Category: Blog

The 2026 award nominations are now officially closed. 

To everyone who took the time to submit a nomination — thank you. 

At BC Achievement, our work begins with you. Our programs exist because individuals across the province choose to recognize excellence and bring forward the names, stories and accomplishments of those shaping British Columbia in meaningful ways. Recognition is not possible without nominators. It is a partnership — and an essential one. 

Whether you nominated a colleague, a community leader, a business owner, an artist, or put your own name forward, your effort matters. Recognizing excellence requires thoughtfulness. It takes care to gather references, stories and details that reflect the true scope of someone’s contribution. It takes courage to step into recognition. And it takes belief — belief that this work deserves to be seen. 

Thank you for that belief. 

Each year, your nominations remind us that extraordinary work is happening in every corner of the province — often quietly, often without expectation of acknowledgement. People are strengthening communities through service and leadership. They are advancing reconciliation. They are creating powerful First Nations art that holds history, story and identity. They are shaping applied art + design that blends beauty with purpose. They are building Indigenous businesses that generate opportunity, prosperity and self-determination. 

These contributions deserve to be honoured — and they are only visible to us because you take the time to shine a light on them. 

Most recipients do not seek recognition. They are focused on the work itself: the community meeting, the carved mask, the design studio, the storefront, the boardroom, the long road of advocacy. They show up because it matters. 

Recognition does not change the heart of that work. But it does something important. It tells a broader story about who we are and what we value in this province. Awards are not about elevating one person above others; they are about lifting up examples that inspire us all and reflect the strength of our collective communities. 

If you missed the 2026 deadline, you can participate in next year’s program. Nominations for the 2027 award programs are open year-round. There is no need to wait for a formal call. When you see excellence — when you witness impact — when you encounter someone whose work strengthens British Columbia in meaningful ways — nominate them. Or consider putting your own name forward. 

Too often, remarkable contributions go unrecognized simply because no one took the step to submit a nomination. 

To every 2026 nominator: thank you. Your time, attention and commitment to recognition are fundamental to the work we undertake together. Because of you, those advancing reconciliation, leading in art, design and business, and strengthening communities across BC will be seen and celebrated. 

We look forward to sharing the 2026 award recipients in the months ahead — and to continuing this important work with you in 2027. 

BC Achievement: Elevate Excellence. Share Success. Inspire Change.

Photo: Serena Caner, 2025 Community Award Recipient

BC Achievement’s work is delivered through its five provincial award programs. In reality, what we do reaches far beyond ceremonies, recipients, and annual celebrations. At its heart, BC Achievement is a long-term commitment to shaping identity, expanding cultural networks, and stewarding inclusion across British Columbia. 

So much of the work that strengthens our communities happens quietly. It’s the artist preserving language through their practice. The business owner creating opportunity where few existed before. The volunteer who shows up every day, without recognition, to support others. These efforts are meaningful, transformative — and too often invisible to the wider public. 

That’s where BC Achievement steps in. 

We act as an intermediary, translating the remarkable accomplishments of British Columbians for broader audiences. Through storytelling, film, media, and public recognition, we help ensure that the impact of individuals and groups is understood not just within their own communities, but by funders, decision-makers, and leaders across the province. 

Photo: Pam Baker (Himikalas/Sewid-duuk)2025 Indigenous Business Award Recipient

By making invisible achievements visible, we help shift narratives. We expand who is seen as a leader. We redefine what success looks like. And we ensure that excellence — in all its forms — is recognized and valued. 

This work matters. 

When people see themselves reflected in stories of achievement, it builds confidence and possibility. It tells young people their dreams are valid. It shows communities that their efforts are seen. Recognition becomes a powerful tool for belonging and mental wellbeing — reinforcing that everyone has something meaningful to contribute. 

BC Achievement’s goal is simple, but profound: to elevate excellence so it inspires excellence in others. 

Each story we share creates a ripple effect. One person’s recognition sparks ambition in another. One community’s celebration strengthens collective pride. Over time, these ripples build stronger, more connected communities across the province. 

Our award programs may be the most visible expression of this work — but they are only the beginning. The real impact lives in the stories told, the networks formed, and the sense of belonging that grows when people feel seen. 

Because when we recognize remarkable, we build community. 

BC Achievement: Elevate Excellence. Share Success. Inspire Change.

As we step into a new year, BC Achievement is reflecting on the milestones and achievements outlined in our 2024-2025 Annual Report (September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025).  

