B.C. SPCA shelter receives new Indigenous name

A renaming ceremony for quathet Community Animal Centre is pictured. (Courtesy: Eileen Francis, Tla’amin Nation/B.C. SPCA)

A B.C. SPCA shelter on the Sunshine Coast has been given a new Indigenous name, in what the charity says is a step forward in its reconciliation journey.

The former Powell River Community Animal Centre is now called qathet, which means “working together” in the ʔayʔaǰuθəm language of the Tla’amin Nation.

“The B.C. SPCA has a long-standing reputation for standing up for those who can’t speak for themselves – animals in need. That spirit of compassion and advocacy has earned your trust in our region,” said Tla’amin Nation executive council member Losa Luaifoa, at a renaming ceremony Thursday and quoted in a news release.

“But like many institutions, the SPCA has not always had a positive relationship with Indigenous communities, including Tla’amin. There’s a history of misunderstanding, mistrust, and real hurt – and we can’t pretend that history isn’t there.”

She said the new name marks a turning point for the First Nation and the B.C. SPCA.

“It’s an aspirational name, one that points us forward – toward partnership, toward healing, and toward a new kind of relationship rooted in mutual respect,” Luaifoa said.

The organization says its allies in the community are crucial to achieve its vision of animals and people thriving together.

“The relationship between Indigenous Peoples in Canada and colonial authorities like policing and animal enforcement agencies has not always been a good one. Indigenous relationships with animals based on kinship, reciprocity and respect have historically been misunderstood or dismissed in conversations around animal welfare and animal management,” Craig Daniell, CEO of the B.C. SPCA, is quoted as saying in the media release.

“To truly see a world where animals and people are thriving together, all our communities need to be reflected in these conversations. This is a call to act in alignment with Indigenous values and teachings as we forge the path forward for animal welfare in British Columbia.”

Several public institutions and businesses in the northern Sunshine Coast area have been renamed qathet in recent years.

The district that contains the City of Powell River received the name qathet Regional District in 2018, the Powell River General Hospital became qathet General Hospital in 2022, and the former Powell River Board of Education was renamed to qathet School District in 2023.

The changes are an attempt to reconcile with the colonial legacy of the city’s namesake, Israel Powell, who was Superintendent of the B.C. Department of Indian Affairs in the late 1800s. During his tenure he encouraged the establishment of residential schools and condemned potlatch, helping create the law that banned the cultural practice until 1951.

Talks to change the name of the municipality itself have been taking place since 2021 and the issue, which has proved divisive among community members, may be put to a referendum during the 2026 civic election.