Update to Reception at Indigenous Services Canada’s British Columbia Regional Office –1138 Melville Street, Vancouver

Status Card and Registration Desk – No change:

• Location: 6th floor
• Office hours: 9:00am-4:30pm Monday to Friday

Welcoming Guests:

• Please report to the Commissionaires desk in the main building lobby to sign in and receive guest pass.
• Your host will greet you in the building lobby and take you to your meeting.

Please email your suggestions to bccbcmail@sac-isc.gc.ca to improve welcoming guests at 1138 Melville Street.

Inaugural Danny Higashitani Operator Award

The 15th Annual British Columbia & Yukon Territory First Nation Water and Wastewater Conference and Tradeshow was a remarkable event this year. Spanning three days (October 2 - 4, 2024), the conference featured tours, presentations, and a tradeshow for over 200 water and wastewater operators from across the province. Operators shared insights on community projects and their experiences. For information on next year’s conference, please contact Vonna Moses at vonna.moses@sac-isc.gc.ca.

This year’s conference marked the inaugural presentation of the Danny Higashitani Operator Award. This award honours an operator from British Columbia who demonstrates the commitment and dedication that were the hallmarks of Danny Higashitani’s 26 year career with Indigenous Services Canada, supporting numerous First Nations across the province with their water and wastewater systems.

The first recipient, Dion Moody, has dedicated a decade to serving the Lytton First Nation. With two years in housing and eight in the Operations and Maintenance Department, Dion is celebrated for his dedication, teamwork, and genuine care for his community. The award night also recognized Operators achieving new Environmental Operators Certification Program (EOCP) certifications, making it a memorable occasion for all attendees.

BC infrastructure forum highlights future community building

On October 8 and 9, 2024, the Navigating ISC Infrastructure Programs: Building Communities for Future Generations forum was held by BC Region Community Infrastructure. The forum, which built on the momentum gained from the September 2023 Infrastructure Modernization engagement sessions across British Columbia, was a tremendous success.

We would like to thank the over 330 participants who attended sessions on various infrastructure and housing issues, sharing lessons learned and recommending changes to program delivery. Particular thanks to Chief Dan Manuel of the Upper Nicola Indian Band, who opened the forum, noting the importance of infrastructure to community and the critical role that infrastructure and housing managers play in their communities and in reconciliation more broadly. The forum concluded with remarks from Regional Director General, Allyson Rowe.

Links to the various presentations are available at Presentations & Documents - Navigating ISC Infrastructure Programs: Building Communities for Future Generations. A summary report is expected early in 2025.

First Nations Economic Development Officers and Land Managers technical training forum

From December 2 - 4, 2024, Links to Learning, the annual technical training forum was held in Vancouver which provides a range of learning opportunities for First Nations Economic Development Officers and Lands Management Officers. The forum is a partnership between Cando, the National Aboriginal Lands Managers Association, First Nations Land Management Resource Centre, Indigenous Services Canada, and Procurement Assistance Canada. ISC BC Region would like to thank the organizing committee for another successful Links to Learning, which included over 151 First Nation communities and over 350 delegates.

The committee will organize the next forum for 2025 in the new year, so please check in on the following website for more information: www.links-to-learning.ca.