How are we working together?
The BC Public Service Agency (BCPSA) provides human resources leadership, expertise, services and programs that contribute to better business performance of ministries. The Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC) is responsible for strategic coordination of labour relations, total compensation planning and human resource management for the broader provincial public sector. Action 3 .02 is in the initiation phase. The BCPSA and PSEC have not engaged partners on this action plan commitment to date.
The BCPSA has several initiatives underway specific to Indigenous Peoples that support this action. These include:
- Advisory services for Indigenous applicants
- Support for hiring managers with recruiting Indigenous applicants
- A coaching service for Indigenous employees
- An employment exchange program with First Nations governments
- Internship, leadership and mentorship programs specific to Indigenous Peoples in the BC Public Service for career and leadership development
The BCPSA is currently working to better understand trends in Indigenous representation in the BC Public Service and the experiences of Indigenous employees in the workplace. Through the Ministry of Citizens’ Services (CITZ), the BCPSA has supported the work of the provincial Anti-Racism Data Committee to examine racial diversity in the public service. The BC Public Service has started the next phase of research into this area focused on a qualitative lens to understanding the barriers that Indigenous and racialized employees experience as they develop their careers in the BC Public Service.
The engagement will take place in 2026 and will result in a set of recommended actions informed by the lived experience and expertise of Indigenous and racialized employees. The project will be part of the Anti-Racism Data Act (ARDA) release of statistics. Where appropriate, findings from research released under ARDA and other sources will be used to inform next steps for Action 3 .02.
PSEC will liaise with employers’ associations for the broader public sector to share the work being done within the BC Public Service and learn about practices within the public sector. The BCPSA will also seek opportunities to align as practicable.
Are there challenges?
This action is dependent on upgrades to data systems and infrastructure that are ongoing. Current BC Public Service HR data systems do not include racialized or Indigenous identity data. To date, demographic data has been collected from employees by BC Stats through a survey to employees starting a new role and a biennial survey to all employees.
The BCPSA is in a period of technology transformation with work underway to upgrade HR systems. Over time, this new technical infrastructure will provide an opportunity for First Nations, Métis and Inuit employees to self-identify. This information can inform the setting of targets and progress reporting in the BCPS over time and reduce systemic barriers.
In early 2025, the BC Public Service announced a hiring pause across the organization. This direction was strengthened in February 2026 with additional restrictions on hiring and promotions, including a stronger focus on lateral-first job opportunities. Throughout these changes, the BC Public Service continues to focus on prioritizing the retention and career development for First Nations, Métis and Inuit employees in support of Action 3.02.
Highlights
The BCPSA and Ministry of Attorney General are supporting equity research led by CITZ that prioritizes the experiences of Indigenous and racialized employees, covering topics like workplace barriers, recruitment and career growth. This research will lead to workplace recommendations informed by these employees. Work continued across the BC Public Service to review current data management practices to responsibly broaden the collection of self-identified demographic data.
Under the Anti-Racism Data Act, CITZ released two data standards: the Indigenous Identity Data Standard and Racial Identity Data Standard, in January 2026. These standards support the safe and ethical collection and use of demographic data, including Indigenous and racial identity data. They will help to inform future demographic data collection efforts and HR systems to enable work on 3.02. As part of this process, the BCPSA is working closely with CITZ to apply recent provincial data standards developed under the Anti-Racism Data Act to new data systems.
The BCPSA continues to build relationships with partners and Indigenous employees through engagement on Action 3.01 and Action 4.44
Previous years’ progress
Highlights
Currently, the BC Public Service Agency has several initiatives underway specific to Indigenous Peoples that support this action. These include advisory services for Indigenous applicants, support to hiring managers on recruiting Indigenous applicants, a literature review and jurisdictional scan on Indigenous identity in hiring and Settler Identity fraud, a new coaching service for Indigenous employees, an employment exchange program with First Nations governments, and internship, leadership and mentorship programs specific to Indigenous Peoples entering into or already working in the public service to accelerate their career development.
The BC Public Service Agency is convening a working group to better understand and address recruitment and retention enablers and barriers specific to Indigenous Peoples. Sixty employees took part in dedicated reconciliation-related training from January to April 2025 to increase their knowledge and capacity for this work. The BC Public Service Agency has also been building and repairing relationships with partners and Indigenous employees through engagement on Action 3.01.
How are we working together?
The BC Public Service Agency (BCPSA) provides human resource leadership, expertise, services and programs that contribute to better business performance of ministries. The Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC) is responsible for strategic coordination of labour relations, total compensation planning and human resource management for the broader provincial public sector. The BC Public Service Agency and PSEC are not currently engaging or working with Indigenous partners on this specific action.
Action 3.2 is in the initiation phase with the BCPSA, which is focusing on identifying key internal and external partners, available data, and existing human resources levers within the organization that may support and improve recruitment and retention of Indigenous peoples to the BC Public Service.
The BCPSA is taking care in this sensitive identity-based work, with a focus on building trust with all contributors. Work will begin to engage with external partners starting in Spring 2025, ensuring a diversity of perspectives contribute to this action.
Through the Ministry of Citizen Services, the BCPSA has supported the work of the Provincial Anti-Racism Data Committee to examine racial diversity in the public service.
The second phase of research into this area applies a qualitative lens to understanding the barriers that Indigenous and racialized employees experience as they develop their careers in the BC Public Service. Representational data from the biennial Work Environment Survey will also help guide this work.
The BC Public Service is reviewing current data management systems with the intent of responsibly widening the collection of demographic data. Related work by the Ministry of Citizen Services on the Indigenous Data Standard will inform this systems review.
PSEC will liaise with employers’ associations for the broader public sector to both share the work being done within the public service and learn about practices within the public sector. The BCPSA will also seek opportunities to align as practicable.
Are there challenges?
This action is somewhat dependent on linkages to other data-related initiatives within the public service, though representational data can continue to be used as a proxy in the interim.
Research about Indigenous Peoples is sensitive due to Crown governments’ historical misuse of data to harm individuals and communities. The BCPSA is employing a trauma-informed approach throughout work on this action to mitigate known concerns about research and data collection.
The BC Public Service Agency has moved forward carefully on this action given the work required on Action 3.01 and Action 4.44. Within the BC Public Service Agency, additional resources are being shared to support targeted delivery of public service employee training. An intensive in-person, five-day, cohort-based training for senior leaders, BC Public Service Agency employees and ministry human resource partners was completed in early April 2025. This is intended to ready them with the tools to examine and change persistent systemic barriers, which are preventing Indigenous applicants and employees from thriving in the public service.
A working group of BC Public Service Agency employees will be established in Spring 2025, which will increase Public Service Agency’s capacity to engage with internal and external partners.