Who is eligible to receive the Order of B.C.?
Any British Columbian (or former long-term resident) who has demonstrated outstanding achievement, excellence or distinction in any field. Community leadership, business, labour, industry, volunteer service, research, culture, the arts, sports… the possibilities are nearly endless. There are a couple of exceptions to appointments (see section 17.0 of the Provincial Symbols and Honours Act). Federal, provincial or municipal elected representatives are not eligible for appointment to the Order while they remain in office.
Posthumous appointments don’t happen unless the advisory council has recommended the Order before the person’s death.
Nominations for acts of bravery are not eligible – for links to other Awards and Recognition, please refer to the same heading under the “Resource” section at right .
Nominate Someone for the Order of British Columbia
To nominate a British Columbian for the Order of B.C., you can use our new online nomination process or you can complete the PDF form and submit it electronically or by mail to the Secretariat.
PLEASE NOTE: We are currently experiencing technical issues with the online nomination form in Internet Explorer. We recommend using Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari to fill out the form.
How do I write a compelling nomination?
In order for your nomination to stand out against the many others we receive, you must explain and include evidence and clear examples of what makes your nominee so exceptional. For your reference, attached is a guide on “How to Write a Compelling Nomination.”
The completed Nomination Form, letters of support and any supporting materials must be received by the first Friday in March to be considered in the current calendar year. Nominations received after this will be included in the selection process for the next calendar year.
By regular mail:
Honours and Awards Secretariat
P.O. Box 9422 STN PROV GOVT
Victoria, British Columbia V8W 9V1
By courier:
Honours and Awards Secretariat
2nd Floor, 620 Superior Street
Victoria, British Columbia V8V 1V2
By e-mail: bchonoursandawards@gov.bc.ca
We keep all submitted materials confidential and do not return them.
We may contact you to ask for more information on the person you nominate. Aside from that, you won’t hear anything. This ensures the process remains confidential.
Sometimes we receive large amounts of paper to support a nominee. That’s why we will sometimes limit the amount of supporting materials accepted as part of the nomination. We hope you understand.
We have a lot of terrific people in B.C., and each year, there are many more nominees than there are places for Order of B.C. honourees. If we don’t choose your nominee, you can ask us to carry the file forward for the next year.
To ensure nominations are current, a nomination can only be carried forward for three years unless new material is submitted.
