The PIBC Annual Student Fellowship Award provides funding to support Student members’ attendance at and participation in the PIBC Annual Conference in order that they may present their academic work to professional colleagues and conference attendees as part of the program of the Annual Conference.

2026 Student Fellowship Award Recipients

This year's recipients were announced and recognized during the Awards Gala at the PIBC 2026 Annual Conference - Bold Plans. Local Action. (June 2 - 5) in Penticton, BC.

Ella Champion – Simon Fraser University, Master's of Resource Management (Planning) program
Nature-based Solutions for Wildfire Risk Reduction in the Okanagan: Challenges and Potential

Brooke Euloth – Vancouver Island University, Master of Community Planning program
A Third Place: Data Collection for Support-Based Planning

Simonne Mikolay - Simon Fraser University, Master's of Resource Management (Planning) program
Planning for Urban Water Resilience to Extreme Heat

Megan Turcato - Vancouver Island University, Master of Community Planning program
Stay Cool: Activating Downtown in a Changing Climate 

Click here to read the full PIBC 2026 Awards Winners press release.

About the Student Fellowship Award

Number

This award shall be issued to one (1) eligible recipient from each of the Institute accredited university planning programs in British Columbia and the Yukon.

Eligibility

This award shall be available to any Student member of the Institute in good standing who is currently enrolled in one of the Institute accredited planning programs in British Columbia and the Yukon. Any Student member who is already a recipient of another Student award or other financial support outlined in this policy shall not normally be eligible for this award during the same fiscal (calendar) year. Recipients of this award may only receive this award once during their tenure as a Student member of the Institute.

Application 

In order to be considered for this award, interested eligible Student members must apply in writing to the Institute in full accordance with the application process and deadlines prescribed by the Institute, including providing:

• information about their academic achievements and areas of academic research;
• information about their proposed presentation; and
• any other information as may be required and/or requested.

Selection

The selection of successful recipients of this award shall be made based on merit, taking into consideration:

• overall academic achievement; and
• quality of proposed presentation

Disbursement

This award would normally be applied towards reimbursement of recipients’ travel, accommodation and conference registration expenses incurred in attending, and participating in the Institute’s Annual Conference (up to the amount prescribed) and would normally be disbursed by the Institute following appropriate documented claim by the recipient. Successful award recipients will be registered to participate in the Annual Conference. 

Completed applications must include the following:

• Completed application form.
• At least one (1) letter of recommendation from a faculty member from your planning program, attesting to your overall academic achievement and the value of your candidacy for this award.
• A 500-700 word abstract outlining proposed presentation.
• Completed application package submitted by the submission deadline to Kelly Chan, Manager of Member Programs & Services

2026 Student Fellowship Award Timeline

Call for applications open: November 17, 2025
Application deadline: December 8, 2025, 4 pm PT
Results released: January 2, 2026

Questions? Please e-mail Kelly Chan, Manager of Member Programs & Services