The Society was formed almost entirely as the result of the efforts of Gillian Rippingale and Sally How who recognized an urgent need for counselling and support services in the North Island. Initially, many of these services were provided by themselves on a volunteer basis.

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From these roots, a 24-hour crisis line was born and a Safe Home for women leaving gender-based violence soon followed in 1983. The Society continued to grow through these years, with a focus on providing direct services, both in crisis intervention and prevention, throughout all of our North Island and neighbouring communities. The Society underwent a number of changes, including changing its name, to better reflect the growth of services now being provided.

 

In 1994, the North Island Crisis and Counselling Centre was given the Distinguished Service to Families Award by the British Columbia Council for the Family, acknowledging outstanding volunteer and professional efforts to enhance family living. In 1994, the main office site was purchased and by 2007, it was expanded to meet the continuing need for more space. In 2009, the Society took ownership of what is known as the Green House.

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The Society became accredited in 2010 with the Council on Accreditation receiving an exemplary rating and has continued to be fully accredited with COA for the last 16 years. In more recent years, the North Island Crisis & Counselling Centre has expanded to become the largest charitable non-profit in the North Island and Mt Waddington Regional District.

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In 2021, following the retirement of long-term Executive Director Chris Parker, a new Executive Director was hired with Nicki Ranger now at the helm. Under her leadership, the Society continues to grow. In May of 2023, the North Island Crisis and Counselling Center took its biggest leap and opened Foundry Port Hardy – the first remote and rural Foundry Centre in British Columbia. In this same year, the Society opened a Satellite office in downtown Port McNeill for improved service delivery to Port McNeill and its surrounding communities and also opened a second child care centre in the same location.

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In 2025, the Society purchased the building where Foundry is currently located and is today undergoing plans to build the Foundry Centre out to its fullest capacity in 2026-2027 with over 6000 square feet of space and a full compliment of programs for youth that include counselling and primary health care. There are future plans for Foundry to also expand outreach services to our Port McNeill office location. In January of 2026, our child care centre in Port McNeill moved to a larger location expanding the Society to eight working sites across the North Island.

 

As of 2026, the Society employs over 65 employees and volunteers delivering service across 23 different programs. NICCCS has a strong community presence participating in a number of community initiatives and network committees delivering direct service to over 1500 people a year throughout the North Island.