and supportive resources on grief, palliative care, and end-of-life topics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $500,000 raised through Black Ty Gala since 2009
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Island Health (Vancouver Island Health Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks closely with Island Health to ensure all hospice protocols are in line with government standards. VIHA provides nursing staff while the AV Hospice Society operates Ty Watson House - a unique collaborative model for hospice care in BC.
• Quality FoodsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonation program where Quality Foods donates a $20 gift card when receipts reach $5,000. Drop-off box located at store. Donors retain Q-points.
• Coulson GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Light Up Hospice event - inaugural holiday fundraising event featuring decorative lights and displays.
• San GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Light Up Hospice event along with Coulson Group. 35-year history of operations in Port Alberni.
• Jim's Clothes ClosetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-time supporter and fundraiser. Architect of the hugely successful Black Ty Gala since 2009. Donated $2,000 to Light Up Hospice. Sponsors no-cost butterflies for Butterfly Release event.
• Alberni Valley Community FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided grant to cover cost of new floors in Ty Watson House Kitchen.
• Port Boat House (Mike Hudson)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsor of Light Up Hospice event.
• St. Jean's Cannery & SmokehouseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated gift basket for Sockeye Derby hidden winner prize.
• Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing resources, bereavement day materials, and hosting events that AV Hospice participates in.
• Various Local BusinessesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMultiple local businesses participate in Butterfly Month fundraising, sell raffle tickets, host chocolate bar sales, and sponsor events. Includes Quality Foods, Steampunk Cafe, Alberni Toyota, Jowsey's, Beaver Creek Home Centre, Smitty's Restaurant, and various retailers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Island Health (Vancouver Island Health Authority): Regional health authority that provides nursing staff to Ty Watson House and is AVHS's primary clinical partner. Relevant as the structural enabler of AVHS's residential hospice operations rather than as a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Vancouver Hospice Society: Non-profit hospice society providing end-of-life care, bereavement support, and advance care planning in the Vancouver area. Closely mirrors AVHS's continuum-of-care structure and community-driven funding model.
• Cowichan Valley Hospice House: Hospice society operating a residential hospice house on Vancouver Island, providing palliative and bereavement services to a regional community. Directly comparable as a small BC community hospice society.
• Victoria Hospice Society: Community-based hospice society serving the Greater Victoria region of Vancouver Island with residential hospice beds, grief counselling, and palliative support programs. Highly comparable operating model and service mix to AVHS, just at a larger scale in an adjacent BC market.
• Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley: BC rural community hospice society providing palliative support, grief counselling, and advance care planning to a small regional population. Closely mirrors AVHS's scale and rural-community service model.
• Campbell River Hospice Society: Vancouver Island community hospice society offering grief support, palliative volunteer visits, and community education. Comparable small-scale BC hospice operating in a single regional community.

Broad incumbents

• BC Hospice Palliative Care Association: Provincial association representing hospice palliative care providers across British Columbia. Comparable as a broader industry body serving BC hospices like AVHS.
• Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association: National umbrella organization for hospice palliative care in Canada, providing advocacy, standards, and resources. Relevant as a sector-level incumbent and AVHS's stated partner, though it does not deliver direct care services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/avhospice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alberni-valley-hospice-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alberni Valley Hospice Society