News

On April 3rd, 2025, BCHPCA proudly participated in the "Dying, Death, Burial & Bereavement Resource Fair", hosted by Jewish Family Services (JFS). This meaningful community event brought together organizations across sectors committed to supporting individuals through life’s most profound transitions. We were honoured to represent the hospice and palliative care community in British Columbia and engage with attendees about the essential work our members do in providing end-of-life care, grief support, and advocacy.

Through our booth, we connected with seniors, caregivers, and service providers, highlighting the vital role hospices play not only in providing comfort and dignity at the end of life but also in supporting families and communities before, during, and after a loss. One of our core priorities at BCHPCA is promoting grief and bereavement as a public health issue – one that deserves sustained investment and recognition within the broader healthcare system.

We were pleased to be joined at the event by our member, the Vancouver Hospice Society, who showcased their innovative bereavement programs, such as the Bereavement Walking Program and the Parent’s Grief Support Group. Their approach exemplifies how accessible, community-based grief support can create healing spaces and support those with their grief journey.

At BCHPCA, we are working on multiple strategies to strengthen grief and bereavement care across the province. This includes building awareness through events like the past Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health Summit 2024, engaging health and community leaders, and advocating for policy changes that recognize bereavement as a critical component of health and wellness.

Thank you to JFS for hosting such a thoughtful and welcoming event, and to everyone who stopped by our booth to learn more about hospice and palliative care in BC. Together, we continue to advocate for a future where grief and loss are met with understanding, resources, and community.

Daniel Ordonez Mantilla 
Data and Research Coordinator

We’re honoured to share that the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) and Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society were recently featured in a global piece published by the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC).

The article, Culturally Safer Care: Pause, reflect, share... then move forward, highlights a growing focus on culturally safer palliative and grief care across Canada, particularly for Indigenous communities. It also recognizes BCHPCA’s leadership in working across systems, alongside the First Nations Health Authority, and our commitment to ensuring hospice palliative care in B.C. is both community-driven and culturally responsive.

“Having Indigenous communities lead the conversation, with us as supporters, is where I’ve seen huge strides.”
— Pablita Thomas, Executive Director, BCHPCA

A Story of Hospice, Healing, and Honour

The feature also includes a deeply moving story from Cheyanne Toninato, who shared her experience of accompanying her great-grandmother Mary an Elder from Skwah First Nation through her final days at Rotary Hospice House in Prince George.

With the support of hospice staff, Cheyanne and her family held a wedding ceremony inside the hospice so Mary could attend. Mary passed peacefully two weeks later, surrounded by music, her favourite cocktail, and her dog, Elvis.

Since Mary’s passing, Cheyanne has raised $10,000 in her honour and become a passionate hospice advocate.

“They just treated my grandma with such respect and kept her pride and dignity. I’ll be forever grateful.”
— Cheyanne Toninato

A National and Provincial Shift

This article comes as the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) prepares to launch a new stream at its upcoming national conference:
"Indigenous Communities & Culturally Safer Care" designed to amplify Indigenous-led practices, traditional knowledge, and land-based healing models.

As BCHPCA continues to support hospice societies across B.C., we remain committed to walking alongside Indigenous communities and advocates to ensure care is not only accessible, but truly culturally safe.

“To care for someone, you need to know the uniqueness of that person. There is no ‘one size fits all.’”
— Donna Flood, Executive Director, Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society

Read the full article:

IAHPC: Culturally Safer Care – April 2025 Edition

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA), representing 72 hospice societies across BC and the Yukon, applauds the Office of the Seniors Advocate’s reportReframing Ageing: British Columbians' Thoughts on Ageism. The letter emphasizes the impact of ageism on older adults and highlights how hospice societies are already addressing these challenges through inclusive, relationship-based care. It underscores the vital role seniors play as hospice volunteers—over 68% of the hospice volunteer base—and how their work challenges ageist narratives and builds community resilience. The response also draws attention to the urgent needs of rural and remote seniors and calls for greater collaboration to advance age-positive solutions across the province.

Read the Full BCHPCA Response Letter

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is hosting its 2025 Lunch & Learn Series from April 28 to May 2, focusing on breaking barriers to hospice palliative care for underserved communities.

Titled “Breaking Barriers in Hospice Palliative Care”, this virtual series will address critical issues such as Indigenous cultural safety, stigmatizing language, systemic bias, and inclusive care for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.

