Promote and support the availability of Indigenous healing practices and other appropriate cultural programming within the healthcare system.

Province funds First Light Urban Indigenous Health Clinic

In April 2026, the provincial Department of Health and Community Services committed to supporting the First Light Urban Indigenous Health Clinic, which will begin operations in fall 2026. This commitment involves arrangements for family physician and nurse practitioner staff through existing contract models, and a one-time grant for the 2026–27 fiscal year for non-medical staff. A further commitment in principle has been made to include the funding package for the clinic in the 2027–28 budget. Three First Light publications supported these advocacy efforts, including:

• a public-facing summary of the proposal submitted to the Department of Health and Community Services,
• a review of system health inequities facing the urban Indigenous population, and
• a prospective cost-benefit analysis of the health inequities which could be addressed through the First Light clinic.

Memorial University Medical Students launched a significant advocacy campaign in support of the First Light clinic model in March 2026 for their Provincial Day of Action. This advocacy campaign gathered significant community and political support. We would like to thank these future healthcare providers for using their voices to support urban Indigenous well-being in St. John’s, with particular thanks to organizers Abigail Schwartz, Maria Saleeb, and Maggie Burton.

NLHS implementing provincial Ceremony Policy and expanding staffing

As of June 2025, NL Health Services has a formal provincial Indigenous Ceremony Policy that now applies across all zones. The policy establishes a consistent framework for supporting Indigenous ceremonies. The policy provides direction for safely and respectfully facilitating practices such as smudging, pipe ceremonies, lighting a kullik, use of ceremonial tobacco and traditional medicines, and other ceremonies requested by Indigenous patients, residents, and families.

The new Adult Mental Health and Addictions Treatment Centre in St. John’s includes a space for Indigenous ceremony. NLHS also introduced an Indigenous Patient Navigator role for this facility, who will join the growing First Light health team. Recruitment for the new position began in August 2026.

NLHS has also expanded the Indigenous Patient Navigator (IPN) program by one staff member and adjusted contract terms so that urban Indigenous individuals can access the IPN services. This is significant progress for members of the urban Indigenous community, who will now be able to access the cultural support, interpretation, and systems navigation that the IPN team provides.

NLHS embeds Indigenous health and cultural safety in strategic plan

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services has established Indigenous health and cultural safety as a dedicated area of focus in its 2026–2029 Strategic Plan. Embedding these priorities in the plan represents an important shift from reliance on individual projects toward organization-wide accountability through strategic planning, performance measurement, and reporting.

For the Department of Health and Community Services:

• Allocate funding in the upcoming budget cycle to ensure sustainable multiyear funding for the First Light urban Indigenous Health Clinic.

For NLHS:

• Evaluate whether the Ceremony Policy enables Indigenous patients to participate in ceremony within healthcare facilities, and revise the policy as needed.