Media Contacts

Mandy Leith

Communications Officer
First Peoples’ Cultural Council
250 818-3310
media@fpcc.ca

Media requests for HIP recipients should be directed to Mandy Leith

Shawn Larabee

Ministry of Municipal Affairs
250 514-0510

Backgrounders

The First Peoples’ Cultural Council delivers $5.4 million for First Nations heritage infrastructure

In July 2021, the B.C. Ministry of Municipal Affairs announced $30 million for projects which advance reconciliation and learning to promote a diverse and inclusive society. The 150 Time Immemorial Grant Program is a partnership between the Province, the First Peoples' Cultural Foundation (FPCF) and Heritage BC. The First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) administered the grants and provides ongoing support to recipients.

BC 150 Time Immemorial Grant Program:

  • $7.5 million was provided to FPCF for grants and program administration of which $6.4 million was delivered by FPCC to communities across three programs: Heritage Infrastructure Program, Cultural Heritage Stewardship and Sense of Place programs.
  • $10 million was provided to Heritage BC
  • $2.5 million was provided to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations for non-profit organizations operating heritage sites on Crown lands
  • FPCF and Heritage BC each received an additional $5 million endowment to support future programs.

Heritage Infrastructure Program: The FPCC Heritage Infrastructure Program provides funding for projects that conserve, repair or develop Indigenous heritage infrastructure. The goal of this program is to assist First Nations communities in B.C. to safeguard, revitalize and celebrate their heritage through heritage infrastructure projects. The project term is from March 2022 to February 2024.

Projects include the conservation of structures, heritage sites, landscapes, buildings and trails that support public and community access to heritage resources. They also include historical and cultural places, archives and heritage collections that are of collective value to an Indigenous community. Applicants were able to apply for grants from both FPCC and Heritage BC, provided the applications were for different activities or separate parts of a larger project. Recipients include First Nations communities and organizations, including First Nations-led not-for-profit groups, museums and cultural spaces.

About the First Peoples’ Cultural Council: FPCC is a First Nations-governed Crown corporation with a mandate to support the revitalization of First Nations languages, arts, cultures and heritage in British Columbia. The organization provides funding, resources and skills development, monitors the status of First Nations languages, develops policy recommendations for First Nations leadership and government and collaborates with organizations on numerous special projects that raise the profile of arts, languages, cultures and heritage in B.C., Canada and internationally.

About the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation: FPCF was established in 2000 to support the vitality of Indigenous languages, arts and cultural heritage in B.C. A registered charity that provides grant funding to Indigenous organizations and communities and works closely with FPCC.