Advancing cultural safety and addressing racism and discrimination impacting Indigenous Peoples

Press Release

March 3, 2026

An innovative online tool designed by Healthcare Excellence Canada (HEC) will help health care teams across Canada foster cultural safety and address racism experienced by First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in the health system.

The interactive web-based Cultural Safety Pathway, supported by $1.6 million over the next three years from the CMA Foundation, will provide actionable guidance to health systems to address racism and discrimination impacting Indigenous Peoples.

“Anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination have no place within Canada’s health care system,” says CMA Foundation President Allison Seymour. “The CMA Foundation is committed to supporting Indigenous-led solutions and building an equitable and compassionate health care system where every patient and provider feels safe.”

Developing the pathway

HEC has been laying the groundwork for the new pathway over the past three years through a program in which health care organizations worked with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to develop meaningful and reciprocal relationships and implement initiatives to address anti-Indigenous racism. Building on this program, 15 teams and First Nations, Inuit and Métis coaches and advisors are supporting the co-development of the Cultural Safety Pathway in 2026.

Later this year, HEC will invite additional teams to join a two-year learning collaborative to develop site-specific pathways, which will act as cultural safety roadmaps for their organizations. Participating teams will be supported through in-person engagements, virtual learning events, peer-to-peer networking and support from First Nations, Inuit and Métis coaches.

What is cultural safety?

Cultural safety is determined by the person receiving care. It means care feels respectful, nondiscriminatory and safe, and enables clear, meaningful communication between patients and providers. Achieving cultural safety requires active antiracism policies and tools, ongoing cultural humility and practices that centre First Nations, Inuit and Métis perspectives and authority.

In collaboration with HEC and a Cultural Safety Measurement Collaborative, the Canadian Institute for Health Information has identified indicators to measure progress toward cultural safety in health systems. These indicators will be embedded within the pathway and range from workforce representation and patient experience to quality of care and system budget and resources.

“Many health care organizations recognize the need to improve cultural safety but aren’t sure where to start,” said Nicole Robinson, director of Northern and Indigenous health at HEC. “The cultural safety pathway and related programming will meet organizations where they are at and move from awareness to action.”

The pathway will also complement the Health Standards Organization’s (HSO) Winds of Change initiative to create an Indigenous-led national standard for cultural safety and humility. Publication of the standard is expected later this year.

The CMA Foundation committed $3 million to the development of the standard, which aims to be distinctions-based, co-created, person-centred and reflective of the health and wellness priorities and goals of Indigenous Peoples.

IHT5