Featured News: Filipino BC Moves Forward With Vision for Filipino Community and Cultural Centre in South Vancouver
SEPTEMBER 19, 2025
Filipino BC has announced the proposed vision and scope for the long-anticipated Filipino Community and Cultural Centre. This follows two years of extensive public engagement and the release of the What We Heard Report in February 2025, which was informed by the largest survey of the Filipino community in BC with over 2,000 respondents. A preferred site has been identified in South Vancouver, and feasibility work continues while Filipino BC and its partners await a report from City of Vancouver staff this fall.
The proposed centre would be a 90,000 to 100,000 square-foot development designed around four core components:
Filipino Cultural Centre – featuring a performance hall, museum and gallery spaces, archives, classrooms, and a dedicated Filipino library space.
Community Centre – including a multi-purpose sports gym, seniors’ hub, non-profit office space, flexible rental spaces, and community rooms.
Community Food Centre – anchored by a large community kitchen that connects food security with broader social programs and services. This component will be developed and delivered in partnership with the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House.
Innovation and Technology Hub – offering STEM programming, a robotics lab, coworking spaces, a makers’ lab, and both a business incubator and accelerator to support entrepreneurs and local start-ups.
Further details on the full program will be shared as the project continues to be shaped by community feedback. Other envisioned features include a café or restaurant space, as well as opportunities for other non-profits and Filipino-owned businesses to establish a presence within the centre.
Voices from the Community
“Our community has always defined culture as more than just art and performance—it’s about gathering, supporting one another, and creating spaces that meet real needs,” said RJ Aquino, Chair of Filipino BC. “This proposed centre is a reflection of what we heard from our community: a place where culture, connection, and services come together.”
“The tragic events of April 26 underscored the urgent need for a place where our community can gather, heal, and support one another,” Aquino added. “This proposed centre is about more than just infrastructure—it’s about resilience, belonging, and building spaces that serve both Filipinos and South Vancouver as a whole.”
“The Reframing South Vancouver report made clear that South Vancouver needs place-based spaces that are safe, affordable, and culturally relevant—places that address food insecurity, support youth and seniors, and create opportunities for belonging across differences,” said Mimi Rennie, Executive Director of the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House. “This proposed centre responds to those needs by weaving together culture, connection, and essential services, helping South Vancouver families not only meet today’s challenges but also build resilience for the future.”
In June 2023, the Standing Committee on City Finance and Services unanimously endorsed the Support for the Filipino Cultural Centre in Vancouver Campaign. The motion acknowledged the long-identified need for a cultural centre, and directed the Mayor to write to the Provincial and Federal Government in support of a Filipino Cultural Centre located in Vancouver.
Next Steps
The feasibility process is underway. In April 2024, Filipino BC partnered with Hungerford Properties, a respected Indigenous and Vancouver-based real estate firm known for creating inclusive, community-focused spaces, to support the pre-development and feasibility of the Filipino Community & Cultural Centre in Vancouver.
In July 2025, Vancouver City Council passed the motion “Realizing the Full Potential of Exceptional Lands in Vancouver” to explore industrial and mixed-use lands near transit for housing, employment, and amenities such as green spaces, childcare, community and recreation facilities, and arts and cultural spaces. A report back to Council is expected this fall, which could lead to opportunities to integrate these types of community, cultural, and recreational amenities into the identified areas.
Filipino BC has also established a long-term endowment and community fund to support programs and initiatives, while also enabling the organization to begin capital planning.
The endowment represents a major milestone for Filipino BC and the community. It ensures that while planning and feasibility work continues for the new centre, resources are already in place to deliver programs, support families, and strengthen community connections—now and into the future.
