The innovative Indigenous Diversion Centre on Lheidli T’enneh Territory (Prince George), opened its doors to community members in July, 2025. The centre has since grown, expanded its offerings, and cemented its place in the community.
The diversion centre is a space for second chances, where Indigenous people accused of minor crimes or being released from custody, can access supports, reconnect to Ceremony and take accountability in ways that are more culturally relevant—and more effective—than the mainstream criminal justice system.
“People often say the system is broken. The system isn’t broken. The system’s working exactly as it was designed […] and it’s not acceptable anymore.”
—Hemas Kla-Lee-Lee-Kla (Kory Wilson), Chair of BCFNJC
Instead of prioritizing punishment, the centre’s therapeutic diversion model focuses on the root causes of offending by providing a caring cultural environment where true rehabilitation and healing can occur. This reduces the risk of reoffences and makes communities safer for everyone.
Two programs
As Indigenous knowledge teaches us to look upstream at preventative approaches, the diversion centre aims to intervene early to prevent recidivism.
The centre offers two continuous healing programs that strengthen program participants’ connection to culture, ceremony and services, as a path for healing. Whether an Indigenous person is charged with a minor crime or they are being released from provincial or federal custody, they are welcome at the diversion centre.
The Post Release Diversion Program is for Indigenous individuals transitioning out of provincial and federal correctional facilities.
The team of trauma-informed professionals at the centre helps participants access services and learn life skills, and supports their reintegration into the community to foster a sense of belonging.
The Pre-Charge Diversion Program is for Indigenous individuals who have been charged with an eligible criminal offense (certain minor offences).
Working with a dedicated social worker, participants commit to an individualized 90-day diversion plan, where they complete a set of activities in order to have their charges dropped.
From cooking to counselling
Participants in both programs engage in activities that address the root causes of criminal behaviour and support community connection. These activities are accompanied by long term case coordination to ensure sustained support.
The diversion centre’s offerings include:
- Long term care coordination
- Clinical counselling
- Community partner workshops
- Sacred Bundle Journey
- Seasonal camps
- Land-based activities
- Ceremony
- ‘Atsoo’s Kitchen
- Adulting 101
- Cultural activities
- Therapeutic art group
- & more
The pre-charge diversion program involves an unprecedented partnership with the local RCMP, where police officers have the responsibility to refer eligible Indigenous offenders to the diversion centre, instead of pressing charges.
“It’s a meaningful step towards community safety, accountability and healing […] Our officers see every day that enforcement alone does not solve complex social issues.”
— Prince George RCMP Supt. Darin Rappel, via The Tyee
Tackling overincarceration
Indigenous adults were incarcerated at a rate 10 times higher than non-Indigenous adults in British Columbia in 2023/2024, according to a Statistics Canada report released in January, 2026.
The overrepresentation of Indigenous people in Canada’s correctional systems is a long-standing issue. The causes are complex and interconnected, but indisputably linked to colonialism, displacement, socioeconomic marginalization, intergenerational trauma and systemic discrimination the report states.
The presumption of diversion is a principle of Canadian law, which means diversion (or alternative measures) should always be the first option, when appropriate, instead of incarceration.
Strategy 1
Through the BC First Nations Justice Strategy, BCFNJC is working to ensure the presumption of diversion is applied consistently, to help Indigenous people break free from cycles of harmful interactions with the justice system.
“It’s not easy to change the system […] We need to have other options.”
—BC’s Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services Terry Yung
The Indigenous Diversion Centre pilot project, funded by Public Safety Canada, is just the first step in showing that diversion decreases reoffences, and that it is the path forward to reducing the overincarceration of Indigenous people.
