Filipino BC Statement to the CBC

May 28, 2026

Over the past year, Filipino BC, alongside many community organizations and dedicated volunteers, has worked to support everyone harmed by the April 26 attack—a tragedy that occurred at our own community event and directly affected our attendees, neighbours, staff, and volunteers. This includes families of the deceased, those injured, witnesses, first responders, nearby residents, and others who experienced psychological, emotional, or cultural harm. Our mission has been to provide culturally grounded support, strengthen community care, develop recovery programs, and coordinate essential services during an exceptionally difficult period for so many.

Filipino BC has applied for charitable status with the Canada Revenue Agency and expects formal confirmation this summer. The CRA backdates charitable status to the date an organization begins operating as a charity, which reflects the reality that Filipino BC assumed this role immediately after the attack. In the absence of coordinated provincial leadership, our organization was thrust into responsibilities that would ordinarily fall to government agencies during a mass‑casualty response.

To ensure transparency and accountability, Filipino BC engaged MNP to conduct an independent financial audit. We anticipate completion in July or August, after which we will publicly release our financial disclosures and annual report.

Previous discrepancies in reported funding amounts were the result of early reporting errors based on preliminary information. These figures were corrected once transfers were reconciled.

At the time the interim report was published in December, we had applied to receive approximately $340,000 of the total funding allocation. As of January 2026, $190,000 of this amount had been received, with the remaining portion disbursed before the end of the fiscal year. In total, $340,000 from United Way BC was received during FY2024–2025, accounting for approximately 25% of our total organizational revenues.  An additional amount of $166,366 was received in the current fiscal year (FY2026–2027) and will be reflected in this year's financial statements. 

In total, Filipino BC has received approximately $506,366 from United Way BC, of which roughly $450,000 is designated funding. Financial disclosures will be made available following the completion of the independent review by our auditor. As outlined in our interim report, we committed to providing a detailed breakdown of how funds were managed and allocated once the audit is finalized.

As detailed in our December report, funding from United Way has supported a wide range of community‑based programs. This includes the Kapwa Centre, which was modelled after an emergency response centre that you would usually see after a flood or a fire and saw more than 500 attendees in its first month. Since April 2025, we have hosted 20 Kapwa Centres that offered mental health support, therapy dogs, spiritual care, and access to services over a warm meal, providing opportunities for people to heal in community and fostering connection among youth, families, and elders. United Way funding also supported mental health check‑ins for volunteers, programming tailored to parents and youth, and other cultural programming and community initiatives.

In addition, Filipino BC facilitated six virtual community debriefs in partnership with Disaster Psychosocial Services (DPS), along with webinars and online learning opportunities. Recognizing that people heal and access services in different ways, we also hosted diverse Kapwa Events such as community boxing sessions, guided meditation sessions, family movie nights, and art‑based gatherings like parol and lantern‑making. We offered Indigenous healing workshops as well, including Bayanihan: Carrying Community with Carl Cervantes, which explored wellbeing, care, and community through Indigenous Filipino models, alongside other workshops designed to foster healing and connection. All events had staff onsite who were trained in the delivery of Psychological First Aid and were available to provide resources or connect attendees directly to our Care Team.

Victims and families connected with our care team have also been able to access direct financial assistance to meet immediate and unexpected needs during their recovery. While confidential client‑specific information cannot be released, we can confirm that United Way funding has supported temporary housing, medical and dental care, mental health services, food security, travel for victims and their families, and other essential needs identified by care teams and aligned with our organizational purpose.

As one example, the $40,000 widely reported as being disbursed to a family for temporary housing and other expenses reflects the kind of direct, meaningful support this funding has provided to those affected.

Those who chose to donate to the Filipino BC–designated fund—including individuals, community groups, and corporate donors—did so because they wanted their contributions to directly support the work our organization was leading after the attack. Donors accessed a separate, clearly marked donation option on the United Way BC website—distinct from the general United Way donation flow—which ensured their contributions were intentionally directed to Filipino BC.

We also want to clarify that no Kapwa Strong Fund dollars were transferred into the Kapwa Strong Endowment. These initiatives are entirely separate. In addition, no Kapwa Strong Fund money was used for the Lapu Lapu Day of Togetherness event, which was supported through sponsorships, grants, and vendor revenues.

Funding remains available for individuals and families in need. Around the one-year anniversary, Filipino BC saw a significant increase in people reaching out—including many who no longer qualify for CVAP or ICBC assistance. We encourage affected individuals to connect with care teams and case managers if additional support is required.

