The BC Legislative Assembly is scheduled to return on October 5, 2026, beginning the fall sitting at an important time for health care, community services and the development of Budget 2027.

For the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association, the return of the Legislature is also an opportunity to continue bringing the experiences of hospice societies, patients, families, caregivers and communities into provincial conversations.

Throughout the fall, BCHPCA will be monitoring provincial developments that may affect hospice palliative care and the communities our members serve, including:

• access to hospice and palliative care across British Columbia;
• sustainability of community-based hospice services;
• grief and bereavement supports;
• rural, remote and regional access to care;
• health workforce and system capacity;
• supports for caregivers and families; and
• provincial funding, policy and Budget 2027 developments affecting the sector.

We want to hear from our members

Provincial advocacy is strongest when it is grounded in what is happening locally.

As the Legislature returns, we invite BCHPCA members to tell us:

• What is the most significant pressure facing hospice/palliative care in your community right now?
• What change in provincial policy, funding or coordination would make the greatest difference?
• Is there a local example, emerging issue or promising practice that provincial decision makers should know about?

Your input helps BCHPCA identify common themes across the province, strengthen our evidence and ensure our government relations work reflects the realities of communities throughout British Columbia.

We will continue to keep members informed as the fall legislative session progresses.

Together, we can help ensure hospice palliative care, grief and bereavement, and the needs of people living with serious illness remain visible in provincial conversations.

Government Relations Inquiry Contact:
Pablita Thomas, Executive Director
BC Hospice Palliative Care Association
pablita.thomas@bchpca.org
Main Line: (604) 267-7024

The BC Rural Health Network has named BCHPCA Executive Director Pablita Thomas its September 2026 Member of the Month, highlighting her leadership and BCHPCA’s work to strengthen hospice and palliative care across British Columbia, including in rural and remote communities.

In the feature, Pablita discusses what good end-of-life care can look like when it is close to home, community-based and centred on the needs, values and choices of each person. She highlights how hospice care is not limited to dedicated facilities, but is delivered by organizations and care teams in homes, long-term care, assisted living and other community settings across BC.

The feature also explores issues that are important to BCHPCA members and the broader sector, including improving access in rural and remote communities, strengthening the palliative approach among local healthcare providers, and recognizing the cultural and spiritual dimensions of care. Pablita also speaks to the important role that community-based services can play in helping people remain in their communities while easing pressure on the acute-care system.

For BCHPCA and our members, these conversations reinforce the importance of building a strong, sustainable and responsive community hospice sector that reflects the diverse needs of people and communities across BC.

As Pablita shared:

“Hospice palliative care is not about dying. It's about living your full life until you pass.”

We congratulate Pablita on this recognition and thank the BC Rural Health Network for highlighting the important work of hospice and palliative care organizations across BC.

Read the full feature: Member of the Month September 2026: Pablita Thomas – BC Hospice and Palliative Care Association - BC Rural Health Network

Because compassionate communities are built locally and Hospice is community.

With British Columbians heading to the polls for the 2026 General Local Elections, BCHPCA has launched a new collection of election resources to help hospice societies, candidates and community members bring hospice palliative care into the local conversation.

Municipalities may not fund healthcare directly, but their decisions shape how communities care for people. Local governments influence community planning, transportation, housing, volunteerism, emergency preparedness, age-friendly initiatives, public spaces and local partnerships, all of which can affect people living with serious illness, caregivers and those experiencing grief and bereavement.

Hospice societies are already deeply rooted in these communities. Each year, they support thousands of British Columbians through grief and bereavement programs, caregiver education, volunteer services, compassionate-community initiatives, and home and residential hospice care.

Our new 2026 BC Local Election Resources provide practical tools to help make this work visible and begin meaningful, non-partisan conversations with local candidates.

