Sunshine Coast Resource Centre

What Sunshine Coast Resource Centre does

The Sunshine Coast Resource Centre (SCRC) is a registered non-profit society headquartered at 5674 Cowrie Street in Sechelt, British Columbia, that operates as a navigation and advocacy hub for residents of the Lower Sunshine Coast. Founded in 1992 as the Women's Resource Centre and expanded in 2004 to serve all Lower Coast residents, the organization employs 9 people and delivers a portfolio of free programs including information and referral (Information Hub), social prescribing for older adults (Seniors Community Connector), legal services (Legal Aid Program, Community Legal Advocacy, Family Law Advocate), caregiver support, a Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, a Volunteer Sunshine Coast matching service, a Computer Kindness Corner for device refurbishment, and convening bodies such as the Seniors Planning Table (40+ organizations, ~100 individuals) and the Building Capacity Project for dementia support.

The platform layer supporting these programs consists of a comprehensive online Resource Directory and Volunteer Directory, downloadable Resource Guides covering Housing, Transportation, Food Access, and Digital Inclusion, and a news section. These are standard web publishing assets, not differentiated technology products; the organization's primary assets are its human-mediated advisory capacity, its convener role across community stakeholders, and its relationships with government and foundation funders.

SCRC is funded almost entirely through grants from the Union of BC Municipalities, the Government of British Columbia (including TogetherBC poverty reduction), the Government of Canada (including New Horizons for Seniors), the Law Foundation of BC, United Way of BC, and local governments (District of Sechelt, Sunshine Coast Regional District). Supplementary revenue comes from a $25 annual membership and tax-receipted donations, with a $20 minimum threshold for tax-eligible gifts. All services are free to end users.

Name

Sunshine Coast Resource Centre

Legal name

Sunshine Coast Resource Centre

Website

https://resourcecentre.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Sunshine Coast Resource Centre is a non-profit navigation and advocacy hub in Sechelt, British Columbia, that connects Lower Sunshine Coast residents to free social, legal, government, and community services through information referral, legal aid, caregiver support, and seniors programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services (BPAGAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Information referral services
• Legal advocacy support
• Seniors community programs
• Poverty reduction services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sechelt

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary funding from government sources including Union of BC Municipalities grants, BC Government, Government of Canada grants such as New Horizons for Seniors, and local government support from District of Sechelt and Sunshine Coast Regional District.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership available for $25, providing members voting rights at AGM and input into organizational direction.
3. Donations: Individual and organizational donations accepted. Tax receipts available for eligible donations of $20 or more including monthly donations totaling $20+ annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Sunshine Coast Resource Centre is a free navigation and advocacy hub connecting Lower Sunshine Coast residents with social, community, legal, and government services. Services are delivered in-person, by phone, by email, and through group presentations and workshops, with no cost to clients. The Centre also runs targeted programs in legal aid, caregiver support, seniors services, tax filing, digital equity, and poverty reduction.

Product overview

The Sunshine Coast Resource Centre is a navigation and advocacy hub offering a portfolio of programs and services designed to connect community members with social, legal, health, and government resources. The organization operates through multiple core service programs including the Information Hub (resource navigation and referral), Legal Aid Program, Community Legal Advocacy, and Family Law Advocate (legal support services), the Seniors Community Connector (social prescribing for older adults), Caregiver Support Program, Computer Kindness Corner (digital equity through device refurbishment), Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, and Volunteer Sunshine Coast. These programs are supported by platform services including the Resource Directory and Volunteer Directory (online searchable databases), Resource Guides (downloadable topic-specific guides), and News section. The organization also leads collaborative initiatives including the Seniors Planning Table, Building Capacity Project (dementia support), Get Moving (senior transportation advocacy), and the Poverty Reduction Action Project. Founded in 1992 as a Women's Resource Centre, the organization expanded its mandate in 2004 to serve all Lower Coast residents while continuing to support needs specific to women.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seniors Community Connector A social prescribing program that assists older adults (55+) on the Sunshine Coast in identifying and achieving personal health and wellness goals through non-medical, community-based support, helping prevent or delay frailty.
• Information Hub A free resource navigation service that connects Sunshine Coast residents with community, provincial, and federal programs and services, assisting with application forms, low-income supports, government benefits, and general referrals.
• Legal Aid Program Free legal services through the Legal Aid Community Partner Program helping Sunshine Coast residents understand legal options, apply for Legal Aid BC, and connect with free or low-cost legal services through an intake coordinator.
• Community Legal Advocacy Free advocacy services providing legal information, advocacy, and representation for Sunshine Coast residents on issues including income security, disability status, tenancy, and Aboriginal law.
• Family Law Advocate Free program providing legal information and practical support for family law matters, including helping clients gather information, organize documents, fill out forms, and take notes during appointments or hearings.
• Caregiver Support Program Program acknowledging and supporting caregivers through compassionate listening, resources, one-to-one support, support groups, healthcare system navigation, and connection to community services.
• Computer Kindness Corner