While some organizations, such as the Canadian Red Cross, provide direct cash disbursements, most Canadian charities support individuals by paying service providers directly or covering necessary expenses on their behalf. This reflects both donor expectations and CRA regulatory requirements to ensure charitable dollars are used for clearly identifiable charitable purposes—such as health, recovery, and relief of hardship. These supports may include mental health services, trauma recovery programs, transportation, accommodations, food, cultural programming, and other recovery-related needs.

Many of the service and funding gaps faced by victims stem from fragmented coordination across provincial ministries. When individuals lose CVAP eligibility, they are not automatically transitioned to ICBC support, even when their needs remain significant. These gaps are systemic and fall outside the control of community organizations.

Nonprofits are also legally restricted by privacy laws from proactively contacting victims who have not reached out themselves. Filipino BC cannot access personal information or initiate outreach unless an individual chooses to come forward. Government agencies—including the Ministry of Health, Victim Services, and ICBC—are the only institutions equipped and authorized to identify and follow up with all impacted individuals.

We take seriously the concerns raised by survivors and families. At the same time, it is important to acknowledge that no recent mass‑casualty event in Canada has placed responsibility so heavily on a grassroots cultural organization. In comparable tragedies internationally, governments have assumed the lead and invested substantial public resources. After the Bondi Beach attack in Australia, approximately $60 million AUD was committed for victim and community support. Following the Graz school shooting in Austria, governments also committed millions. After the Toronto van attack, the City of Toronto led coordination. In this case, community organizations stepped in where coordinated government systems were limited or slow to activate.

Filipino BC has consistently advocated for stronger provincial and federal leadership for victims and families. Long‑term challenges such as healthcare access, trauma recovery, financial stability, and navigating systems like ICBC and CVAP require sustained government involvement.

It is also important to note how unusual it is for criticism to be directed primarily at a grassroots cultural organization rather than at the systems responsible for emergency response and long‑term victim support. It is concerning that MLA Mable Elmore has chosen to direct criticism at a single community organization rather than leveraging her role in government to advocate for the healthcare, financial, and long‑term recovery supports that continue to be urgently needed. Ministries and agencies—including Health, Public Safety, Social Development, ICBC, and CVAP—carry critical responsibilities in a tragedy of this scale.

The magnitude of this event required coordinated provincial leadership and resources well beyond what any community organization could reasonably provide.

Many individuals and families who came to Filipino BC were navigating deep grief, trauma, and significant gaps in support. Some needed help accessing culturally appropriate mental health services. Others required support with financial needs, system navigation, understanding ICBC and CVAP processes, arranging travel for family members, or simply finding community during a time of profound isolation.

We also saw requests that typically fall under the responsibility of government systems, such as accessing specialized healthcare in the United States—complex matters firmly within the purview of the Ministry of Health and other public agencies, not community organizations.

Many survivors, witnesses, volunteers, and community members shared that they felt overlooked by existing systems because they did not fit traditional definitions of “victim.” Victim Services estimated that up to 500 people may have been directly affected—not only families of the deceased and injured individuals, but also witnesses, first responders, volunteers, staff, and others who experienced lasting trauma.

Healing takes many forms. Numerous individuals shared that community gatherings, cultural events, healing circles, art‑based supports, and other culturally grounded forms of care played a crucial role in their connection and recovery during an intensely isolating period. One individual told us they had barely left their home since April 26, and that attending Lapu Lapu Day of Togetherness was the first time in more than a year they felt a sense of belonging again. Many others expressed similar experiences.

These stories reflect the importance of culturally grounded spaces for remembrance, community, and collective healing. While community organizations filled urgent gaps, they were never meant to replace government, healthcare systems, long‑term victim support services or legal obligations for compensation under no-fault insurance by ICBC.

Filipino BC remains committed to working with the Province and all partners to strengthen supports for those most affected. Ongoing discussions are encouraging, and we hope they lead to more coordinated and sustainable recovery pathways. Filipino BC will continue this work responsibly, transparently, and with unwavering commitment to ensuring individuals and families receive the support they deserve.

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Support is available.

If you or someone you know has been affected by the April 26 attack, please reach out to our Care and Community Outreach team at care@filipinobc.com. A care worker will endeavour to connect with you within 48 hours.

The above statement was edited to combine two separate statements shared with CBC on May 14, 2026 and May 15, 2026. Both original statements can be found here.