In British Columbia...

Arts and culture make significant contributions to the regional economies of communities throughout the province.

1,328 youth experienced another community, language or culture in 2003/04 through Youth Exchanges Canada.

BC has the highest proportion of visible minorities of any province in Canada (22%).

The Canada Council for the Arts granted $18.5 million to 342 arts organizations and 366 artists in 2003/04.

271 amateur athletes were funded through our Athlete Assistance Program in 2004.

30,882 students enrolled in French immersion in 2002/03, up from 1,300 in the late 1970s.

Information on 352 BC museums, including virtual exhibits, is available online at www.virtualmuseum.ca.

British Columbia

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The Canadian Heritage family, which includes the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, the CBC and other major national cultural institutions, plays a key role in the cultural and civic life of Canadians.

We work together to promote culture, arts, heritage, official languages, citizenship and participation, multiculturalism, Aboriginal, youth, and sport initiatives. Canadian Heritage fosters creativity, innovation, linguistic duality and cultural diversity with a view to connecting Canadians to each other and the world.

Our services are available from offices all over the country, including Kelowna, Victoria and Vancouver.

Highlights

Cultural Capitals of Canada
BC continues to sprout Cultural Capitals: Victoria is one of five Canadian cities awarded the title for 2005. Under the theme Celebrating our Diversity, seven new projects aim to showcase Victoria's rich history, cultural diversity and artistic community. Highlights include an Inner Harbour First Nations Interpretive Program, and a community arts program.

National Aboriginal Day
Highlighting the importance of Aboriginal art and culture in Canada, Canadian Heritage supports the nation's largest National Aboriginal Day (June 21) celebration. The annual three-day event at the Vancouver Art Gallery features Aboriginal music and dance performances from across Canada and around the world.

Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie
Francophones in BC have much to celebrate in 2005, with festivities marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie- Britannique, as well as the 30th anniversary celebrations for both the Centre culturel francophone de Vancouver and Théâtre La Seizième. Canadian Heritage hosted a special event during Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie in March to highlight these organizations'contributions to the development and enrichment of the province's Francophone communities.

Community Connections
With funding from Arts Presentation Canada and the Multiculturalism Program, the Harrison Festival Society aims to broaden its appeal to culturally diverse communities in the Fraser Valley. Its Community Connections initiative will compile lessons learned by other arts groups into a Best Practices Guide, as well as create a workshop to share findings with arts organizations and other community partners.

Two Communities: A Journey Together
Canadian Heritage is proud to be involved in AJourney Together, a project that successfully unites culturally diverse citizens of Vanderhoof to combat racism in their community. This project was responsible for the first ever joint meeting of Vanderhoof Town Council and the Saik'uz First Nation Band Council.