On Thursday, November 21, the BC SPCA, in partnership with the Quw’utsun (Cowichan) Tribes, held a heartfelt ground blessing ceremony at the future site of the Vancouver Island Animal Behaviour Centre located at 7550 Bell McKinnon Road in Duncan. The ceremony was a meaningful occasion to honor and respect the land, featuring a beautiful performance by the Quw’utsun Tzinquaw Dance Group.
“The BC SPCA is committed to a future where reconciliation is embedded in all aspects of our work and within the communities we serve,” shared Craig Daniell, Craig Daniell, chief executive officer of the BC SPCA. “One small part of this commitment is lifelong learning and relationship building with all the Indigenous Peoples of B.C., who have stewarded these lands and lived in kinship with animals since time immemorial.”
This important event, which took place instead of a formal “groundbreaking”, marked the beginning of a new chapter in the BC SPCA’s mission to provide specialized care and support for animals through this first-of-its-kind animal behaviour centre on Vancouver Island. Following the ground blessing ceremony, construction on this new facility began immediately the next day and is expected to last 16-18 months before the building is complete.
For more information on the BC SPCA Vancouver Island Animal Behaviour centre, visit behaviourcentre.spca.bc.ca/
