Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours Survivors of the residential school system, the children who never returned home, and their families and communities. It is a time to reflect on the history and lasting impacts of residential schools on Indigenous communities and to engage in meaningful learning and action in support of reconciliation.

Both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day take place on September 30. Orange Shirt Day is a grassroots campaign founded by Phyllis Webstad that is intended to raise awareness about the impacts of the residential school system. It was inspired by her story of having her new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School in Williams Lake, BC. The orange shirt has become a symbol of hope, reconciliation and a commitment to a better future. Everyone is encouraged to wear orange on September 30 to honour the Survivors of residential schools. 

If you are looking for a way to commemorate and recognize this day of active listening, and action (on top of wearing an orange shirt, which is a good start!) here are a few events in which you can participate around Metro Vancouver.

• (Sept 25) Natural Dye Truth & Reconciliation Workshop
• (Sept 25) Rhythms of Resilience: Voices of Warrior Women
• (Sept 26) BC Lions Orange Shirt Day Game
• (Sept 27) Truth and Reconciliation: One in Spirit Writing Workshop
• (Sept 27) The Art of Tea Blending with rhtea.co
• (Sept 27) The Legacy of the Salish Woolly Dog Presentation with Senaqwila Wyss
• (Sept 27) World Premiere of NDN Giver at the Bill Reid Gallery
• (Sept 27) Towards Truth and Reconciliation: Comic Workshop with Jordanna George
• (Sept 27) The Jingle Dance: Interactive Powwow Experience with Raven Spirit Dance
• (Sept 27) Orange Shirt Day at Holland Park in Surrey
• (Sept 28) VSO The Path Forward Featuring Pam Baker, Jeremy Dutcher
• (Sept 28) Culture Club at MOA: Cedar Hearts for Reconciliation
• (Sept 29) Sugarcane Film Screening at Pacific Theatre for NDTR
• September 30, 2025 – Orange Shirt Day
  • MOV & the Space Centre Present The Great Salish Heist
  • Cedar Weaving with Todd DeVries
  • NFB Indigenous Short Films Screenings
  • Vancouver Aquarium NDTR Programming
  • Truth and Reconciliation at Burnaby Village
  • Films For Truth And Reconciliation
  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Coquitlam
  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Port Moody
  • Semiahmoo First Nation’s Walk for Truth and Reconciliation
  • Truth & Reconciliation Day at MONOVA
  • Orange Shirt Day at Grandview Park
  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Teaching Pow Wow: Voices of our Children
  • Orange Shirt Day and Teaching Pow Wow at Queens Park

More events will be added throughout the month as they are announced. There are also online events and resources for schools during Truth and Reconciliation Week.

Additional Resources

• Learn about the impacts of the Indian Residential School system
  • Read about how Orange Shirt Day originates from the story of Phyllis Webstad from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation.
• Read the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre’s “Red Women Rising” report.
• Actively listen to people of First Nations, Inuit and Métis backgrounds
• Stand up to stereotypes, prejudice and systemic racism
• Have conversations with your family and friends (even children)
• Be respectful towards trauma survivors and elders
• Support Indigenous-led community organizations
• Be patient, empathetic and receptive (it’s distressing for everyone)
• Raise awareness in your community and online (wear orange)

A Growing and Diverse Community of Seniors

Today, one in five British Columbians is over the age of 65, and that number is expected to rise to one in four within the next decade. People are also living longer, with 12% of seniors now aged 85 and older—a figure projected to reach 18% in the next ten years. Seniors in BC are more diverse than ever, with unique interests, backgrounds, and experiences. As BC Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt notes, “The saying ‘when you’ve met one 80-year-old, you’ve met one 80-year-old’ rings truer today than ever before.”

Active, Engaged, and Inspired

Seniors today are breaking stereotypes—running marathons, contributing in the workplace, and volunteering more than ever before. Their stories of resilience, achievement, and wisdom inspire all generations. Many communities across BC are hosting special events, activities, and opportunities for seniors to connect, learn, and celebrate together.

Join the Celebration

We invite everyone to take part in BC Seniors’ Week—whether by attending a local event, sharing stories of the seniors who inspire you, or simply taking a moment to thank the older adults in your life. Let’s celebrate the achievements, wisdom, and ongoing contributions of BC’s seniors, and work together to create communities where everyone can age with dignity, purpose, and joy.

Happy BC Seniors’ Week!

Come connect with community, meet neighbours, enjoy games and more as we celebrate our love for our community!

Join us for a FREE, fun & family friendly day of:

GAMES

FOOD

PRIZES & more!

Saturday, May 3rd 2024 | 11:30am – 1:30pm

South Vancouver Neighbourhood House

6470 Victoria Drive, Vancouver BC.

This is a FREE event, no registration required. Everyone is welcome

The event will be held on Tu. Feb. 18^th in the Front Room of the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House (6470 Victoria Dr.) from 1-3pm in the Front Room.

