Frequently Asked Questions

Crown corporations are public sector organizations established and funded by the Government of British Columbia to provide specialized goods and services to citizens. They operate at varying levels of government control and report on their planning, governance and accountabilities. FPCC is a provincial Crown corporation and not a federal Crown corporation. 

While FPCC does have partnerships with international organizations like the Endangered Languages Project, our legislated mandate as a provincial Crown corporation is to deliver services and funding to B.C. First Nations peoples and communities. 

The First Peoples’ Cultural Council is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of up to 13 members. The work of the Board is further supported by three sub-committees: governance, finance & audit and HR & compensation. In addition, the Board is supported by a 36-member Advisory Committee, with a representative from each of the First Nations languages in B.C.  

Board and Advisory Committee members serve a two-year term and are recommended for appointment by the Board’s Governance Committee (and then appointed by the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation), while three Board members are appointed directly by the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. 

Chief Executive Officer Tracey Herbert, from St’uxwtéws, leads the management of FPCC. 

For more information, please visit the Governance page. 

The revitalization of First Nations languages, arts, cultures and heritage is not only critical for First Nations Peoples, but to all British Columbians because of their deep connections to identity, society, wellness, the environment and economy.  

FPCC programs and initiatives support the cultural and linguistic diversity of B.C. and create opportunities for everyone to learn about the First Nations cultures that come from this land. The First Peoples’ Map, Our Living Languages Exhibit and FirstVoices are important ways that we share knowledge with everyone.   

B.C. First Nations peoples, communities and organizations are eligible to receive funding, training and access to community coaching and resources from FPCC. 

Our programs are based on community consultation through an advisory committee, peer review process and community outreach. We advise the government on programs, services, initiatives and issues related to First Nations languages, arts and cultural heritage. 

Language, arts and culture are what make us human; they connect us with our neighbours, ancestors and traditions. The 36 First Nations languages of B.C. reflect a diversity of histories and identities that are woven into the cultural fabric of our province and our nation. It is important for all British Columbians that we cherish and support the revitalization of these invaluable traditions and ways of being and knowing.   

There is an urgent need to rebuild the cultural systems that strengthen and support the passing on of First Nations languages, arts and cultures to younger generations. Emerging research shows that the key to addressing the wide-ranging problems facing Indigenous Peoples is to attend to the root cause, namely the dispossession of land and consequent losses of language, arts and culture.   

Revitalizing First Nation languages, arts and cultural heritage supports economic development; it yields employment opportunities that value First Nations expertise and contributes to the growing First Nations economy through job creation and revenue generation in industries including arts and heritage, tourism, technology, education, clean energy and health. First Nations cultures also hold valuable ecological knowledge that is critical to countering climate change and health issues. More broadly, First Nations languages, arts and cultural heritage contribute to the diversity of Canada and the collective identity of Canadians.  

Support for language, arts and cultural heritage revitalization is an important step in reconciliation to strengthen the health and well-being of First Nations communities. The final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited Folks (MMIWG2S+) determined that the root cause of violence is a deliberate and persistent violation of human rights that has silenced the voices of those who would have otherwise carried knowledge forward to future generations.  

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission details the impacts of the cultural genocide enacted by the residential school system. The Calls to Action provide a path forward that includes the responsibility of the government to support the revitalization of First Nations language, arts and culture in Canada.  

The governments of Canada and B.C. have a responsibility to uphold the Calls to Action and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) by supporting the revitalization of First Nations languages, arts and cultural heritage.   

The Province of B.C. has endorsed the TRC Calls to Action and was the first province in Canada to implement UNDRIP, which recognizes the rights of Indigenous Peoples to revitalize and develop their languages, art forms and cultural practices, as well as governments’ responsibilities to remove obstacles to these rights. In November 2019, B.C. passed Bill-41 (DRIPA, or the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act), which commits the government to the implementation of UNDRIP.  

FPCC has developed a number of programs that support First Nations language, arts and cultural heritage revitalization in B.C.  

• The Language Program works with First Nations communities and individuals throughout B.C. to support the development of fluent speakers, document and protect B.C. First Nations languages through grant programs, research, resource development, coaching and mentorship. FPCC offers a wide variety of language programs that center around strategic planning, digitization and immersion. 
  
  To view all our Language Programs, please visit this page. 

