An important issue discussed during the 2020 NCSBC AGM was on the paucity of data on status and distribution of people of Nepali origin residing in the Province of British Columbia. The general agreement during the discussion was that we lack knowledge of the number, geographical distribution, or the status of the Nepali people in BC.
To address this concern the AGM recommended to form a volunteer-based task group, representing different community organizations/individuals, and examine what could be done. Discussion led by the task group, including with some community members, concluded that the lack of demographic information has some major implications to the members of the community at the root of which is the perceived, invisibility of the community in the eyes of the policy makers as well as the entire political/bureaucratic system. This in turn may result in a possible deprivation of political and social attention received by the members of our communities, as compared to other ‘more visible communities’.
To rectify this disadvantage the discussions agreed upon conducting a survey of all residents of British Columbians who identify themselves as Nepalis. We realized that a volunteer-based committee could only conduct such a survey, with representatives from all over the province, as they already have public mandate and more importantly proper communication channels at their disposal.
As a result, a survey committee was formed under the mantle of NCSBC and representatives of NCSBC, Canada Nepal Friendship and Cultural Society (CANFACS), Hindu Buddhist Foundation of Canada (HBFC), Nepali Canadian Women’s Society of British Columbia (NCWSBC), Nepalese Scholars’ Association at UBC Okanagan (NepSA), and Nepali Heritage Charity Foundation of BC (NHCF BC), as well as support from the Himalaya Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC). In places where such community organization does not exist, officially or unofficially, prominent individuals were requested to represent the community.
The survey was officially launched on the Family Day (15th February 2021) at 11 AM PST. Below is a link to the Survey Link and recordings of the Survey Launch Program.
Nepali in BC – Know your community – 2021 Survey