Submitted by BC Gov
Indigenous communities, local governments and heritage organizations in British Columbia will soon have access to funding for projects that spotlight the Province’s diverse cultural heritage.
“It has been 150 years since B.C. joined confederation, but the history of this place stretches back to time immemorial,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “This is an opportunity for people to learn more about B.C.’s colonial past and to honour the resilience both Indigenous and non-Indigenous marginalized communities have shown.”
Administered through the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation and Heritage BC, the new, $30-million 150 Time Immemorial grant program will fund projects that educate people about B.C.’s colonial past, advance reconciliation and that promote inclusivity and diversity. Indigenous communities, local governments and not-for-profit heritage organizations with an Indigenous or heritage mandate are eligible to submit applications starting in fall 2021.
“We think of heritage as something in the past, but really it is the recognition of who we are and want to be,” said Paul Gravett, executive director, Heritage BC. “We look at the past to acknowledge important events and great sacrifices, and to measure our achievements and our failings. This is why the values of reconciliation, diversity and resilience are so important to heritage today.”
The First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation and the First Peoples’ Cultural Council work in tandem on the revitalization of Indigenous languages, said Lorna Wánosts’a7 Williams, chair, First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation.
“We turn now to revitalizing our cultural heritage by focusing on the documentation, archiving and sharing the precious stories, knowledge and wisdom of the Elders and Knowledge Keepers for future generations to come,” she said.
“I look forward to seeing all of the events and projects that take shape and learning how they will enrich our communities for a brighter future,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport.
The 150 Time Immemorial grant program will open for an initial intake in fall 2021. Details on eligibility for project funding will be announced at that time.
