September 30 marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to remember the Indigenous children who never returned home from residential schools and to honour Survivors, their families, and communities. It is also a day that invites all of us to listen and learn. The history and lasting impacts of residential schools are part of Canada’s story, and understanding them means making space for the experiences and voices of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples.
We know reconciliation is not something that belongs to one day on the calendar. It grows through the relationships we build and our willingness to keep learning from one another. Through Indigenous partnerships, employment and career opportunities, culturally aware training, and support for Indigenous learners, we continue working to turn that learning into meaningful action.
There is always more to understand, and more we can do. This September 30, we encourage our community to take time to listen, reflect, and learn. Because meaningful relationships are built over time, with respect, openness, and a genuine willingness to keep moving forward together.
We acknowledge that BEST's head office in Coquitlam operates on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem First Nation). We thank the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm who continue to live on these lands and care for them, along with the waters and all that is above and below.