Highlights
Initiatives delivered by the First Peoples’ Cultural Council
In 2023/24, the First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) provided grants, training, technologies and resources to assist First Nations with work to revitalize their languages, arts and heritage.
Highlights included:
- Provided more than $36 million in grants to communities by the end of December 2023;
- Supported repatriation pilot projects with funding so First Nations can plan, develop policies, conduct research and repatriate their cultural belongings from museums and other holding institutions;
- Doubled the number of arts mentorships;
- Launched a new version of FirstVoices, a suite of technology tools that is provided free to First Nations in B.C. to assist with language documentation and learning;
- Hosted a week-long summer learning series with more than 90 participants;
- Supported and funded work to update regulations to include the pentl’ach language, which had been considered a “sleeping language” since the 1940s.
In February 2023, FPCC released the fourth edition of the Report on the Status of BC First Nations Languages, which reveals a more than 20% growth in First Nations language learners since 2018, and more young children are immersed in their language for an average of 18 hours a week as the number of language nests has tripled.
Initiatives Delivered Through Language Fluency Degree Funding from the Ministry of Post- Secondary Education and Future Skills
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 funding provided to support the framework. 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. The Syilx Okanagan Nation, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and University of British Columbia Okanagan have launched the Bachelor of NłeɁkepmx Language Fluency (approved in November 2022). The Lillooet Tribal Council, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and the University of British Columbia Okanagan have 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 (approved in August 2023). Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a Institute and the University of Northern British Columbia have launched the Bachelor of Arts, Nisga’a Language Fluency and are enrolling students to begin in September 2024 (approved in November 2023). Lake Babine Nation, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and University of Northern British Columbia are planning to launch the Bachelor of Nadut’en Language Fluency.
How are we working together?
The Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation (MIRR) is the lead on this action and works directly with the First Peoples’ Cultural Council and First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation.
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 has also supported Métis Nation BC to advance increased access to culturally relevant post-secondary opportunities for Michif language revitalization by providing $300,000 through the StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan.
Are there challenges?
FPCC revitalization work is fundamental to supporting the reclamation of First Nations arts, language and culture in B.C and is critical to reconciliation and self-determination. Provincial program funding for FPCC was announced in June 2022 ($25 million) and sustainable operational funding for FPCC was confirmed through budget 2023 ($6.49 million for 2023/24, $6.75 million in 2024/25 and $7.17 million in 2025/26 and onwards). The federal government recently released its 2024 budget allocating $225 million throughout Canada over five years and ongoing, with $45 million per year going to Canadian Heritage for Indigenous languages and cultures. B.C.’s share of this will be known in the coming months. There is concern that given this is a decrease from previous years, First Nations’ language revitalization efforts will be impacted in B.C. MIRR continues to work with FPCC and the federal government towards securing sustainable funding.
Although the Ministry of Post- Secondary Education and Future Skills has secured $1 million in annual funding, an important milestone, additional funding is required. Funding secured to date will not meet the current and on-going needs of the six existing programs or support additional language degrees being offered. 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.
Though there is consistent progress being made, current funding levels are insufficient to meet the needs for language revitalization in B.C.
Previous years’ progress
2022/2023 progress details
Highlights
In 2022/23, the Province provided nearly $35 million in new funding to the First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) and First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation (FPCF) to support First Nations languages, arts, and cultural heritage revitalization programming and operations. This initial investment builds upon a landmark $50 million grant provided to FPCC in 2018 to address threats to language vitality and help revitalize First Nations languages in B.C.
Of this new funding, the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills provided $2.6 million to boost the Youth Empowered Speakers Program. The program provides First Nation students in B.C. who are studying education and early childhood education with one-on-one mentor-apprentice language learning and funding to support their post-secondary studies. The program addresses the need to develop new First Nations language speakers to become immersion teachers who will work in First Nation communities to deliver community immersion programming across the province.
PSFS also supports the Indigenous Language Fluency Degree framework that was initiated by First Nations and First Nations-mandated post-secondary institutes, and which provides a pathway for First Nations, First Nations-mandated institutes, and public post-secondary institutions to collaboratively establish and deliver degree programs in First Nation languages.
Additional funding is required to support the current First Nation language programs and for the expansion of the Indigenous Language Fluency Degree framework, which is a unique initiative, distinct from other post-secondary language programs, that has fluency in an Indigenous language as its primary learning outcome and purpose.
The information in the 2022 Report on the Status of BC First Nations Languages helps to inform progress/metrics.
Indicators
- Amount of funding provided: In 2022, the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation provided $25 million investment over three years to FPCC towards its language, arts and cultural heritage revitalization programming, as well as $7.15 million to FPCC in new 2022-2023 operational funding. In 2022, the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills provided funding of $2.6 million to FPCC for language revitalization through the Youth Empowered Speakers Program.
The Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills also provided $1.5 million in 2022 to the First Nations Education Steering Committee for development and implementation of the Indigenous Language Fluency Degree framework. The Ministry provided an additional $1.6 million for a variety of community-based language revitalization and preservation initiatives from the Indigenous Skills Training and Education program fund, the majority of which was administered by the First Nations Education Steering Committee through the Post-Secondary Partnerships Program. The StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan commits to ongoing funding for the Indigenous Language Fluency Degree and for Michif language revitalisation. - Implementation project underway: Six Indigenous Language Fluency Degree pilots are underway. The first degree approved under the framework was the Bachelor of nsyilxcən Language Fluency Degree, with the first students to receive this degree graduating in June 2023.
How are we working together?
The Ministries of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation and Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills and are continuing to work with the First Peoples Cultural Council, First Nations Education Steering Committee, Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association, and Métis Nation BC. The Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills is providing funding support and working with post-secondary institutions to facilitate their support of the Indigenous Language Fluency Degree framework. The framework was initiated by First Nations and First Nations-mandated post-secondary institutes and continues to be First Nations-led.
Are there challenges?
Based on current funding levels, funding is insufficient to meet the needs for language revitalization in B.C.
The Province invested nearly $35 million in new funding to the FPCC and FPCF in June 2022. Most recently through Budget 2023/24 the Province announced more than $6 million annual operational boost to FPCC. MIRR continues to work with FPCC and the Federal Government to work towards securing sustainable funding.
Funding secured to date for the Indigenous Language Fluency Degree will not meet current needs or support its expansion to other First Nations whose languages are endangered. The Ministry of Post-Secondary and Future Skills will seek additional funding for the Indigenous Language Fluency Degree.