Indigenous people have the right to high-quality health care. Despite this, multiple reports show how persistent systemic racism and discrimination is toward Indigenous people across the Ontario health care system. This has widened the existing gap in the delivery and accessibility of care, leading to poorer health outcomes for Indigenous people. Providing equitable and culturally safe care to First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Urban Indigenous people is a collective effort involving Indigenous partners, health service providers, and health system partners. Together, we must identify and address gaps in the quality of care and contribute to ongoing efforts toward healing and reconciliation.
Ontario Health is working to produce a new quality standard on equitable and culturally safe care for First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Urban Indigenous people. The quality standard will focus on care provided to Indigenous people of all ages in hospitals, primary care, and community-based settings across Ontario.
The work on this quality standard starts in: September 2024.
Ontario Health thanks the following individuals for their generous, voluntary contributions of time and expertise to help create this quality standard:
Vanessa Ambtman-Smith (co-chair)
Assistant Professor, PhD (c), Western University
Nêhiyaw-Métis (Treaty 6)
Jamaica Cass (co-chair)
Primary Care Physician, Indigenous Interprofessional Primary Care Team
Director, Indigenous Health, Department of Family Medicine, Queen’s University
Indigenous Health Lead, Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine
Tyendinaga, First Nations; Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte
Kendra Recollet (co-chair)
Diabetes Wellness Nurse, Noojmowin Teg Health Centre
M'Chigeeng First Nation
Leonard Benoit
Patient Navigator, Toronto Regional Cancer Program
Qualipu Mi'kmaq First Nation
Lynda Brown
Lived Experience Advisor
Alumni Team Lead, SOI Foundation
Inuit, Nunavut Beneficiary, Pangnirtung, Nunavut
Angela Carter
Chief Executive Officer, Ka-Na-Chi-Hih treatment centre
Michipicoten First Nation
Marisa Curran
Nurse Practitioner, Independent First Nations Alliance
Audrey Davis
Executive Director, Hamilton Regional Indian Centre
Mohawk, Six Nations
Austin Doolittle
Lived Experience Advisor
Graduate Student, Western University
Six Nations of the Grand River
Connie Foster
Health and Wellness Director/Nurse Practitioner Lead, Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation
Shawanaga First Nation
Krystal Fox
Nurse Practitioner, South Riverdale Community Health Centre
Paul Francis Jr. y (Bear Clan)
Vice-President, N'doo'owe Binesi, St. Joseph's Care Group
Anishinabek Nation, registered band member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory
Pamela Hart
Lived Experience Advisor
Native Women's Resource Centre of Ontario
Ojibwe from Chippewas of Georgina Island
Maryana Kravtsenyuk
Forensic Psychiatrist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Dominique-Michelle Legacy
Director, Indigenous Partnerships, Data and Analytics, ICES
Mi'kmaq registered to Elsipogtog First Nations
Darrel Manitowabi
Traditional Healer, Northern Ontario School of Medicine
Cassandra McLelland
Clinical Pharmacist, William Osler Health System
M'Chigeeng First Nation
Gina Mount
Indigenous Midwife, Waasegiizhiig Nanaadewe'iyewigamig
Beausoleil First Nation
Theresa Salzmann
Chiropodist, Anishnawbe Health Toronto
Vanessa Smith
Lived Experience Advisor
Missanabie Cree First Nation
Chandy Van Koppen
Mental Health and Addictions Supervisor, Métis Nations of Ontario
Métis Citizen with roots from the Abitibi Inland Métis Community