Construction has begun on a monument park in Victoria to honour Japanese Canadians in B.C. who were forcibly displaced, dispossessed and interned during the Second World War.

KPMB Architects and PFS Studio have been contracted to design and construct the monument park, which is expected to be completed by fall 2026.

“The forced displacement and internment of Japanese Canadians was a grave injustice when government failed in its duty to protect people’s rights and dignity,” said Attorney General Niki Sharma. “This monument park will stand as a lasting place of remembrance, honouring the families and communities who endured so much and ensuring their stories are never forgotten. It is also a commitment to keep learning from the past toward a more just future.”

The monument park is being developed in partnership with the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society. It will be located on Academy Close in Victoria, directly south of the St. Ann’s Academy National Historic Site and within walking distance of the legislature and Beacon Hill Park.

“We are grateful to government for recognizing the contributions of the many Japanese Canadians who helped shape this province,” said Susanne Tabata, CEO, Japanese Canadian Legacies Society. “By honouring our people, most of whom have been lost to time, we reconnect their names to the communities we once called home, seeking healing across generations.”

The park’s centrepiece will be a wall of names honouring 22,000 people of Japanese descent — most born in Canada — who were displaced from their homes in B.C. during the 1940s. It will also include the names of 3,000 children born after uprooting. The wall will be surrounded by a Japanese-inspired garden that will provide space for quiet reflection and community gatherings.

Development of this site has been conducted in consultation with B.C.’s Japanese Canadian community, Victoria residents and Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations.