Media Contacts

Art Aronson

Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
250 893-2028

Emmy McMillan

The First Peoples’ Cultural Council
250 883-4077

Alex Russell

The First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation
604 562-9262

Backgrounders

Supports for language, arts, culture and heritage revitalization
  • The First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) is a First Nations-governed Crown corporation mandated to support the revitalization of First Nations languages, arts, cultures and heritage in B.C.
  • The First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation (FPCF) is an Indigenous-led registered charity that works closely with FPCC to provide grant funding and resources to First Nations organizations and communities, and supports the vitality of First Nations languages, arts, culture and heritage in B.C.
  • Funding from the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation includes:
    • $25 million over three fiscal years to FPCF for arts and cultural heritage programming; and
    • $7.15 million to FPCC in new 2022-2023 operational funding for staffing, research, reporting, technology and direct supports for communities such as coaching, training and resources.
  • Funding from the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training:
    • $2.6 million to support the Youth Empowered Speakers (YES) Program, which combines mentor-apprentice immersion learning, internships, and post-secondary education funding to develop fluent language teachers and early childhood educators.
  • FPCC, FPCF, the Province and the federal government are working together with First Nations throughout B.C. on many fronts to reclaim and revitalize First Nations languages and knowledge systems.
  • In 2021-22 the YES Program received funding from the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation, the federal Department of Canadian Heritage, and Tamalpais Trust through RSF Social Finance.
  • In 2021-22, the First Peoples’ Cultural Council received $1.75 million from the BC Arts Council to support Indigenous arts and culture across the province through a partnership that has developed and grown over 25 years.
  • This funding aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Calls for Justice, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples’ Act (DRIPA). It also helps achieve the commitments expressed in Action 4.30 of the Declaration Act Action Plan 2022-27 to support Indigenous language revitalization through sustainable funding.

Media Contacts

Art Aronson

Media Relations
Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Arthur.Aronson@gov.bc.ca
250 893-2028

Emmy McMillan

First Peoples’ Cultural Council
250 883-4077

Alex Russell

First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation
604 562-9262