• The Arts Program supports B.C. First Nations individuals, communities and organizations across a diverse range of artistic practices. These include the creative or professional development of artists, music creation and production, arts administration, the sharing of traditional knowledge across generations and the development and upkeep of community art spaces. We are also engaged in research to assess the vitality of First Nations arts in B.C. to better support the revitalization of First Nations art practices.   
  
  To view all of our Arts Programs, please visit this page. 

• The Heritage Program supports the revitalization of First Nations cultural heritage in B.C. and the transmission of B.C. First Nations cultural knowledge. Our programs support First Nations people as stewards and experts of their cultures and heritage through funding, training, policy research and advocacy. FPCC Heritage Programs offer opportunities for B.C. First Nations to gather and share knowledge, document, digitize and archive cultural heritage, carry out community-based practices, develop and upkeep cultural infrastructure and repatriation and climate change initiatives. 
  
  To view all of our Heritage Programs, please visit this page. 

• FPCC Revitalization Planning Coaches are available to offer support for First Nations communities and organizations in B.C. to advance their work in cultural revitalization. They provide leadership through subject matter expertise, ongoing project support and the sharing of good practices. Our coaches support project planning, grant writing and information sharing about FPCC programs.  
  
  For more information visit the Community Outreach page. 

• FPCC also leads the development of tools, technology, resources through collaborative initiatives that support cultural revitalization. We work with communities to develop innovative ways to share information through FirstVoices.com, the First Peoples’ Map, Our Living Languages and more. We also lead the development of revitalization resources, such as the FPCC Learning Series, Toolkits, and more.  
   
  For more information visit the Initiatives page and the Resource Library on the main menu.  

• The First Peoples’ Map: A living and interactive space representing the diversity and interwovenness of B.C.’s First Nations languages, arts, and cultural heritage. The map provides an online environment for communities to share information about their language regions, place names, community landmarks, artists and artworks. For more information and to explore First Nations languages, arts and cultural heritage of B.C., visit maps.fpcc.ca.  

• FirstVoices: An online Indigenous language resource that is a joint initiative of FPCC and the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation. This community-led platform is a free online environment that connects our languages to digital technology. Language teams, comprised of fluent speakers and technology-savvy community members, upload dictionaries, alphabets, songs, stories, words, phrases, audio and video files to their community sites. For more information, visit FirstVoices.com.  

• Our Living Languages: FPCC partnered with the Royal B.C. Museum for what is now a permanent exhibit that showcases the diversity of the 36 First Nations languages in British Columbia. By telling this important story, FPCC has been able to better support, enhance and encourage language revitalization by increasing the understanding of its complexities. In recent years, it has also been touring B.C. as a travelling exhibit. 
  
  
• FPCC Learning Series: In celebration of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022–2032, FPCC have developed a Revitalization Learning Series. These events aim to inspire, inform and foster collaboration among those involved in language, arts and cultural heritage revitalization projects. 

FPCC grants are awarded based on grant applications and are determined by a peer-review process. Peer reviews include First Nations experts in the field related to the grant being reviewed. Each program area has its own funding programs and guidelines. There are specific program grants for individuals, community-led initiatives and organizations. The grants are assessed based on the requirements of the application guidelines so that funding is awarded in a fair and financially responsible manner. 

For more information, please visit the FPCC Funding Process. 

FPCC receives federal and provincial government funding as well as sponsorship from non-government organizations. FPCC places yearly requests for funding based on our estimated needs for grants and programs.  

We also work in partnership with the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation to advocate for funding. The First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation is a registered charity that provides grant funding to Indigenous organizations and communities for Indigenous languages, arts and cultural heritage revitalization.  

To learn about all our funders, please visit the FPCC Funders Page. To learn more about funding for each of our programs, please visit the individual program pages.

FPCC has been a strong and vocal advocate for language legislation in Canada and is supportive of the government’s commitment to this. In 2017, we initiated consultation sessions across the province to discuss the coming legislation with First Nations and to provide guidance on how best to provide input and feedback to the government. The federal Indigenous Languages Act became law in 2019. To learn more about this legislation, please visit our Legislation resource page.

FPCC CEO Tracey Herbert serves on the Assembly of First Nations Technical Committee on Languages (TCOL), which provides direction on the implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act and other issues related to First Nation languages.

If you have additional questions, please contact info@fpcc.ca