HEALING AND RECONCILIATION FOR COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES
Healthcare is for All
Poor health, higher rates of chronic illness, and diminished mental well-being are only a few of the barriers Indigenous Peoples face when compared to the general population of Canada.
Systemic challenges stemming from poverty, limited access to nutritious food, intergenerational trauma, and barriers to culturally safe care have led to Indigenous Peoples being left behind in the healthcare space.
They are often mistrustful of institutions that have ignored or dismissed their needs. In Montréal and surrounding areas, this is a reality felt by many.
Care systems are not built with Indigenous Peoples in mind, but the Indigenous Health Centre of Tiohtia:ke (IHCT) exists to change that. Serving over 560 Indigenous patients across Montréal and the South Shore, the Centre provides holistic, barrier-free care rooted in cultural safety and respect. Since 2008, IHCT has helped remove stigmas around healthcare in Indigenous communities and has encouraged people to ask for help when they need it. This is being achieved by offering access to cultural activities and ceremonies, by providing cultural safety training and access to Elders and traditional ways of healing, and by ensuring IHCT is a safe and welcoming place for all Indigenous Peoples.
The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) will sustain and expand these critical cultural supports to help IHCT host more traditional healing ceremonies, such as moon ceremonies, sweat lodges, and medicine walks. Patients will be able to access services regardless of status card, health card, or address, which break down barriers to healthcare, rebuild trust, and promote long-term healing.
Saint-Jean-Longueil (Valleyfield, Saint-Jerome, Mont-Laurier, Montreal)
