Latest News

Great bands, wonderful sponsors and an expected crowd of music lovers are set to grace the stage at Transfer Beach Park Amphitheatre in July and August of this year.

In collaboration with the Ladysmith Historical Society, we warmly invite you to join us for the Dedication of St. John's Bell on September 12th.

Last year, our volunteers picked over 8,000 lbs of fruit and vegetables! Over a third is distributed to local organizations (Food Pantry, Ladysmith Shelter, LaFF, etc.) with the hard-working volunteers and generous homeowners sharing the remainder.

We are excited to reintroduce ourselves as the Ladysmith Food Pantry.

Our shelter is in need of many winter items.

Our LRCA staff visited our local First Avenue Tim Hortons restaurant storefront in November 2024 during Smile Cookie week to help raise awareness of our programs and services.

To wrap up Thankful Thursday, a special thanks to all of our Toy Drive Wishlist and Santa's Workshop sponsors!

Paul Mycroft donated $820 to Eliina Alle of the Ladysmith Food Bank from his annual Men of Ladysmith gathering.

Starting on Monday, January 6th, our reception will be closed from 12:00pm to 12:30pm for lunch. During this time, if you are coming to meet with a specific LRCA team member, please ensure they know you are coming and they will meet you at your designated time.

The Interact group of the Ladysmith Secondary School brought almost 20 students together to make Apple Danishes! From cleaning, peeling, chopping about 30 pounds of apples* to assembling mountains of delicious pastries these delightful young people gave generously of their time, talents, and enthusiasm.

The Ladysmith Kinsmen donated $4,627.55 to the Food Bank from the proceeds of their hot dog sale.

The Ladysmith Kinsmen donated $4,627.55 to the Food Bank from the proceeds of their hot dog sale.

The Annual General Meeting of the Ladysmith Resource Centre Association took place on Monday, November 25th at the Ladysmith Secondary School.

The Back Pack Program delivers weekly bags of non-perishable food to children and families through local schools, ensuring they have enough to eat over the weekends.

Download our latest newsletter as a PDF.

From November 18 - 24, Tim Hortons restaurant owners will be supporting local charities and community groups across Canada.

Review and apply for the current job opportunities at the LRCA.

Review and apply for the current job opportunities at the LRCA.

Thank you to Ladysmith Healthcare Auxiliary! Their generosity supports Early Years and Seniors’ programs through the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association.

Seniors Coffee Drop-In will not be running for July & August. Watch the website and social media for start dates. Students Helping Seniors Program is now up and running! Please contact Kaylee at 250-714-5762 or email shs@lrca.ca.

Download our latest newsletter as a PDF.

We had a lovely surprise this morning at the LRCA! Paul Papastavros, Design Consultant at Budget Blinds Ladysmith delivered us a cheque for $2938.49! We are incredibly grateful to Paul and the whole team at Budget Blinds for their generous donation. Thanks for shopping local and supporting our community!

Free transportation to medical appointments is provided by Island Health. Call 1-844-940-6617 for more information.

Have your say! Please fill out this short survey on transportation services in Ladysmith. Ladysmith and Surrounding Communities Transportation Survey

Review and apply for the current job opportunities at the LRCA.

Review and apply for the current job opportunities at the LRCA.

Our LRCA Family & Youth Support Services team is collaborating with our town to celebrate our young people and offer free events! BC youth week is a provincial celebration of youth held annually during the first week of May 1-7. It is a week of fun filled interaction and a celebration intended to build a strong connecting…

In honour of National Volunteer Week April 14th – 20th the Ladysmith Resource Centre Association wants to thank all of our volunteers past and present for their incredible contribution to our organization. We truly could not do it without you. Thank you!

It’s that time again! Do you have a tree that needs gleaning? Do you love picking fruit? We are looking for fruit pickers and fruit tree owners so we can harvest our abundant local fruit! For more information or to sign up contact: shannon@lrca.ca  or call 250-245-3079

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Gandhi This awesome community event is happening on Sunday! Stop by for a coffee and check out all the fun volunteer opportunities our community has to offer! Volunteering is a great way to meet friends and connect with your…

We are very happy to announce that our counselling program has returned and we are accepting new clients. Email info@lrca.ca or call 250-245-3079 to book a free intake appointment.