We have organized this event primarily for the seniors who attend South Vancouver Neighbourhood House programs, but we extend this invitation to you and your participants, so the voices of other older adults are heard and considered. Each SVNH seniors’ program has generated questions to ask the Seniors Advocate and those will be used by the moderator. (Questions may include issues that are specific to SE Vancouver.) There will also be time for questions from the floor.

General topics include:

Lack of a Primary Care Centre in SE Vancouver

Accessibility and affordability of social housing – independent, assisted, long term care

Inadequate public transportation

Lack of and affordability of home support services

Unaffordable cost of health care coverage for low income seniors, especially prescriptions, hearing aids and eye glasses

Registration is required as space is limited, please scan the QR Code on the attached poster or reply to this email to confirm your attendance and to let us know if you have any specific questions you’d like to ask.

This event is presented by:

The South Vancouver Seniors Hub & South Vancouver Neighbourhood House

Augustine Lal was born and raised in Fiji. After becoming a certified accountant, he worked in Fiji until 1969 when he emigrated to Vancouver. He became a certified public accountant and worked in Canada with various companies. When he first moved to Vancouver he played soccer with Fijian Canadian Society.

He has been active in the Catholic community, serving on the council of Saint Vincent de Paul and Saint Jude’s as well as serving with Knights of Columbus working in the financial department and various volunteer work.

He has volunteered with the South Vancouver Community policing for more than 20 years and has been part of the Fiji Foundation Society for over 40 years.

Augustine has been involved in the Cedar Cottage Neighborhood House and Saint Vincent Nursing homes for many years and currently runs the Men’s Group program at South Vancouver Neighborhood house. He is also a member of the Seniors Hub Council at South Vancouver Neighborhood house as well.

He is married and has a son, and two grandkids who all live in Vancouver. He and his wife sponsored many of their siblings to come over to Vancouver as well.

Augustine enjoys reading books and has always enjoyed sports whether through playing soccer or field hockey or following football and golf.

Seniors’ Week (celebrated June 2-8 in 2024) celebrates seniors and their many contributions – providing an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the integral part seniors play in communities across British Columbia.

Join us in honoring the incredible seniors in our community during the BC Seniors’ Week and participate our celebration.

No registration is required.

Thursday, June 6 2024

10:00am – 12:00pm

South Vancouver Neighbourhood House

6470 Victoria Drive, Vancouver BC

SCI Climate Futures is a unique project spearheaded by Praxis Spinal Cord Institute and Technology for Living (TFL), brought to you by BC Hydro, that is tackling the critical intersection of health, equity and climate justice that seeks to identify and provide cooling technologies able to prevent feelings of discomfort of people living with physical disabilities during heatwaves and produce minimal environmental impact.
Given the anticipated forecasted temperatures in British Columbia, SCI Climate Futures is piloting a Rapid Response Project to address your needs, as a person living with a physical disability who may be specifically vulnerable to heat illness and injury. 

If you are a person with a disability and currently are at risk due to the high temperatures in BC, at Praxis Spinal Cord Institute and Technology for Living, we would like to help you as soon as we can. Through our pilot initiative: SCI Climate Futures, we are looking to reach people who live with disabilities and do not have effective cooling in their homes to provide them portable, emergency cooling devices able to prevent feelings of discomfort during heatwaves, to meet your needs this summer. Please sign up here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RZHPLXR

In recent years, seniors who rent their homes experience greater affordability challenges with close to half paying more than 30% of their incomes towards housing costs. There is also a growing population of seniors and older adults experiencing homelessness and a significant number of seniors living in Single Room Occupancy Hotels (SROs), many of them in inadequate conditions.

Your feedback about the housing needs of seniors, Elders, and older adults aged 55+ living in Vancouver will help shape policies, partnerships and advocacy actions being developed this year.

There are a number of ways to get involved:

1. Attend a public engagement pop-up on Tuesday, April 4 10:30 am – 12:30 pm at Strathcona Community Centre, 601 Keefer St (Cantonese interpretation available, no registration required, light refreshments provided)
2. Answer the online survey for seniors and older adults 55+, and caregivers and senior-serving organizations, closing on April 13.
   • English: https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/…/seniors-housing-survey –
   • Traditional Chinese: https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/…/seniors-chinese-survey
3. Download the Conversation Kit to lead a discussion with seniors and older adults you know, and email the results to housingpolicy@vancouver.ca by April 30, 2023
   • Conversation Kit: https://syc.vancouver.ca/…/seniors-housing-conversation…

For more information, visit:https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/seniors-housing

Nowruz, meaning “new day”, is an ancestral festivity marking the first day of spring and the renewal of nature. It includes rituals, ceremonies and cultural events, as well as the enjoyment of a special meal with loved ones. New clothes are worn, visits are made to family and friends, and gifts, especially for children, are exchanged.

Celebrated for over 3000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions, it promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighborliness.