Japanese Canadian Legacies Programs

“Investing in community healing is ultimately a hopeful act, looking to the future of our community as much as acknowledging and commemorating our past. There is much work to be done, yet we remain deeply resilient and proud of our history and culture.”

— Susanne Tabata

Japanese Canadian Legacies Society is a British Columbia-based society set up to oversee the implementation of legacy initiatives that honour Japanese Canadians. Originally created under the umbrella of the National Association of Japanese Canadians BC Redress from 2020-2022, it was supplemented with four grant agreements signed with the Province of BC in 2022 & 2024. The historical wrongs framework was developed in conjunction with Japanese Canadian communities and based on six pillars: Monument; Education; Seniors Health & Wellness; Community & Culture; Heritage; and Anti-racism. JCLS will wind down in 2027.

Community Fund

Community & Culture

The Community Fund addresses the enduring intergenerational impact that government actions had on the community.

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Monument Park & Database of Names

Monument

A Monument Park in Victoria will honour by name the 22,000 Japanese Canadians uprooted and displaced in the 1940s.

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BC Heritage Sites

Heritage Preservation

Establishment and maintenance of important community heritage sites across BC through the BC Heritage Sites program.

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Teacher Education Resources

Education

Development of a Japanese Canadian History Learning Portal and Digital Course for Teacher Training.

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Japanese Canadian Survivors Health & Wellness Fund

Seniors Health & Wellness

Distributing individual health grants to community elders impacted by government actions of the 1940s.

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H.U.G.S. Program

Seniors Health & Wellness

Health care and community resource navigation service helping Survivors meet their urgent health and wellness needs.

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Village of New Denver

Heritage Preservation

Supporting the Village of New Denver for maintenance and operations of the Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre.

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Community Space in Historic Vancouver

Community & Culture

A community space is being planned for the historic Powell Street area of Vancouver, a major site of the prewar Japanese Canadian community

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Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre

Heritage Preservation

Development of a Digital Database Hub and Heritage Portal that will benefit Japanese Canadians across Canada.

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National Association of Japanese Canadians

Community & Culture

Supporting Capacity Building for the sole national JC community representative organization in Canada.

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Japanese Canadian Legacies are initiatives that honour our elders past and present. We are grateful to be doing this work on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish peoples.