Category: Blog

August 15 marks six months until nominations close for the 2026 BC Achievement award programs and now is the perfect time to begin the process. By starting early, you can reach out for letters of support, gather relevant materials, and contact us with any questions to ensure a strong nomination. Every year, the awards celebrate excellence across five distinct programs, and your nomination could help recognize the next outstanding British Columbian. 

Join Us to RECOGNIZE REMARKABLE 

BC Achievement is proud to present five award programs that honour exceptional people and their contributions across the province: 

• Community Award 
• BC Reconciliation Award 
• Indigenous Business Award 
• Polygon Award in First Nations Art 
• Sam Carter Award in Applied Art + Design 

These awards shine a spotlight on individuals and organizations that are shaping BC’s future through community leadership, cultural preservation, reconciliation, innovation, and artistic excellence. 

Why Nominate Someone? 

Because recognizing achievement does more than honour one person; it uplifts entire communities. It shares the impact of the work being done, ensures it reaches a wider audience, and inspires others to act. When you nominate someone, you’re helping tell a story that might otherwise go unheard. 

Take, for example, 2024 Community Award recipient Wendy Toyer, whose volunteer work and mentorship has strengthened ALS awareness and support. Or Pam Baker, recipient of the 2024 Sam Carter Award in Applied Art + Design, whose design practice integrates traditional Indigenous forms with contemporary fashion to celebrate culture and identity. 

Recognition validates contributions, strengthens community bonds, and fosters a culture of well-being and shared pride. For many recipients, the award becomes a platform for furthering their impact. It’s a meaningful step in affirming the value of their work and encouraging others to follow in their footsteps. 

Celebrating Impact Across BC 

Whether it’s a business leader like Seven Generations Environmental Services, honoured by the Indigenous Business Award program for their site restoration services, or a cultural visionary like artist Jim Hart, 2024 recipient of the Award of Distinction, Polygon Award in First Nations Art, BC Achievement awardees are united by their drive to create lasting, positive change. 

These awards highlight innovation, community strength, reconciliation, and creativity, all of which are essential to a vibrant and inclusive future. 

Nominate by February 15, 2026 

Nominations are open until February 15, 2026. By nominating someone remarkable, you ensure their work is acknowledged, amplified, and celebrated. It’s a chance to say: your efforts matter, and your community sees you. 

Visit bcachievement.com to learn more, view past recipients, and begin your nomination. If you have questions along the way, our team is here to support you. 

Let’s work together to #RecognizeRemarkable. 

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

We’ve all just had statutory holiday for BC Day. What does it mean to you? 

Did you take time with family? Put in time at work? Volunteer at your neighbourhood organization? Or did you reflect on the history of BC? 

Here at BC Achievement, staff did a little of all of the above. 

For most of us, BC Day has meant a day off – one where we can enjoy a summer day at the beach, outside reading a book or playing a sport with friends, or getting a task checked off that never-ending checklist of things to do. 

Let’s take a little look at the history of BC Day, or Civic Day as it’s called in other provinces. Established in 1974, BC Day was officially established by the British Columbia government. The idea was to create a day to recognize and celebrate the heritage, culture, and achievements of the province. 

Knowing a little more about the history of this province, the injustices put on Indigenous people by the original settlers, and our early history with immigrants, we could easily hide our head in the sand. But those things that make us uncomfortable, often make room for growth, realization and understanding. So, BC Day can be a good opportunity to reflect on where we’ve come as a province, how much we’ve learned, and a vision for the future that includes reconciliation, respect, and compassion. 

The growth of a community is often dependant on strong foundations and systems to keep it running, but a significant piece of a community’s strength is in its volunteers. At every level of a town or city, you’ll find acts of service performed by those who wish to give back, or to contribute their expertise and time to a cause or event in their community. Without them, our cities would be black and white. Volunteers add the colour! With so many events, festivals, gatherings BC Day is a perfect time to volunteer your services. 

It’s also an equally good time to get started on those tasks you’ve been procrastinating on, or haven’t yet had the time to tackle. Organizing your closet, fixing the squeaky door, tuning your bike, or catching up on a work assignment while no one else is at the office – each one can provide a great sense of accomplishment when completed. 

I think the most favourite way to spend BC Day for our staff is to make memories with our families. This BC Day we collectively did some fun things: fishing, kayaking, long walks, and even longer dinner conversations. 

Whatever you did this BC Day we hope you took the time to rest, recharge, learn and get ready for a new month. 

Happy August from us to you! 

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

Photo: Kelly Cannell, 2024 recipient, Polygon Award in First Nations Art

At BC Achievement Foundation, our mission is simple yet powerful: to honour excellence and inspire achievement throughout British Columbia. Each year, we have the privilege of shining a spotlight on individuals and organizations whose dedication, creativity, and leadership are shaping communities across the province.  

Recognition acknowledges that someone’s hard work, often done quietly and without expectation, has not gone unnoticed. For many recipients, the honour of receiving a BC Achievement award marks a pivotal moment—an affirmation that their contributions matter and it serves a catalyst for future growth. 

As artist Kelly Cannell, a 2024 recipient of the Polygon Award in First Nations Art, reflected, “I had never considered awards important to me as an artist until receiving the Polygon Award. Watching the film specifically made me reflect on all the work I had done. Seeing it compiled was deeply rewarding and gave me the opportunity to step back and appreciate my accomplishments.” 

More than just accolades, these awards create ripples. They elevate stories that may otherwise remain untold, fostering pride in recipients, in their families, communities, and sectors. When a community leader from a remote region is recognized, the award brings attention to local initiatives and often sparks broader conversations around identity and belonging.  

Take, for example, Valerie Jerome, 2025 Community Award recipient and long-time advocate for inclusion and opportunity, “My way forward in life was made possible by the likes of the people who are being honoured; kind-hearted, generous, loving individuals who gave of their time, energy and enormous compassion to give me a chance to develop my abilities, to grow and to achieve my goals against all odds.” 

Photo: Valerie Jerome, 2025 recipient, Community Award & Mitchell Award of Distinction

Her words, delivered at the 2025 Community Award ceremony, highlight how the act of recognition also honours those who empower others—and how it reinforces a cycle of mentorship, encouragement, and progress. 

For many, the award isn’t just an endpoint—it’s a stepping stone toward greater impact. Tyson Atleo of Ahous Adventures, a 2024 Indigenous Business Award recipient, shared, “We are a thriving eco-tourism here in Tofino. We are looking to benefit the community and open the eye of the public which has been dominated by colonialism for decades. We are excited to be here [as an awardee] and have an impact for the youth.” 

Photo: Ahous Adventures, 2024 recipient, Indigenous Business Award

This is the ripple in motion: recognition that turns into resources, which turn into renewed efforts to educate, engage, and uplift community. 

Behind each award is a network of nominators, jurors, and supporters who believe in the value of recognition. They help surface stories that deserve to be shared and supported. 

At BC Achievement, we believe that honouring excellence is the beginning of each awardee’s journey with the foundation. It’s a call to action for all of us to recognize, to uplift, and to be inspired by those who lead by example.  

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

Each year on July 1, communities across British Columbia gather to mark Canada Day with celebration, reflection, and renewed commitment to what makes this province—and this country—strong: its people. From the mountain towns of the Kootenays to the beaches of Vancouver Island, Canada Day reminds us that we are stronger together, and that diversity, respect, and shared purpose are at the heart of what it means to be Canadian. 

British Columbia is home to over 200 First Nations and a vibrant mix of cultures and languages from around the world. In Richmond, you’ll hear Cantonese, Tagalog, and Punjabi as you walk through the streets. In Prince Rupert, you might watch a Nisga’a or Ts’msyen artist carving a traditional mask while newcomers share homemade food at a community potluck. In Victoria, people gather at the Legislature to hear live music, including Indigenous drumming and local multicultural performances. These celebrations are more than just entertainment—they are a reflection of the many stories, struggles, and contributions that build a stronger province. 

A powerful metaphor shared by Indigenous leader, Honourable Steven Point (Xwĕ lī qwĕl tĕl) and former Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia shares the need to “paddle together” towards progress. We are all in the same canoe. Whether we are First Nations, settlers, immigrants, or refugees, we share these lands and waters—and if we paddle together, we move forward together. Progress requires unity, cooperation, and mutual respect. 

As we celebrate, it’s also important to reflect. Canada Day in BC does not come without complexity. The history of colonization, residential schools, and ongoing injustices must be acknowledged. In places like Kamloops and Williams Lake, the discoveries of unmarked graves have deepened public understanding of the painful legacy Indigenous communities continue to carry. That’s why Canada Day should also be a moment of truth and reconciliation—a chance to listen, learn, and act. 

Many communities are already leading the way. The City of Vancouver has integrated cultural protocol with local Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations into its civic celebrations. Powell River, now exploring a name change to better reflect Indigenous history and relationships, is an example of how we can move forward with respect. In small and large ways, British Columbians are beginning to align our celebrations with a deeper sense of inclusion and accountability. 

And through it all, the contributions of everyday people continue to shape this province: the Filipino care workers in Surrey keeping elders safe; the Syilx language teachers in the Okanagan preserving knowledge for future generations; the refugee family in Kelowna opening a small café and creating jobs; the Haida weaver in Masset keeping tradition alive while inspiring new generations of artists. 

So, as we celebrate Canada lets recognize each other’s stories, and paddle forward as one, there’s no limit to where we can go—together. 

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