Okanagan Indian Band celebrates groundbreaking for new Cultural Immersion School

OKANAGAN INDIAN BAND, VERNON, BC, Feb. 22, 2024 /CNW/ – The Government of Canada is working in partnership with Indigenous communities to help establish educational institutions that will deliver quality, culturally appropriate programs and services for children.

Today, the Okanagan Indian Band held a groundbreaking ceremony to launch the construction of a new Okanagan Indian Band Cultural Immersion Elementary School. When complete, the new facility will provide a safe and inclusive learning environment for future generations to come. Students can thrive while embracing the Sqilxw language and culture as well as all forms of academic success.

Located on Okanagan Indian Reserve #1, the new school will replace the aging and outgrown Cultural Immersion School building. The new school’s seven classrooms, gymnasium, library, kitchen, language, culture and administration areas will support the Okanagan Indian Band in expanding a culturally appropriate learning environment for the community’s kindergarten (age 4) to grade 7 students.

Working in partnership with the community, the Government of Canada has committed $19.3 million to this important school project. The Okanagan Indian Band will contribute $2.85 million.  

The new Okanagan Indian Band Cultural Immersion School is expected to open for students in September 2025.

“I join the Okanagan Indian Band in celebrating the significance of this groundbreaking. The community’s hard work and leadership made this happen. Quality and culturally appropriate education is essential for children to have a fair chance of success. We will be at First Nations’ side as they build new schools in accordance with their traditions and cultures.”

The Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Indigenous Services

“We are pleased to break ground for the new school. At the heart of our traditions, we Syilx nurture the roots of wisdom. Our Cultural Immersion School—nk̓maplqs iʔ snm̓am̓ay̓aʔtn iʔ k̓l sqilxʷtət—is a place where heritage becomes the compass guiding future leaders on a journey of knowledge, respect, and unity. The work leading up to this groundbreaking ceremony for the new school relied on the determination and support of OKIB elders, parents, educators, and community members. Now, it’s time to build the new school to provide a positive place of learning for our students.”

Byron Louis
Chief of the Okanagan Indian Band

• The Okanagan Indian Band is located in the Okanagan region of British Columbia.
• The community consists of 7 reserves, the largest being Okanagan Indian Reserve #1, where most of its members live.
• Okanagan Indian Band has a total population of 2,268 members, with 822 residents living on reserve.
• The existing Okanagan Indian Band Cultural Immersion School has been in operation since 2006, growing from a kindergarten to grade 3 program to a full elementary program encompassing kindergarten to grade 7.
• Funding for this project will also support the demolition of the old school, which will take place after the new school has been built.
• As part of a long-term strategy to improve education infrastructure in First Nations communities across Canada, Budget 2016 invested $969.4 million over five years for the construction, repair and maintenance of First Nations schools.

link to related backgrounders, speeches, etc.

• Okanagan Indian Band
• Okanagan Indian Band Cultural Immersion School
• Investing in First Nations community infrastructure

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SOURCE Indigenous Services Canada