The British Columbia Institute of Technology acknowledges that our campuses are located on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish Nations of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nations. BCIT has been educating and inspiring students on these lands for over half a century, and we are grateful for that. We acknowledge that the relationship with Indigenous peoples in Canada has been troubled and must be reconciled; we are deeply committed to working with our partners to address these issues.
The Copper
For some Northwest Coast First Nations, a Copper — a traditional copper shield — symbolizes wealth and power. Knowledge is power. A Copper gains value the more it changes hands and is broken and put back together.
Life can be challenging, but much like a Copper, our students build strength as they gain knowledge and overcome challenges. That is why we chose the Copper to symbolize this Indigenous Vision.
We are guided by the BCIT Indigenous Vision, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Actions, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, British Columbia’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, and the Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Policy Framework and Action Plan by the British Columbia Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. Truth, Indigenization, and Reconciliation and are priorities for BCIT. We deeply value our relationship with Indigenous peoples throughout the province and beyond.