Surrey wins bid to host long-awaited B.C. South Asian heritage museum

The city of Surrey appears to have won a battle against Vancouver to host the long-awaited provincial museum representing and celebrating the history and heritage of South Asians in Canada.

Announced Friday, the B.C. government said it intends to move forward with Surrey after signing a memorandum of understanding to bring the museum, which was promised in 2020, one step closer to completion.

“Canadians of South Asian heritages have made extraordinary contributions to British Columbia’s social, cultural, economic and political development for generations,” Anne Kang, minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport, said in a media release.

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“Their stories, achievements and contributions are an important part of our province’s success, past and present. This agreement is an important step toward creating a place where people can learn about, celebrate and connect with these stories for years to come.”

South Asia is a southern sub-region of Asia, made up of eight main countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives, with a diaspora far-reaching across the world.

Both Surrey and Vancouver announced bids to have the forthcoming museum in their respective cities, with the city of Surrey previously launching a petition to have it there.

“There is no better place than Surrey for a museum dedicated to Canadians of South Asian heritages,” said Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke. “With nearly 40 per cent of Surrey’s population identifying with South Asian heritages, these communities have deep and significant stories that deserve to be preserved, celebrated and shared.”

The province and the city will now work together to find a site for the museum, and further engage the various communities the museum hopes to serve. There is no date set for the museum’s completion.