Filipino Canadians celebrate prospect of new cultural centre at B.C. festival

Members of the Filipino-Canadian community in the Lower Mainland say they're eagerly awaiting the establishment of a cultural centre after the B.C. government committed to getting it built.

It's something that community organizations have been calling for for years.

In April, the provincial government announced $250,000 in funding to the newly created Mabuhay House Society to support planning and public engagement on the centre's development.

William Canero, society vice chair, said the centre will become a point where Filipino Canadians can connect with their heritage, access programs and services, and assist newcomers to Canada.

"We know that the community wants a cultural centre and needs it into the future. … We've done extensive stakeholder engagement over the last 50 years," Canero said at an event in Burnaby on Saturday to mark Filipino Heritage Month.

"We have an entire history of needs, wants, desires, and programs born out of consultation in the past. We know the direction we want to move into, and we're happy the province is supporting us in doing so."

WATCH | Filipino Canadians showcase their culture at Pinoy Festival celebrations:

B.C. Premier David Eby also made an appearance at the Pinoy Festival, where he told community members his government is committed to getting the centre built.

"I know … how important it is for this community to have a cultural centre to gather together to celebrate proud Filipino heritage," he said.

Canero said the Filipino community — which saw more than 100,000 newcomers to Canada between 2016 and 2021 —has a great need for language — and culturally-specific programs and interventions, and a dedicated cultural centre could provide those.

At the moment, he said, mom-and-pop shops — particularly in the East Vancouver neighbourhood of Joyce-Collingwood — have been stepping up to the plate.

"These restaurants, these businesses, have acted as those cultural centres. … There are various Filipino languages spoken in these centres, these restaurants — that's rare," he said.

"You don't see them outside of festivals like this. It's a tangible cultural asset, a cultural heritage site, and I'm hoping it will be better recognized in the city."
 
Development in the area, including a proposed 32-storey condo building that would displace several well-loved Filipino restaurants and shops, has put the neighbourhood's status as a cultural hub in limbo.

In 2021, residents in the area organized to urge the City of Vancouver to preserve the businesses on the site's current two-storey building. 

"It's central to this neighbourhood because of the large population of Filipinos, and the community comes here to eat,"  East Vancouver resident R.J. Aquino told CBC's On The Coast at the time.

After a town hall to discuss the application, the city said it acknowledged that the loss of the "important cultural food assets" would have a large impact on the neighbourhood.

"After hearing the community feedback, city staff will be discussing these concerns with the project applicant and will be requesting that they consider making provisions for displaced businesses to return to the site following redevelopment."

In a statement to CBC News, the city said it had required the proposed building's developer to resubmit a zoning application —  however, no such submission has been received since March 31, 2021, and the city considers the original application dormant.

Canero said Saturday that the possible loss of those food institutions is one more reason why a centre to preserve and enhance Filipino culture is needed.