Our relationships are founded on respect, accountability and open communication.
What We Do
We build strong relationships with First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban Indigenous leadership, organizations and communities. These relationships are founded on respect, accountability and open communication. They are critical to ensure that Ontario’s health care system reflects and addresses the needs of Indigenous people.
We are responsible for:
- establishing a partnership approach to engagement with Indigenous partners
- building and supporting capacity to better coordinate Indigenous health initiatives across Ontario Health, including Ontario Health Regions
- building capacity where needed to address Indigenous health needs
- supporting Indigenous-led initiatives and priorities (e.g., health transformation)
Our Approach
Our approach is guided by the foundation laid by the Indigenous Cancer Care Unit to advance Indigenous health through the cancer system. Cancer Care Ontario (now part of Ontario Health) led the development of Indigenous partnerships in health care. This started with the formation of a Joint Ontario Indigenous Cancer Committee in 1997.
First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Urban Indigenous Health Framework
This framework will provide a foundation to identify the Indigenous work across the organization and develop the Ontario Health First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Urban Indigenous Health Plan. The framework focuses on engagement with First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban Indigenous people and communities. The First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Urban Indigenous Health Framework will be released in Spring 2023.
The framework will reflect:
- priorities of Indigenous partners
- Indigenous people’s status and special relationship with the Crown as constitutionally recognized peoples
- historical and ongoing impacts of colonization on the health disparities experienced by Indigenous people in Canada today
- strength and resilience of Indigenous people and communities