The Purple Chair Campaign is a North Shore-wide awareness initiative that honours community members lost to the toxic drug crisis.
Each purple chair represents someone who is no longer with us, someone loved, missed, and remembered. Purple chairs are painted and displayed throughout the North Shore, each symbolizing a life lost and serving as a visible call to action.
Why Purple Chairs?
Purple is the colour of grief and overdose awareness. The purple chair symbolizes absence—someone who should still be here.
This campaign aims to:
✔️ Honour community members lost to the toxic drug crisis
✔️ Promote harm reduction and the importance of safe supply
✔️ Reduce stigma around substance use through education and storytelling
When Should We Participate?
August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day—an ideal time to paint and display a Purple Chair.
However, the campaign is active year-round. You can join any time by attending a painting event, organizing a painting event, installing a chair, or hosting a moment of reflection in your space.
Our goal is to install 31 purple chairs by August 31, 2026 to represent each life lost on the North Shore in 2024.
Purple Chair Displays on the North Shore
Foundry North Shore Purple Chair Display 
Kulvir Mann and Supt Dr. Pius Ryan from North Vancouver School District with Purple Chair 
North Vancouver School District Office Purple Chair Display 
North Shore Neighbourhood House Purple Chair Display 
West Vancouver Community Centre Purple Chair Display 
Hollyburn Community Services Society Purple Chair Display 
Lions Bay Beach Purple Chair Display 
Lions Bay Beach Purple Chair Display 
Boal Chapel and Memorial Gardens Purple Chair Display 
Boal Chapel and Memorial Gardens Purple Chair Display 
Boal Chapel and Memorial Gardens Purple Chair Display 
Boal Chapel and Memorial Gardens Purple Chair Display 
Boal Chapel Boal Chapel and Memorial Gardens Purple Chair Display Memorial Gardens Purple Chair Display
How To Get Involved?
🎨 Paint a Chair
Join a community painting day (dates posted here) or paint one independently.
Any sturdy chair (wood or metal) works.
🪑 Display a Chair
Place your chair in a visible location, with a plaque or QR code linked to local resources (see below for provided).
🫂 Host an Event
Organizations, schools, and service agencies are invited to host painting sessions, reflection events, or talks.
📱 Spread the Word Online
Share your chair, your story, or campaign messages on social media using #NSPurpleChair.
Tag @nshomelessness to be featured in our gallery and help build momentum across the North Shore.
Past Events
Resources
- Understanding harm reduction: Substance use
- Lifeguard app (A phone app to prevent and respond to overdoses)
- Harm reduction supplies site finder (Find harm reduction supplies near you)
- Naloxone Training Tools
- Health Care Professionals and Service Providers
- Substance Use Support Services (Pamphlet)
- Dispelling Myths and Fears Around Harm Reduction
- NS Purple Chair Campaign FAQs
Contact Us
We invite individuals, community groups, and local businesses to be part of this growing initiative. Help us build a visual archive of purple chairs across the North Shore—a symbol of awareness, solidarity, and action.
Want to get involved or have questions? Use the contact form below to send us a message.
📸 To share your photos, email northshorehomelessness@gmail.com or tag us on social media @nshomelessness.
Let’s make these purple chairs impossible to ignore.
North Shore Homelessness Task Force 