On August 9, Northern Health (NH) proudly joins the global community in recognizing the United Nations (UN) International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. This year’s theme - “Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures” - calls on all of us to reflect on how technology can support Indigenous self-determination, cultural preservation, and equitable access to services.
At NH, this reflection is not just symbolic—it’s embedded in our strategy. NH’s Looking to 2025 Strategic Plan places Indigenous inclusion at the heart of our work. We acknowledge the historical and ongoing harms First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people have experienced in the health care system. Our commitment is to walk a new path—one grounded in truth, reconciliation, and respect.
Through partnerships with First Nations Health Authority, Métis Nation BC, and Indigenous communities, we are co-creating systems that reflect Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and healing.
Our Indigenous Health team leads this work through three key pillars:
- Service delivery integration
- Programs like the Indigenous Care Team and Health Service Delivery Area (HSDA) Advisors ensure culturally safe care is embedded, not added on.
- Learning and quality
- Anti-Indigenous racism education, Indigenous patient experience initiatives, and data sovereignty efforts are reshaping how we learn and grow.
- Internal service transformation
- From capital planning to recruitment, Indigenous perspectives are guiding how we build and sustain our health system.
As artificial intelligence (AI) and digital health tools evolve, NH is committed to ensuring these innovations amplify Indigenous voices—not replace or erase them.
We're exploring how we can:
- Support language revitalization through multilingual signage in health facilities across Northern BC.
- Improve access to care in remote Indigenous communities via mobile health units and virtual care platforms.
- Uphold Indigenous data sovereignty by ensuring communities have control over how their health information is collected and used.
- Create welcoming spaces through the powerful presence of Indigenous art—like the mural by Gitxsan and Cree artist Michelle Stoney at UHNBC’s Maternity Ward. NH is committed to ensuring that artwork is chosen with respect and rooted in local culture, honouring the lived experiences, traditions, and deep cultural knowledge that Indigenous artists bring to their work.
On this day of recognition, we reaffirm our commitment to walk alongside First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people—not ahead, not behind. We are listening, learning, and acting with humility and purpose.
Inclusion is not a box to check. It’s a journey.
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