Add StudioX as a preferred source on GoogleSURREY, B.C. — A three-year, $358,507 federal grant will help Kwantlen Polytechnic University expand a tuition-free field school designed to train First Nations archaeologists and Land Guardians, strengthening Indigenous communities’ ability to direct research involving their own heritage.
KPU announced on Monday, November 2, that the grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) will support the field school’s continuation after its launch in spring 2026.
The university says the program responds to growing demand for professional archaeological expertise across British Columbia while creating pathways for First Nations people to take a greater role in researching, interpreting and protecting their own cultural heritage.
Three-year grant supports a tuition-free field school
The six-credit field school is designed for First Nations students who have field experience or an interest in land-based archaeology. It combines classroom instruction and online learning with community-based projects selected and supervised by KPU’s partner nations.
Students develop practical skills in GPS data collection, landscape history and the identification of cultural materials. KPU says the projects can generate archaeological information that helps partner communities manage their heritage and may involve original fieldwork in locations that have not previously been examined.
Brian Pegg, a KPU anthropology instructor and field school lead, said the province needs more trained professionals in the field. “There are not enough trained archeologists to meet the demand for projects happening across B.C.,” he said in the university’s announcement.
Building Indigenous capacity to direct heritage work
Archaeological work can shape how cultural sites and material heritage are documented, interpreted and protected. KPU says the field school is intended to strengthen the capacity of First Nations communities to lead that work and make recommendations about their own heritage.
The university also says its Indigenous Admissions Committee helped create entry pathways for applicants whose knowledge and potential may not be fully reflected by conventional academic prerequisites. The committee considers factors including an applicant’s educational background, cultural knowledge, lived experience and academic goals.
Dr. Larissa Petrillo, KPU’s special advisor for strategic initiatives, said the approach recognizes that some Land Guardians already have substantial community-based training that has not yet been formally credentialed. Aligning that experience with university credit, she said, can help students move toward professional roles and supervisory responsibilities.
Why the announcement matters in B.C.
KPU is based in Surrey and operates campuses across Metro Vancouver, while the field school’s community projects are selected with partner First Nations. The grant therefore connects a local post-secondary institution with a wider provincial need: more Indigenous professionals able to undertake and guide archaeological work involving their nations’ histories and lands.
KPU has not identified the partner nations or provided a breakdown of how the $358,507 will be distributed over the three-year grant period in its public announcement. The university’s release also does not specify how many students the expanded field school will train.
Sources: Kwantlen Polytechnic University, November 2, 2026; Apna News, November 2, 2026.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving multilingual diaspora communities across Canada. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