A special event is happening in our community! This is for anyone who is experiencing homelessness or in need of support. Please join us at the Heart on the Hill community space for a day of service. Please call 250-245-3079 if you would like more information 

The Rotary Club of Ladysmith donated $3750.00 to help fund our Backpack Project which provides non-perishable foods to children at both Ladysmith Primary School and Ladysmith Intermediate School. From left to right: Shannon Crowards, Poverty Reduction Outreach Worker (LRCA), Gerry Beltgens, President (Rotary), Suzanne Otterson, Director Community Service (Rotary), Carmen Barclay, Executive Director (LRCA), Brian…

A huge thank you to our local Ladysmith Fraternal Order of Eagles #2101 for their incredibly generous donation of $2449.99 to our food security programs. Community support is behind everything we do.

CommUNITY in action!

We were very happy to receive over $540 that was raised through the annual Men of Ladysmith & Duncan (MOLD) gathering at the local watering hole, the Sporty!

Thursdays 9:30-11:30

Simple income tax filing service free of charge, no membership required. Intake begins on Tuesday, March 12th and run every TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, and THURSDAY from 10am – 2pm at the main office. Drop-in only.

The LRCA is gathering confidential feedback from stakeholders about the performance of the LRCA to identify areas of strength, uncover areas for improvement, and seek ideas for future initiatives.

LRCA board explains what happend with Heart on the Hill project, tenanting, and messaging.

Our 24/7 Ladysmith shelter known as the Rialto is seeking specific donations of day to day items. If you can help us, please email our shelter manager, Jennifer. Thanks!

LRCA Running of the Balls and the Ladysmith Downtown Business Association Hill Dash races created all kinds of excitement on Saturday, June 17 on High Street from Third Avenue to First Avenue. Organizers were thrilled with the outcome and the generous support from the public and sponsors.

Each year, an abundance of apples, cherries, plums, and more are grown locally, but not always harvested. The Fruit Rescue team wants to create a bridge between the those who have unused excess produce and those who could benefit from access to more fresh, healthy food! Read more here.

Isobel Mackenzie, seniors advocate for the proviincial Office of the Seniors Advocate, was guest speaker at LRCA seniors presentation on April 19. She offered her audience some compelling informaion and advice about seniors in British Columbia.

  LRCA received a generous $30,000 donation from Ladysmith Healthcare Auxiliary on April 19 for program funding. Participating in the presentation were (left to right) auxiliary corresponding secretary Paula Scott, LRCA executive director Karen Laing, LRCA board president Sandra Marquis, and auxiliary president Eithne Reichert. The funds will go a long way to lifting the…

Eleven near-market rentals are being offered at the newly-opened Heart on the Hill 36-unit housing project at 314 Buller Street. Eligibility guidelines and contact information for this category of rentals available here.

Rents based on your income are available in the Heart on the Hill apartment project at 314 Buller Street. We offer some simple calculations to show what you might pay based on maximum incomes for one and two-bedroom units. Contact us!

LRCA celebrated a successful opening March 25 to the Heart on the Hill Building which will provide affordable housing in the community. Hundreds of people came to enjoy music, food and special suite tours.

To better serve Ladysmith, Cowichan Hospice is now offering appointments in an office space generously provided by the Ladysmith Resources Centre, so that those who can’t travel to Duncan can still take part in one-to-one, in-person grief support sessions.

A great big thank you to the Ladysmith Arts Council for their donation of toiletries to the Ladysmith Food Bank! They delivered 540 rolls of toilet paper and other toiletries as part of their “Show your Love” campaign.      

The world has changed but the fact that there is someone "out there" who wants to steal your money by deception has not. Here are some tips that will hopefully help people and prevent anyone being "scammed" out of their money.

Senior men: Don't suffer in silence. Ask for counselling support. LRCA offers special service for you.

Rialto shelter, Frank Jameson Centre providing comfort as cold weather lingers.

Family and Youth Services program at LRCA is experiencing the joy of Christmas in a way that supports their teen and child clients with help from volunteers, sponsors and generous individuals.

Ladysmith Rotary has provided funding for LRCA's new backpack program and other donations of all sizes are streaming into our Food Bank and Christmas Cheer campaign. LRCA thanks you all!

Save On Foods Stuff the Truck event benefits a number of Food Banks in the Cowichan Valley, including ours in Ladysmith. Special fundraiser runs from today to Dec. 9.

