Greater Victoria Coordinated ID Service

What are ID Services?

Identification is necessary to access vital services and supports such as housing, health care, income security and other social services.

The Greater Victoria Coordinated Identification Service offers client-based, pro-active, and respectful ID services for our underserved populations. In partnership with local community organizations, we have established a coordinated regional effort to increase access to services in acquiring or storing ID through our weekly drop-in clinics, or by contacting our staff directly.

If you are referring clients to our services, make sure to have the applicant with you so that we can gather as much information as possible and fast-track the process. Our staff will contact you or the applicant to follow up with any necessary steps.

Program Backgrounder

Impact Report

Clinic Calendar

We are currently assisting clients with the following:

Birth Certificates for all Canadian provinces and territories
BC Services Card & BCID
Name and gender change applications (temporarily unavailable)
Secure Status Card (SCIS)
Booking ICBC appointments
Mailing Address for applicants

What we don't do:

Citizenship Applications
PR Cards
Birth Certificates from countries other than Canada

Drop-in Clinic Calendar

This is the calendar for our current ID clinics that are open to the public. Other clinic locations and times are being planned and will be posted here as they are added.

Caseworkers: Please refer to our calendar for upcoming drop in clinics or contact our office at 250-383-6166 ext 6 or idservice@communitycouncil.ca

Partners/Facilities: If you would like to inquire about hosting a clinic at a facility please email lauren@communitycouncil.ca

Forms

Consent and intake forms can be dropped off at our office for processing.

Consent & Intake Form

ID Safe Storage

Clients will be able to safely store their ID at the Salvation Army ARC 525 Johnson Street Victoria.

Please contact the Salvation Army for more information. Stay tuned for more locations.

Contact

For general information, please contact the ID Service and one of our staff will help you as soon as they can.

Phone calls are welcome Monday through Thursday 250-383-6166 ext. 6

Or email: idservice@communitycouncil.ca

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Where are ID clinics?

What ID can ID services help with?

How much does this service cost?

What do I need to prepare before coming to a clinic?

We do not need clients to bring ID to clinics, however if you do, we may request to look it over to make sure they would be accepted at an ICBC
There may be a line at certain clinics, which may mean a wait time, however, our caseworkers do their best to process everyone
If applying for a birth certificate – we will need to know information about your parents, if possible, come prepared knowing your parents’ names and place of birth. If you are unaware, we will write exemptions letters for unknown information.

What do I need to prepare before meeting a case worker at ICBC?

Primary and Secondary ID
Examples can be found on the ICBC website https://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/visit-dl-office/Pages/Accepted-ID.aspx
Once you receive your birth certificate/ primary ID and acquire secondary ID you can reach out to make an appointment with ICBC
It is the client’s responsibility to bring their ID as requested by the caseworker, most likely birth certificate and bank card with your name on it

How long will it take to get my ID after I apply?

Delivery time is dependent on which kind of ID you have applied for
Birth Certificates: Depends on which province you are applying for, but roughly it is 1-3 months without holds.
BCID/Services card: Depends on which ID you provided at the ICBC appointment. Attestation papers as secondary ID increase the processing time on ICBC’s part. However anywhere from 3-8 weeks
We can’t guarantee delivery time or the acceptance of the application as we do not issue IDs. However, we can within reason reach out to governmental organizations for status updates.

Can I still apply if I don’t have a permanent residence?

Yes! Birth certificates and BCID/Services cards can be sent to our office downtown and you will be notified of their arrival and be asked to make an appointment for their pickup.
However, it is the client’s responsibility to have/update us with their contact information so you can be reached to schedule said appointment.
Updates to your file can be made by reaching us by email idservice@communitycouncil.ca or by phone (250) 383-6166 ext 6

What does “The Journey” mean?

The Journey refers to the common case of having no ID, whether stolen, lost or thrown out - to the final step receiving and applying for photo ID.
The usual order is:
Apply for a birth certificate at a clinic with a caseworker
Receive the certificate by mail
Book an ICBC appointment with a caseworker at another clinic or over the phone
Use a form of secondary ID with the Birth certificate at the ICBC
Receive the photo ID by mail
To receive an ID is not the simple task of filling out paperwork. We have found through trial and error of this program that the ID process is lengthy and might include multiple organizations and applications.

Quotes from Community Partners

New Roads Therapeutic Recovery Community

Partnering with the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria has allowed many of our residents to be able to have assistance and help applying for their ID in a safe environment. As a lot of our residents come from the street or corrections and do not have ID, this service is vital to them creating a life for themselves and being able to be a member of society. This is such a part of our resident's recovery process and a much needed service.

Victoria Native Friendship Centre

Victoria Native Friendship Centre is thrilled to be an on-going partner with the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria by providing referrals and hosting clinics with the Greater Victoria Coordinated ID Service.

Having the ID Clinic present on-site allowed numerous tenants to access service assistance without having to contend with barriers to access like transportation, childcare, a lack of access to technology for online assistance. Both clinic hosts were friendly and approachable and willing to take extra time to work with our tenants.