BC & Alberta Guide Dogs' soon-to-be-built Breeding and Training Centre of Excellence in Delta, B.C. got a huge boost this month as the federal government announced it is contributing $2.7 million to the organization's capital campaign.
Representatives from all three levels of government, user groups and clients joined BC & Alberta Guide Dogs staff and volunteers on Friday, Nov. 8 to officially break ground on the new state-of-the-art facility, which is slated to open in early 2026 behind BC & Alberta Guide Dogs current home on Ladner Trunk Road.
BC & Alberta Guide Dogs (BCAGD) is a registered charity that breeds, raises and professionally trains guide dogs for individuals who are blind or visually-impaired, support dogs for children aged 3 to 10 with moderate to profound autism and their families, and service dogs for veterans and first responders with operational stress injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
It takes two years and upwards of $35,000 to produce one certified dog, which BCAGD then provides free of charge to the recipient. Since its start in 1996, BCAGD has "graduated" 361 guide and service dogs, according to the organization's website.
Once built, the new centre — the first of its kind in Western Canada — will allow BC & Alberta Guide Dogs to breed at least 100 puppies annually and double the number of people it serves within five years.
BCAGD launched phase three of its $7-million capital campaign in May, with a goal of raising the final $3 million needed. As such, the federal government's grant under the Enabling Accessibility Fund gets BCAGD nearly all the way there.
"It's a major contribution by any standard, but for our own standard, it could be $2.7 billion. It's really remarkable," BCAGD CEO and co-founder William Thornton told those assembled for the ground breaking.
"It's quite humbling, and I'm filled with gratitude and optimism for the future of BC &d Alberta Guide Dogs," he said as he thanked the government for the grant. "This investment is not just a financial contribution, it's powerful endorsement of our mission and the work that we do to serve and uplift our community. With this grant, we are not only building a new physical space, we're building a future that's more inclusive, accessible and full of potential for all that we serve."
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Thornton said the funding will allow BCAGD to upgrade and expand its facility to meet the highest standards for the breeding, training and care of guide and service dogs, allowing the organization to implement advanced training programs and ensure that all dogs receive the specialized care they need to become highly-skilled, reliable aides.
"This project is not just about building a physical space, it's about building opportunities for people of all abilities. With this new facility, we'll be able to create a wider range of employment opportunities for people with disabilities, both within our own organization and our community. This includes working within the administration, the puppy neonatal unit, and ensuring those that have diverse abilities are fully included in our workforce in a barrier-free environment."
Delta MP and Minister of Sport and Physical Activity Carla Qualtrough was on hand at the Nov. 8 groundbreaking ceremony to announce the federal government's $2.7-million investment. A longtime supporter of BCAGD, Qualtrough said having the organization based in Delta was a source of pride for our community, and that she was grateful to be able to share in this moment.
"As minister responsible for disability for so many years, and having got to work on the big things for accessibility and disability inclusion in this country, I'm always reminded of how many people are working on the ground to make lives better for people with disabilities. Just the people who work every single day to remove barriers, to improve access, to dispel myths, to change attitudes, to change minds, to challenge the assumptions every day about what someone with a disability can and cannot do.
"And that's what we have going on here in Ladner, under our noses as we all go about our busy days. That's the work that's being done right here and will be done here."
Qualtrough also spoke about the "immeasurable" ways those who receive a dog from BCAGD have their lives improved.
"When you have a guide dog — and I can tell you as someone who's visually impaired, I have so many friends with dogs — it's a lifeline. It's a way to explore the world confidently. It's a way to get out there. It means that you can have mobility, you can get a job, you can interact with the world, you can volunteer, you can contribute to your community."
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