During this period, BC Achievement continued to strengthen its role as a platform for recognizing leadership, creativity, and community impact. Over the past year, the Foundation focused on expanding reach, deepening partnerships, and ensuring that excellence across British Columbia is recognized with care, integrity, and purpose. 

BC Achievement’s five award programs — the Community Award, Indigenous Business Award, Polygon Award in First Nations Art, Sam Carter Award in Applied Art + Design, and the BC Reconciliation Award — reflect the breadth of achievement across the province. Together, they recognize individuals and organizations whose work strengthens communities, advances reconciliation, supports creative practice, and contributes to a more inclusive and connected British Columbia. 

Partnerships remained central to the Foundation’s work. This year marked the introduction of RBC as BC Achievement’s inaugural Platform Partner, providing cross-program support and reinforcing shared values around leadership, recognition, and community investment. Long-standing partners continued their commitment, while new supporters helped strengthen program sustainability and reach. 

As Board Chair Walter Pela reflected, “Each year at BC Achievement, we are reminded that the real inspiration for our work comes from the awardees themselves. Their creativity, leadership, and commitment to community are what bring our mission to life.” That perspective guided both governance and programming throughout the year, ensuring that recognition remains grounded in the lived experiences and contributions of British Columbians. 

Alumni engagement, mentorship opportunities, and cross-program gatherings helped extend recognition beyond ceremonies, creating space for shared learning and relationship-building. These efforts reinforce the Foundation’s belief that recognition is most meaningful when it supports ongoing connection and impact. 

Looking ahead, BC Achievement remains focused on its purpose: to elevate excellence, share success, and inspire change. The past year demonstrated the continued relevance of recognition as a tool for strengthening communities and highlighting leadership across sectors. As the Foundation moves forward, it does so guided by the people it honours — and by a commitment to reflecting the full range of achievement across British Columbia. 

The 2024-2025 Annual Report is available online. We invite you to explore it and learn more about the incredible individuals and organizations who have been recognized. Their stories are a testament to the spirit of innovation, resilience, and generosity that defines British Columbia. 

Thank you to everyone who has supported BC Achievement over the past year—our partners, sponsors, volunteers, and, most importantly, the nominees and recipients who inspire us daily. Together, we celebrate excellence and build a brighter future. 

Stay connected with us as we continue to honor and uplift those making a difference across our province. Here’s to another year of inspiring achievement! 

#recognizeremarkable

BC Achievement: Elevate Excellence. Share Success. Inspire Change. 

Nominate for the 2026 BC Achievement award programs! Any nominations submitted before February 15, 2026, will be included in jury deliberations. If your nomination is completed after this deadline, it will automatically roll over to the following year’s consideration. To make sure your nominee is in the running for the upcoming award cycle, submit a nomination online at bcachievement.com. 

Helpful Tips for Nominating 

To help make your nomination process smooth and successful, we provide a range of resources. These include advice on crafting a strong nominator statement, selecting impactful images, and using YouTube videos or news articles to strengthen your nominee’s case. And if you ever need assistance, the BC Achievement team is just a click away! 

Award Programs to Recognize Remarkable British Columbians 

Nominations are accepted across all five of BC Achievement’s annual programs, each highlighting the accomplishments of individuals, groups, and organizations in various fields: 

• Indigenous Business Award – Celebrates excellence within Indigenous-owned businesses, with categories including Business of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Community-owned Business, and Business Partnership of the Year. 

• Polygon Award in First Nations Art – Recognizes artistic excellence in both traditional and contemporary visual arts by First Nations artists. 

• Sam Carter Award in Applied Art + Design – Honours outstanding achievements in functional art and design. 

• Community Award – Celebrates excellence and inspiring contributions in community service and leadership. 

• BC Reconciliation Award – Recognizes individuals, groups, and organizations advancing the principles of reconciliation. 

If you know someone whose work deserves recognition, don’t miss the February 15, 2026 deadline.  

Join Us in Celebrating Remarkable People all Year Long 

Nominations can be made online at bcachievement.com. Get involved, celebrate excellence in BC, and nominate!  

#recognizeremarkable 

BC Achievement: Elevate Excellence. Share Success. Inspire Change.

Photo: Debra Rogers, 2025 Community Award recipient

A new year always brings a moment to pause, reflect, and look ahead—and as we step into 2026, we’re starting the year with a simple but important question: what would you like to hear about from us? 

This is our first blog post of the year, and rather than telling you what’s coming next, we want to open the door and invite you in. Our programs, stories, and celebrations are built around people—your ideas, your experiences, and your voices. Now feels like the perfect time to listen. 

