Beginning in the summer of 2020, Creative BC asks all funding program applicants (individuals as well as projects/initiatives) to voluntarily self-identify via a set of standardized questions to share information on gender, Indigenous identity, racial and ethnocultural identity, disability, and sexual orientation.

Creative BC has streamlined its approach to collection of social identity data from funding program applicants with uniform questions and categories of responses, which are closely aligned with the way similar data is collected by Statistics Canada and other funding agencies in Canada.

The purpose of ensuring consistency and alignment is to harmonize with other data sources and to support comparability with provincial and national benchmarks. This in turn will help facilitate our accountability, allow us to measure progress, and help us better understand the clients we serve.

Why self-identification data collection is important 

The collection of self-identification data is driven by our own commitment to support a broad spectrum of voices and to ensure that we bring stories forward from many for whom there have been historic barriers to access resources.

Our collection of the data you provide is in alignment with our Mission Statement.

The organization is also committed to diversity and inclusion through its JEDDI work (Justice, Equity, Decolonization, Diversity and Inclusion). Creative BC is committed to taking a leadership role in this area and to ensuring that provincial and federal governments’ data collection and reporting connects with our own, so together we can advance B.C. and Canada toward a culture of true equity, diversity, and inclusion.

A harmonized self-identification data collection process allows Creative BC to track funding outcomes and design new measures that achieve greater equity, diversity and inclusion in the creative industries. 

 About the questions

• The social identity questions are a first step and as such they do not currently include all possible identities. Creative BC provides a “Prefer to Self-Describe” field to allow you to share more information, and we value learning more about what could be added in the future.
• The social identity questions, response options, and related definitions are primarily based on terms used by Statistics Canada. This approach, while limited, does ensure questions are consistent, answers are consistent, and data can align for comparison to public data sources.
• Creative BC welcomes feedback from the community and will closely monitor changing social identity terms, specifically those used by Statistics Canada. Following consultations which indicate a need for revisions that do not disrupt provincial and national data comparability, Creative BC may also change the terminology or wording in the questionnaire.
• Regardless of whether changes to the Self-ID questions are feasible, all feedback received is used to inform other activities of Creative BC.

 Creative BC will ask people to voluntarily self-identify based on or as:

1. Gender 
2. Indigenous person to Canada  
3. 2SLGBTQIA+
4. Person living with one or more Disability  
5. Racial and ethnocultural identity

Completing the self-identification form is required by all applicants, however all questions offer a selection option of “Prefer not to respond.”

• VIEW OUR SELF-IDENTIFICATION FORM HERE

The self-identification information is collected, used, disclosed, retained and disposed of in accordance with the Privacy Act, the B.C. Personal Information Protection Act the Access to Information Act. The information will be managed in accordance with provincial and federal laws, policies, directives, and guidelines on information management and protection of personal information, and with Creative BC’s retention and disposition schedules.

Management of this information is the responsibility of Creative BC Privacy Officer and Director of Business Operations. Contact can be made at privacy@creativebc.com.

Program guidelines clearly indicate where, how and if social identity characteristics may be tied to a) determination of funding program eligibility, b) prioritization, and/or c) weighted criteria–strategies designed to increase the diversity of recipient pools. For programs where this is not specified, choosing to self-identify will have no consequence for an application.

1. Why am I being asked to complete the self-identification questionnaire?

The collection of self-identification data is a tool to support Creative BC’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). This data provides information on the social identity characteristics of the population applying for and receiving Creative BC funds as well as those working for the organization. This information allows Creative BC’s to monitor progress and to ensure EDI principles are upheld in our programs and practices. We want to use these insights to recognize and remove barriers, and to design new mechanisms to achieve greater EDI in the creative industries.

2. Who is required to complete the questionnaire?

All applicants and co-applicants for funding are required to respond to self-identification questions regarding gender, Indigenous identity, race, disability, and sexual orientation.

3. I do not agree with the terms provided. What can I  do about that?

Creative BC recognizes that language used to describe an individual’s social identity characteristics is constantly evolving and can be felt as harmful. Our intent is to use terms that are widely understood and comparable. We also offer a Prefer to Self-Describe open field for your response. We welcome feedback via our anonymous feedback form and will annually review our social identity questions.

4. I am not comfortable responding to these questions. What should I do?

If you do not want to self-identify, you have the option to choose “Prefer not to respond” for each question. You must select this option and save your responses in order for your questionnaire to be marked as complete. Doing so fulfills the mandatory completion of the questionnaire.

5. How will my information be stored? Who will see my information? Will peer reviewers be able to access this information?

The self-identification information will be stored electronically in your Contact file within the Creative BC Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform. Access is limited to Creative BC staff on a need to know basis and is protected by strict employer/employee confidentiality agreements. Your Contact self-identification information is part of your application, and is accessible to, and shared with a selection of team and/or jury members in an identifiable form for the singular purpose of the program for which you are applying.

The self-identification information is collected, used, disclosed, retained and disposed of in accordance with the Privacy Act,the B.C. Personal Information Protection Act,and the Access to Information Act. The information will be managed in accordance with provincial and federal laws, policies, directives, and guidelines on information management and protection of personal information, and with Creative BC’s retention and disposition schedules.

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact privacy@creativebc.com and/or the Creative BC staff associated with your program.

6. How do I fill in the questionnaire? How will I know that the questionnaire has been completed?
After you apply to a Creative BC program, you and/or all key personnel associated with your application will receive an email to complete a Self-ID survey. Within that email, you’ll receive a URL to the survey, and a form number to use as a link back to your application. Once you answer all of the required questions, click on submit. An error message will display at the top of the page if you miss any required information.

7. Can I make changes to my questionnaire after it has been completed and submitted?
No. At this time, we do not offer an option for the Self-identification information to be changed. However, you may write the program analyst if you realize you have submitted incorrect information, and they can change your application if it has not already been reviewed.

8. Will my social identity information provided to Creative BC be tied to funding decisions in any way?
Possibly, as it may be tied to funding decisions as indicated in the program guidelines. Program guidelines indicate how some of our programs have eligibility criteria tied to social identity, and some use weighted criteria by which special consideration for members of a designated equity group will be granted greater points in the evaluation process.