Provincial Filipino Cultural Centre
On this page:
Overview
Dates: May 31 to December 31, 2024
Who: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport
What: A new provincial Filipino cultural centre
Where: Province-wide
Why: To receive preliminary community feedback on a vision for the provincial Filipino cultural centre
How: Online survey
Vision
A place for community to come together in British Columbia.
We will continue to work with local Filipino Canadian organizations and communities in B.C., and all British Columbians, on a vision for a centre that is led by, supports, and responds to the needs of the Filipino Canadian community in B.C.
The Province is committed to working in consultation with communities to advance this project.
The Province launched an engagement process to inform a vision for a provincial Filipino cultural centre in B.C. that will celebrate the culture and contributions of the Filipino Canadian community. Participants in this process completed a survey with their thoughts and recommendations about how to best advance this work.
Did you know?
- Filipinos have a long history in British Columbia dating back to the 1880s, when a small community lived on Bowen Island
- More than 170,000 Filipino Canadians call the province home and are one of the fastest growing communities in B.C.
- Filipino Canadians live throughout B.C. and they have established hundreds of formal and informal community-serving groups and organizations that support community connection and needs throughout the province
Work to date
In March 2023, the Province awarded the Mabuhay House Society $250,000 to support Government’s preliminary engagement planning for a provincial Filipino cultural centre. This work was completed in March 2024. The Province worked with community organizations and amplified a survey and engagement website to inform the vision of a provincial Filipino cultural centre.
Project timeline:
- Community organization leaders roundtable #1 – August 10, 2023
- Community organization leaders roundtable #2 – September 28, 2023
- Community organization leaders roundtable #3 – February 15, 2024
- Public survey – May 31 to December 31, 2024
Results
A recently released What We Heard report highlights that B.C.’s Filipino community shares a vision for a provincial cultural centre dedicated to community spirit, recognition and representation, and programming that supports all British Columbians to learn about Filipino culture and heritage. The contributions of the Filipino Canadian community in B.C. are an important part of the province’s history, culture and success.
Read the What We Heard Report (PDF, 4MB)
Related engagements