Are there stories that inspire you and that you’d love to see more of here? Perhaps you’re drawn to personal journeys—moments of challenge, growth, or recognition that remind you why these programs matter. Maybe you’d like us to spotlight past recipients and share what recognition has meant for them over time. Or perhaps you’re curious about the “how” behind the work: how programs take shape, how selections are made, and how impact is measured. 

We also hear often that the nomination process can feel mysterious. Would it be helpful to read more about how nominations work, what makes a strong nomination, or what happens after a form is submitted? Are there parts of the process you’d like us to explain more clearly, or questions you’ve always wanted to ask? 

Behind every program is a dedicated team, and we’re curious—would you like to get to know the staff who bring this work to life? From program directors to communications and operations, ours is a small but mighty team, working quietly behind the scenes. 

If you’re an alumnus or alumna of one of our programs, we especially want to hear from you. How did recognition impact you—personally or professionally? Would you like to be involved as a nominator, a mentor, or an ambassador who helps spread the word? Would you be open to being featured in a future blog post and sharing your story with others who may be earlier in their journey? 

And if you’re a potential nominee, we’re curious too. How can we reach you more effectively? Where do you get your information—newsletters, social media, word of mouth, community networks? Knowing this helps us ensure opportunities don’t pass people by. 

For nominators, your time and care mean everything. How did you find the nomination form? Did the process feel worthwhile? Do you feel your investment helps shine a light where it truly matters? 

There’s no single right answer—only honest ones. You can email us, send us a DM on our social media channels, or give us a call. However, you choose to reach out, please know this: we genuinely want to hear from you. 

Here’s to starting 2026 together—by listening first. 

#recognizeremarkable 

BC Achievement: Elevate Excellence. Share Success. Inspire Change.  

Photo: BC Reconciliation Award Alumni

At BC Achievement, we have the privilege of witnessing excellence in its many forms—artistic mastery, entrepreneurial vision, cultural leadership, community service, and innovation that shapes the future of British Columbia. But one of the most extraordinary parts of this work isn’t just the moment of recognition. It’s what happens afterward. 

Again and again, alumni from across all our programs have shared how receiving a BC Achievement Award became a catalyst in their journey. They tell us about the exhibitions that followed, the collaborations that blossomed, the opportunities that opened, and the confidence that deepened as they stepped more fully into their role as leaders within their disciplines. Recognition doesn’t just celebrate excellence—it propels it. 

This is the heart of our mission. Yes, we strive to Recognize Remarkable. But just as importantly, we work to build a thriving, interconnected community—one where past recipients continue to lift one another up and inspire the next generation. 

Across years and programs, alumni consistently pay it forward in ways that strengthen BC’s cultural, social and economic fabric. They do this by: 

• Mentoring emerging artists and entrepreneurs, sharing hard-won lessons and nurturing the creative courage of others. 

• Presenting awards, offering encouragement at pivotal moments in someone else’s story. 

• Serving on juries, bringing their expertise, integrity, and lived experience to the selection of new cohorts. 

• Returning to support events and programs, helping shape the recognition ecosystem that once supported them. 

• Sharing opportunities and networks, ensuring that excellence circulates and that more voices are elevated. 

This generous spirit—this willingness to extend a hand, to open a door, to uplift someone else—is what makes the BC Achievement community truly remarkable. It is also what ensures that the impact of recognition does not end when the ceremony lights dim, but continues to grow through mentorship, collaboration, and shared leadership. 

Photo: Riley McFerrin, 2023 Applied Art + Design Award Alumnus (left), Mario Pao, 2025 Applied Art + Design Award Recipient, Mario Pao (right)

To our alumni community: thank you. Thank you for embodying excellence not only in your work, but in your generosity. Thank you for uplifting your peers, for inspiring future generations, and for contributing to a province where the pursuit of excellence is supported, celebrated, and shared. 

Your commitment to paying it forward shapes the future of British Columbia. We are honoured to celebrate you, and even more honoured to witness the incredible ways you continue to make a difference. 

Together, we build a legacy of excellence. Together, we #RecognizeRemarkable. 

BC Achievement: Elevate Excellence. Share Success. Inspire Change.

Photo: 2025 Community Award Volunteers

As the festive season approaches, many of us begin to reflect on the people and places that give our lives meaning. At BC Achievement, we are reminded daily that community is not limited by geography or tradition—it is built through connection, shared purpose, and the simple act of showing up for one another. Community can be your extended family, your neighbourhood, the people in your exercise class, your fellow volunteers, or the close friends who have become your chosen family. However, you define it, community shapes us, strengthens us, and inspires us. 