With only 16–30% of Canadians accessing palliative care, marginalized groups often face additional barriers that limit their ability to receive compassionate, person-centered support. This series offers practical strategies, expert insights, and tools to foster greater equity in care.

Register today to be part of these essential discussions.

Session Highlights:

• Day 1 (April 28): Indigenous Cultural Safety & Humility for Volunteers & Staff Within The Hospice Palliative Care Space
• Day 2 (April 29): The Influence of Words: Approaches for Mitigating Stigmatizing Language in Hospice and Palliative Care
• Day 3 (April 30): Exploring Grief Migration Through Social and Cultural Perspectives
• Day 4 (May 1): Beyond the Binary: Creating Safe(r) and Affirming Spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ People Accessing Hospice Palliative Care
• Day 5 (May 2): Equity at the Heart of Care (Pre-recorded + Live Workshop)

Let’s work together to foster inclusive, person-centered, and accessible care for all.

Learn More & Register

Read The Full Press Release

The Memorial Society of BC is calling on its members and the general public to urge the BC Government to legalize greener options for the disposition of human remains in British Columbia.

At this time, British Columbians only have the options of cremation and burial for the disposition of their bodies. Both forms have harmful impacts on our environment. Fortunately, greener technologies have emerged, but they are not yet available in British Columbia. These include Alkaline Hydrolysis and Natural Organic Reduction – see below.

The Memorial Society strongly supports that residents of BC should have choice when it comes to disposition and access to eco-friendly technologies. As these technologies are already established in jurisdictions in Canada and the United States, there is little reason why they should not be available to British Columbians.

We are calling on the BC Government to amend the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act to legalize Alkaline Hydrolysis and Natural Organic Reduction. This Act falls under the responsibility of the Attorney General, the Honourable Niki Sharma.

Learn More

For over 40 years, hospice societies have provided essential end-of-life care, grief support, and bereavement services to individuals and families. With the help of over 3,600 trained volunteers, these services reach more than 10,000 people each month. However, many individuals remain unaware of the full range of hospice services available to them. The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is committed to increasing awareness and ensuring that those in need receive the care and support they deserve.

Read the Full Media Release

Currently, millions of people globally are experiencing psychological stress because of the compounded effects of social, political, economic, and environmental instability.(1, 2) More than 110 armed conflicts are actively raging across five world regions, reducing the quality of everyday life, including services and supports provided to people with end-of-life and palliative care needs.(3)

In 2023, we drew attention to the link between palliative care and the climate crisis, highlighting the fact that patients and caregivers struggle with climate-related disasters, food and water insecurity, and emerging and remerging vector-borne diseases alongside their existing (and sometimes unmet and worsening) palliative care needs.(4)

Learn more

"Reflecting on this experience, I realize that caregiving is deeply embedded in tradition and culture, a natural extension of communal life."

ehospice editorial on traditions, culture and palliative care.

Yesterday afternoon, BC Finance Minister Brenda Bailey tabled the first provincial budget of the 43rd BC Legislative Assembly. The BC Hospice and Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is calling on the BC government to address the significant underfunding of hospice and palliative care. While the budget included investments in mental health, addictions, and long-term care, no dedicated funding was allocated to hospice and palliative care services.

With over 45,000 British Columbians impacted by loss each year, and many relying on hospice and palliative care, there is an urgent need for targeted funding. Currently, less than 3% of the provincial health budget is allocated to palliative and hospice care, with many services depending on unsustainable donations. This has led to the closure of hospices, particularly in rural areas. The BCHPCA urges the government to prioritize equitable, sustainable funding for end-of-life care and grief support to better serve BC’s communities.

Last week, the BC Throne Speech was delivered by the Lieutenant Governor, Wendy Cocchia, with a significant focus on mental health, indirectly highlighting the importance of services and supports delivered by the Hospice and Palliative Care community. Please read the BCHPCA response below, which emphasizes the need for better grief and bereavement support, as timely care is essential to prevent complex mental health challenges for those experiencing loss. Currently, only 32% of hospice staff provide regulated grief support, and hospices rely on donations to sustain their services. The community calls for increased funding to ensure accessible, low-barrier care, especially in underserved areas, and to address the growing need for support as families cope with grief.

BCHPCA Throne Speech.pdf