Ramona Hepburn attended the LRCA 30th anniversary celebration and enjoyed an extra special moment when she discovered her late husband, Jack, among the special drawings of people the LRCA holds dear.

Sandra Marquis is president of a new board of directors for Ladysmith Resources Centre Association following its all-virtual annual general meeting Nov. 21 involving some 100 members.

Christmas Cheer campaign at LRCA begins with registrations on Nov. 15. Read our story to find out more information about how the LRCA is going to help others this Christmas.

As we continue to be transparent, straightforward and consistent in our communications, the LRCA is providing this update following the Extraordinary General Membership Meeting held on July 14, 2022.

Sharing our own stories and promoting our 30^th anniversary, Ladysmith Resources Centre Association was pleased to participate with a table in the 100^th anniversary of Ladysmith Agricultural Hall on Sept. 24.

A variety of community groups were at Aggie Hall, and opening ceremonies included the Young Wolves Dance Group, speeches and a cake cutting.

Thanks to all who participated in the  Ladysmith Resources Centre Association's (LRCA) annual seniors bus trip to Campbell River on Sept. 26.

Organized by LRCA senior's office, the excursion was sponsored by Tim Horton's, and featured special stops.

As LRCA seeks sponsors to bring back the Concerts in the Park series at Transfer Beach Amphitheatre, news came today from Ladysmith & District Credit Union it will serve as a gold sponsor, with its kind $1,000 contribution. Thanks! Sponsorships are available for Silver – $500 and Bronze – $250 to businesses interested in making…

LRCA enjoyed the company of very special visitors today. They put their heart and soul into the LRCA in its early days and loved seeing how things look today at its Second Avenue location. Pictured above are (left to right) Val Duckworth, former LRCA board member, Dennis Lait, the LRCA’s longest-serving executive director, and his…

  Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA Doug Routley met with LRCA Executive Director Karen Laing (left) and board president Vicky Stickwood-Hislop (centre) on March 25 at LRCA Second Avenue office. Over their shoulders in this picture (back left) shows the progress of the Affordable Housing Project expected to be complete by fall. The trio enjoyed an informative…

The struggle with technology never ends. But it is not impossible to triumph over it. Using laptops, mobile telephones and tablets can be a mystery when integrating them with email, social media channels and jpeg images. LRCA is setting up a Seniors Connect Program specifically focused on computer literacy, to be delivered at Ladysmith Resources…

Karen Laing, LRCA Executive Director, is pleased to announce the appointment of Carmen Hildebrand to the position of Manager, Community Support Services. Carmen has worked for the LRCA for the past three years leading the Restorative Justice Program. Carmen began her career as a Social Worker in Alberta, primarily working in the areas of mental…

Dennis Lait served one of the longest terms with Ladysmith Resources Centre Association, enjoying roles of founding director and then executive director from 1992 to 2015. Six years ago he retired from the LRCA, and his 23-year legacy lingers. Lait was a member of the RCMP who sat on the board as treasurer of the…

When Pat Edge walked into the LRCA offices for the first time in 1996, no one could ever have predicted the influence she would have on the organization. Her generosity of time, funds and leadership left an amazing legacy. Before she died in 2012, she bequeathed her home to the LRCA which through its sale…

Almost everyone knows Keith Ling in Ladysmith. “In fact, I know too many people,” he said.   The affable 48-year-old has contributed to the financial health of the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association (LRCA) for six years, raising almost $2,000 in that time. He is on the LRCA Affordable Housing Project building committee and has directed…

LRCA HISTORIC MOMENT: Jack S. Hepburn first arrived at the LRCA in 1994, looking for help with a poster for the Cancer Society, an organization with which he was already involved. During the visit Jack was introduced to a visiting board member who convinced him to join the LRCA and become a member of the…

Did you know? Tom Beames, a teacher born in 1920 and who died in 2005, was involved in the formation of the not-for-profit agency which became the LRCA in 1992. Tom, along with several others, took money from their own pocket to help secure a place and supplies for the new organization. He took the…

If you’re going to study construction for a month, you might as well see it up front, children from Inquiring Little Minds Daycare learned Aug. 4 when Kinetic Construction Ltd. temporarily closed its site for the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association (LRCA) affordable housing development.