Some communities are built intentionally. Think of the weekly fitness class where laughter and encouragement become just as important as movement. Others grow from shared values: the volunteers who rise early to set up or offer a warm smile that reminds someone why they showed up in the first place. 

Photo: 2025 Community Award recipient, Chantelle Krish (far right)

Some communities are rooted in heritage and tradition. Families—both biological and blended—carry stories forward, weaving old wisdom with new memories. For many, this season is a chance to return to those roots, reconnect, and honour the people who shaped them.  

And then there are the communities we step into when the world needs us. The neighbours who shovel one another’s driveways, deliver soup during a difficult week, or gather together during moments of crisis or celebration. These acts, small and spontaneous, reflect the true spirit of the season: generosity without expectation, kindness without condition. 

What unites all these forms of community is the way they help us see beyond ourselves. They open our hearts, broaden our perspectives, and remind us that our lives are intertwined with others in meaningful ways. In a time of year that invites gratitude and reflection, our communities show us where we find joy, purpose, and connection. 

As we look ahead to the celebrations and gatherings of the coming weeks, may we take a moment to appreciate the many communities we belong to—and the ways they enrich our lives. This festive season, let’s find inspiration in the people who surround us, uplift us, and walk beside us. Because when we recognize the value of community, we strengthen it and create more connected future for all. 

BC Achievement: Elevate Excellence. Share Success. Inspire Change.

Photo: 2025 AAD awardee, Mario Pao and friends

Last month, BC Achievement had the privilege of hosting three dazzling award ceremonies, each one honouring a distinct and inspiring facet of British Columbia’s creative and entrepreneurial landscape. From powerful stories of Indigenous businesses to the talent of First Nations artists, to the innovation of applied art and design practitioners, these celebrations reminded us once again of the extraordinary talent and leadership that thrive across the province. 

The season began with the Indigenous Business Award (IBA) Gala, where entrepreneurs, and business leaders were recognized for building opportunities rooted in hard work, vision and cultural values. The evening was filled with pride and purpose as recipients shared how their work uplifts communities, generates sustainability, and shapes future prosperity for people across BC. 

Photo: 2025 IBA Gala hosts, Tsetasiya Geena Jackson (left) and Kúkwpi7 (Chief) Willie Sayers (right)

We then gathered for the Polygon Award in First Nations Art, (FNA) a ceremony that honoured accomplished artists and emerging talents whose creative brilliance keeps cultural practices alive. The event showcased powerful storytelling in the form of short films on each awardee, moving remarks and an exhibition of breathtaking artistry—carving, painting metalwork and jewellery. It was a powerful reminder of art’s enduring role in storytelling, teaching, and connection. 

Photo: Klatle-bhi, 2023 FNA awardee (left), Rebecca Baker-Grenier, 2025 FNA awardee (center), Lisa Hageman Yahgujaanas, 2010 FNA awardee (right)

Rounding out the month was the Sam Carter Award in Applied Art + Design, (AAD) where innovators in craft, design, and functional art were recognized for pushing boundaries and enriching the creative fabric of British Columbia. From textiles to ceramics to contemporary design, the awardees demonstrated how craft and innovation intersect to shape the objects and environments of our everyday lives. The short films, premiered at the event, highlighted the personal journeys of the awardees. 

These celebrations shine brightly because of the many hands and hearts that make them possible. 

To our exceptional suppliers: thank you for bringing each ceremony to life with artistry, professionalism, and care. From stunning staging and catering to film production and technical support, your work ensures that every awardee feels honoured in a meaningful and memorable way. 

To our generous sponsors: your commitment to elevating excellence strengthens the award programs. Your support amplifies the voices of artists, entrepreneurs, and designers whose contributions enrich British Columbia’s cultural and economic landscape. 

To our board leadership: your vision and stewardship guide these programs with integrity and purpose. Your dedication ensures that recognition remains a powerful catalyst for community, creativity, and positive change. 

Most importantly, to our nominators: thank you. You are the heart of every awards cycle. Your belief in the people around you—and your willingness to put their names forward—makes recognition possible. You ensure that excellence does not go unnoticed. 

As we reflect on a remarkable month of celebration, we extend our deepest gratitude. Together, we continue to #RecognizeRemarkable across British Columbia.  

BC Achievement: Elevate Excellence. Share Success. Inspire Change.