About
Helping British Columbians tackle critical social issues, through local love.
About United Way British Columbia
Our Vision
A healthy, caring, inclusive community.
Our Mission
We strengthen vital connections that support people in need in our local communities.
United we are stronger: we’re United Way British Columbia!
As of July 1, 2021, six United Ways across the province have joined together to become United Way British Columbia – one organization, united to ensure communities in BC’s Interior, Lower Mainland, and Central & Northern Vancouver Island thrive.
More than ever before, BC communities need help addressing critical social issues. As a unified provincial organization we have consolidated our resources to respond to urgent needs in real-time in order to drive positive, lasting change in our local communities.
The unified organization serves over 4 million British Columbians, delivering resources and support to the people who need it most. Our areas of focus include Urgent Response, Children & Youth, Seniors, Poverty, Mental Health, and Food Security.
Our Impact
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Annual Report
Together, we are strengthening vital connections. Discover the impact United Way British Columbia had last year because of you.
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Financial Statements
Discover how United Way British Columbia puts donor’s money to work with transparency and accountability.
Local giving, local results
Dollars raised locally, stay local. That’s our continued promise to you. Four Regional Councils exist to represent and drive the mission of United Way British Columbia in local communities and regions. Made up of multi-sectoral representatives – including community members and labour – the Regional Councils provide leadership, guidance, and help us identify opportunities for impact in local communities.
Senior Leadership
United Way British Columbia Senior Leadership oversees the day-to-day operations of the organization and manages ongoing relationships with United Way stakeholders, including donors, investors, sponsors, volunteers, and employees.
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Michael McKnight
President & CEO -
Jeff Calbick
Chief Operating Officer -
Tamara Isaak
Chief Financial Officer -
Katherine Harrold
Chief Revenue Officer -
Irene Chanin
Chief Social Enterprise Officer -
Dan Nielsen
Chief Technology Officer -
Neal Adolph
Provincial Director, CLC Labour Participation -
Tanjeet Kalsi
Executive Assistant, President’s Office
Meet Our Board
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Rudy Kerklaan
Board ChairVice Chairman,
Connor, Clark & Lunn Private Capital Ltd. -
Robin Dhir
Vice ChairPresident, Twin Brook Developments Ltd.; Strategic Advisor, Fasken
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Sinéad Scanlon
Secretary-TreasurerPartner,
BDO Canada LLP -
Janet Andrews
Secretary-Treasurer,
New Westminster & District Labour Council -
Tracy Antoine
Vice President Commercial Financial Services, Indigenous Markets BC Region,
RBC Royal Bank -
Jameel Aziz
Superintendent of Education/CEO, Yellowknife Education District No. 1 – Yellowknife
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Helen Blackburn
Chief Financial Officer,
Coast Capital -
Travis Bryson
Partner, MNP LLP
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Talitha Dekker
Treasurer,
Kamloops and District Labour Council -
Tom Dyck
Owner and President,
TJD Advisory Services -
Ian Gordon
President,
North Okanagan Labour Council -
Pauline Hadley-Beauregard
Partner,
Crux Strategic Clarity -
Deborah Hopper
Vice President,
Nanaimo Duncan & District Labour Council -
Dan Howe
Chief Marketing Officer,
Pattison Food Group -
Orion Irvine
Regional Director,
Canadian Labour Congress -
Nicolas Jimenez
President and CEO,
ICBC -
Heather Johnson
Senior Consultant,
HR West Consulting -
Lisa Kershaw
Partner and Director,
Boyden Canada -
Handol Kim
Co-Founder and CEO,
Variational AI Inc. -
Jennifer Robins
Executive Director,
Launch Financial Services Society
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Since our inception, United Way British Columbia (“United Way BC”) has been rooted in community and we recognize the critical work required to ensure we continue to evolve as an organization that not only works to serve, but also reflects the diversity of our communities. As such, we have started the process of transformational change by embedding the guiding principles of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) into our organization and the work we do within community.
Justice. We believe that justice is achieved when systemic, institutional, and historical barriers are removed so that all individuals and communities have equal access and opportunity to thrive in all aspects of life. In conjunction, United Way BC is committed to unravelling and dismantling white supremacy by challenging and re-focusing our current approaches to community engagement, funding, and internal practices.
Equity. We welcome all people — regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, identity, postal code, health and ability status, or any other consideration. All people deserve absolute dignity, value, and opportunity to participate justly, fairly, and fully in all dimensions of life in order to reach their full potential.
Diversity. We believe that each individual and/or group of individuals bring a unique perspective, lived experience, and identity. We celebrate the differences that contribute to United Way BC’s collective impact.
Inclusion. We strive to ensure each community member, donor, volunteer, partner, advocate, and employee has equal access and opportunity to contribute toward creating healthy, caring, vibrant communities.
What does this mean for United Way British Columbia?
This means we are committed to actively ensuring that the work we do, and how we do it, recognizes the right of all peoples to be unique, to consider themselves different, and to be respected as such.
What is our commitment?
Our vision is a healthy, caring, inclusive community and we are therefore committed to continual growth, action, and accountability.
Where are we in the process?
While we are in the early stages of this process, we hope to achieve a clear path forward in embodying these JEDI principles. This is an evolving journey as we learn more and move to align our practices with our stated values.
We recognize the communities in which we work
We recognize that we operate as guests on the traditional and ancestral homelands of First Peoples and their descendants. We acknowledge that First Peoples’ relationships with these lands and waterways span millennia, and most of these territories are unceded.
What we refer to as the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley include homelands of the hənq̓əmin̓əm (Halkomelem) and Sḵwxwú7mesh snichim (Squamish Language) speaking peoples and their descendants, including the First Nations of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish), səlílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Qayqayt (New Westminister), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), “q̓ə́yc̓əy (Katzie), qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən̓ (Kwantlen), and sc̓əwaθen (Tsawwassen).
Specifically, we recognize the Stó:lō and communities within the S’olh Temexw, including the Nations of Semá:th (Sumas) in Abbotsford, Matsqui (Abbotsford), Skwah (Chilliwack), Skowkale (Chilliwack), Shxwhá:y (Chilliwack River Valley), Squiala (Upper Fraser), Popkum (Upper Fraser), Tzeachten (Fraser Valley), Leq’a:mel (Mission), Yakweakwioose (Sardis), Aitchletz (Sardis), and Skawahlook (Agassiz).
We value healthy and respectful relations with the governments of Snuneymuxw First Nation and Snaw-naw-as (Nanoose First Nation)—the traditional territories upon which the City of Nanaimo was established.
In the central and northern regions of Vancouver Island, we acknowledge we work and live within the traditional territories of the Kwakwaka’wakw (central to northern Vancouver Island), both the unceded and Treaty Settlement Lands of the Nuu-chahn-uulth (west coast of Vancouver Island), and Coast Salish People, including the Stz’uminus (Chemainus First Nation) and members of the Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group. As well, we acknowledge our relationships with the Kúkpi7 and council of Tkemlúps te Secwépemc, within the ancestral lands of the Secwepemcúĺecw, where the City of Kamloops was established. Within what we refer to as the Nicola, Interior, and Cariboo regions, we acknowledge we do our work on the unceded lands of the Lil’wat (Interior Salish), Secwépemc (Shuswap), and Nlaka’pamux (Thompson). In what we call the Lower Columbia or West Kootenay region, we acknowledge we conduct our work on the unceded lands of the Ktunaxa Nation (East Kootenay), the Sinixt (West Kootenay), and Syilx Okanagan Nation.
Our recently completed work through the Community Builder Program was within the traditional territories of the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations, and the lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) speaking Peoples.