Quantifiable outcome

• Helps thousands of residents annually connect with services

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• District of SecheltcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded the 2017 Age-Friendly Community Plan and 2021 Poverty Reduction Strategy. Provides ongoing support for the Seniors Planning Table and Volunteer Sunshine Coast program. Acknowledged for supporting the Resource Centre's operations.
• Sunshine Coast Regional DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports the Seniors Planning Table along with the District of Sechelt. Collaborates on community development initiatives across the Sunshine Coast.
• Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP). The Resource Centre is a host organization for CVITP, with volunteers preparing tax returns under CRA guidelines.
• Legal Aid BCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Legal Aid Community Partner Program. The Intake Coordinator helps people understand legal options and connect with free legal support through Legal Aid BC.
• Who Cares? ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransportation and seniors community partner in the Get Moving project addressing seniors transportation challenges on the Sunshine Coast.
• Deer Crossing the Art FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in the Get Moving project for seniors transportation advocacy and solutions.
• Transportation Choices (TraC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransportation advocacy partner in the Get Moving collaborative working on seniors transportation solutions.
• Vancouver Coastal HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth authority partner in the Get Moving project addressing seniors transportation and healthcare access.
• University of British Columbia (UBC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in the Building Capacity Project along with the Gibsons Seniors Society, focused on dementia-friendly community initiatives.
• Gibsons Seniors SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner in the Building Capacity Project collaborating on dementia support and caregiver resources.
• Sunshine Coast Computer KindnessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal program established in 2016 that the Computer Kindness Corner is a satellite of. Works on digital equity through device refurbishment and donation.
• District of SecheltminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the Do a Kindness campaign and Poverty Reduction Action Project along with the SCRD and Town of Gibsons.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Findhelp (formerly Aunt Bertha): Large-scale online social-care network in the United States listing government and community programs by ZIP code and need. The closest analog to the Resource Centre's online Resource Directory in terms of platform architecture, though operating at much greater scale across the US.
• United Way British Columbia: Large provincial funder and convener managing programs such as the Seniors Community Connector and Project Impact Healthy Aging that the Sunshine Coast Resource Centre delivers. A broader incumbent with overlapping social-services funding and coordination mandates.

Direct peers

• bc211: Provincial information and referral service for British Columbia, providing 24/7 multilingual access to community, social, health, and government resources. Operates the same referral/hub model the Sunshine Coast Resource Centre delivers at the local level, and is referenced as a backstop for after-hours calls.
• Volunteer BC: Provincial non-profit supporting volunteerism across British Columbia, including volunteer connector platforms similar to the Resource Centre's Volunteer Sunshine Coast and Volunteer Directory. Operates the same volunteer infrastructure role at the provincial scale.
• 211 Ontario: Ontario's information and referral service connecting residents to community, social, health, and government resources. Closely mirrors the referral/navigation model of the Sunshine Coast Resource Centre at a provincial scale in another Canadian jurisdiction.

Others

• PFLAG Canada: National organization supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ people and their families through peer support, education, and advocacy. Comparable to the Resource Centre's 2020 LGBTQ2+ Seniors Report work and its inclusive service mandate for queer and two-spirit seniors on the Sunshine Coast.
• Legal Aid BC: Provincial legal-aid provider and direct partner of the Sunshine Coast Resource Centre's Legal Aid Community Partner Program and intake coordination. Functionally an upstream collaborator rather than competitor, but highly relevant to the legal-advocacy portion of the Centre's mandate.

Regional players

• Family Services of Greater Vancouver: Multi-service non-profit delivering counselling, legal advocacy, caregiver support, seniors programs, and newcomer services in the Metro Vancouver region. Highly comparable program mix (legal aid, seniors, caregiver, poverty reduction) but serves an urban region rather than the rural Sunshine Coast.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sunshine-coast-resource-centre-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Sunshine Coast Resource Centre