How are we working together?
The Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation is the lead on this action and works directly with the First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) and First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation. The First People’s Cultural Council is a First Nations-led Crown corporation with a legislated mandate to protect, revitalize and enhance First Nations languages, heritage, culture and arts. Its work is supported by an advisory committee representing all the First Nations languages in B.C. The First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation is an Indigenous-led, non-profit society established in 2000 to support the vitality of Indigenous languages, arts, and cultural heritage in B.C.
The Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills works directly with the First Nations Education Steering Committee and the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association. The Indigenous Languages Fluency Degree Framework was initiated by First Nations and First Nations-mandated post-secondary institutes and continues to be First Nations-led.
The Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills is working closely with Métis Nation BC to identify the unique requirements of Métis learners including support for Michif language revitalization.
Are there challenges?
Constraints on federal Indigenous language funding will impact First Nations’ language revitalization efforts in the province. The ministry continues to work with the FPCC and the federal government towards securing long-term sustainable funding. The FPCC’s cultural revitalization work is critical to reconciliation and First Nations self-determination. Between 2018 and 2024, B.C. committed $136 million to support First Nations languages, heritage and arts revitalization.
Funding committed in Budget 2025-26 continues the language revitalization work underway at comparable funding levels while assisting the FPCC and First Nations communities by committing to predictable, stable funding each year as opposed to intermittent grant funding.
Community demand for language revitalization in B.C. exceeds current funding levels, despite consistent progress being made. In partnership with the FPCC, the Province will continue to work with the federal government towards long-term sustainable federal funding to serve the interests of First Nations and the public.
Although the Ministry of Post Secondary Education and Future Skills has secured $1 million in annual funding over three years (fiscal 2023-24 to 2025-26, $3 million in total), additional funding is required.
Funding secured to date will not meet the current and ongoing needs of the six existing programs or support additional language degrees being offered. To address this, the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills will seek additional funding for the Indigenous Language Fluency Degree in consultation and collaboration with First Nations Education Steering Committee and the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association.
Highlights
Investing in First Nations languages, arts, culture and heritage is an important way to connect people to community, land and culture. In 2025, B.C. announced $15 million per year, ongoing, to the First Peoples’ Cultural Council to support First Nations languages, heritage, arts and cultural programming. This includes $12 million per year dedicated to addressing the growing demand for language revitalization, and it will provide critical jobs for speakers, particularly Elders and First Nations’ women.
A Conference Board of Canada report on the economic impact of the FPCC’s investments in 2023-24 demonstrates the positive impacts on provincial and national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and job creation in First Nations communities and local economies. The Conference Board’s analysis determined that for each dollar of the FPCC’s revenue, $1.52 is contributed to Canada’s GDP and $1.15 to B.C.’s GDP. In that same year, FPCC activities generated $142.3 million in output within the Canadian economy ($103.8 million in output for B.C.) from $60.3 million in revenue (to which the Province contributed $20 million) and created 1,822 full-year jobs.
The First Peoples’ Cultural Council takes a community development approach and transfers knowledge and expertise to people who lead revitalization work in community. FPCC funding, training, resources and support enable skills training and mentorship in addition to creating jobs that would not otherwise exist without funding for cultural revitalization.
The Indigenous Languages Fluency Degree Framework was initiated by First Nations and First Nations-mandated post-secondary institutes and continues to be First Nations-led, with $1 million in annual funding over three years ($3 million in total).
Six First Nations are offering or moving towards offering language fluency degree programs. The first degree approved under this framework was the Bachelor of Nsyilxcən Language Fluency Degree, with the first eight students receiving this degree in June 2023 through a partnership with the En’owkin Centre, University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBC Okanagan) and Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT). The Syilx Okanagan Nation, NVIT and UBC Okanagan have launched the Bachelor of NłeɁkepmx Language Fluency (approved in November 2022). The Lillooet Tribal Council, NVIT and UBC Okanagan launched the Bachelor of St’át’imc Language Fluency (approved in May 2023).
The inaugural offering of the University of Victoria Bachelor of Arts, Indigenous Language Proficiency, has been developed in partnership with the local SENĆOŦEN community, represented by the W̱SÁNEĆ School Board and will be offered first to the SENĆOŦEN and Lekwungen speaking communities.
Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a Institute and the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) have launched the Bachelor of Arts, Nisga’a Language Fluency. Lake Babine Nation, NVIT and UNBC are planning to launch the Bachelor of Nadut’en Language Fluency.