Highlights Work is underway to finalize a First Nations Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) tripartite memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) and Government of Canada. Standing up the First Nations early learning and child care (ELCC) grants providing funding directly to First Nations to address self-determined child care priorities…

Highlights On November 22, 2023, leadership from the Ministry of Education and Child Care (ECC), the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills (PSFS), the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC), and the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) met as an oversight table to approve a co-developed…

Highlights The Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) was successful in launching the funding model co-development process in September 2023, with the release of a discussion paper and introductory engagement sessions. The paper and introductory engagement sessions were generally received positively. However, partners were critical of the initial April 2024 timeline as being too…

Highlights Engagement activities led to advice and input from First Nations and Métis leadership, as well as First Nations, Métis, Inuit and urban Indigenous representatives, organizations and people. Engagement results are available on the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction’s (SDPR) website.  Key highlights include: The poverty reduction strategy, which will be released in…

Highlights A wide variety of innovative and meaningful partnerships, programs and initiatives that are underway or have been completed are contributing to the advancement of this action. The following examples demonstrate progress made during the 2023/24 reporting year.  The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (PSSG) procured 70 new sexual assault services programs across…

Highlights The Ministry of Education and Child Care (ECC), Ministry of Post Secondary Education and Future Skills (PSFS), First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) and Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA) have formed a working group that is co-developing initiatives to support the training, recruitment and retention of First Nations teachers. This includes engaging…

Highlights Indigenous Food Security and Food Sovereignty Program delivered by New Relationship Trust In July 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food announced a $30 million program to be delivered by the New Relationship Trust (NRT) to support Indigenous Peoples to develop food sovereignty, food security and Indigenous-led agriculture initiatives. The first intake of the…

Highlights The innovator skills initiative, run by Innovate BC, has reached new milestones and established new partnerships. Over this last fiscal year, Indigenous participation in the innovator skills initiative has surpassed the participation rate for the 2021-2022 reporting period by 3%. The formal partnership between Innovate BC and the First Nation Technology Council (FNTC) is…

Highlights Capacity Building:  In June 2023, Indigenous Clean Energy Opportunities (ICEO) held a two-day virtual workshop on hydrogen market opportunities, knowledge building presentations on the electricity sector and an interactive overview of BC Hydro’s UNDRIP implementation plan. Participation for the June workshop included representation from 50 First Nations. Presentations were delivered by subject experts and…

Highlights The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport (TACS), in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (SDPR), provided $6 million to Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) in March 2023, to develop and implement Indigenous-led and culturally focused training and educational opportunities for Indigenous tourism workers and employers. The $6 million Indigenous…