The resource page includes:

• A Municipal Candidate Toolkit
• A Local Candidate Meeting Guide
• A customizable Community Impact Sheet
• A Social Media Toolkit
• Community engagement ideas
• Suggested questions for candidates and voters
• Additional advocacy and knowledge resources

Hospice societies can use these tools to invite candidates for a visit, host a candidate coffee or open house, attend an all-candidates meeting, share their community impact, or begin building relationships that continue well beyond election day.

Community members can also use the page to learn about hospice and ask candidates how they will support caregivers, healthy aging, grief and bereavement initiatives, and compassionate communities.

Election day is Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Hospice is community. Let’s make sure care, compassion and connection are part of the local election conversation.

Explore the 2026 BC Local Election Resources

BCHPCA is available to help members and community partners prepare for candidate meetings, adapt the resources and share what is happening in their communities.
Contact Pablita Thomas at pablita.thomas@bchpca.org for support.

The Government of British Columbia has announced several changes to Cabinet following Minister Brenda Bailey’s decision to take a leave for cancer treatment and recovery.

First and foremost, BCHPCA extends our warm wishes to Minister Bailey and her family as she focuses on her treatment and recovery.

As part of the Cabinet changes, the Honourable Ravi Kahlon has been appointed B.C.’s new Minister of Health, succeeding Josie Osborne, who has moved to the Ministry of Finance.

This transition also offers an important moment to reflect on something at the heart of our sector: the experience of serious illness extends far beyond medical treatment alone.

Palliative care is not only care for the final days or weeks of life. It can begin alongside treatment and help people and their families navigate the physical, emotional, psychosocial and practical realities that can accompany a serious illness, through treatment, changing health needs, recovery, survivorship and, when needed, end-of-life care.

Across British Columbia, hospice societies are an important part of that continuum. They provide compassionate community-based supports, including counselling, caregiver support, grief and bereavement programs, navigation, volunteer services and connections that help people and families feel less alone through some of life's most difficult experiences.

As Minister Kahlon takes on the health portfolio, BCHPCA looks forward to welcoming him and continuing our work with the Province to advance access to hospice and palliative care and strengthen the role of community hospice societies within B.C.'s broader health care system.

Because access to palliative care should not begin only when treatment ends. It should be part of how we care for people throughout serious illness, when and where they need it.

Read the Announcement Here.

Every child living with a serious illness deserves access to compassionate, high-quality hospice palliative care, and every family deserves to be supported throughout their journey.

The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA), in partnership with Canada’s Pediatric Palliative Care Alliance, has launched the Short Lives Can’t Wait campaign to raise awareness of the urgent need for equitable access to children’s hospice palliative care across Canada.

The campaign highlights a significant gap in care: only 18% of children who could have benefited from specialized pediatric palliative care received it. Among those who did receive specialized support, one in four received care for fewer than eight days before their death. These figures underscore the importance of ensuring children and families can access palliative care early, not only at the end of life, but throughout the course of a serious illness.

Access remains particularly challenging for children and families living in rural, remote, northern, and equity-deserving communities. As of November 2023, only 17 specialized pediatric palliative care programs had been identified across Canada, with most located in larger urban centres.

Short Lives Can’t Wait calls for action in four key areas:

• Equitable access to care — expanding children’s hospice palliative care services across all regions and integrating palliative care earlier throughout a child’s illness journey.
• Support for families and caregivers — recognizing caregivers as essential partners and strengthening access to respite, practical, emotional, and financial supports.
• Grief and bereavement support — ensuring children, parents, siblings, and families have access to culturally safe and ongoing grief and bereavement care.
• Building a stronger future — strengthening national collaboration, research, education, workforce development, and sustainable investment in pediatric palliative care.

A Shared Commitment to Children and Families

BCHPCA recognizes the importance of this national call to action. In British Columbia, hospice societies and community-based providers play an important role in supporting children and families facing serious illness, while also providing compassionate grief and bereavement support.

Equitable access to hospice palliative care means ensuring that children and families receive the right care, at the right time, in the location that best meets their needs. It also means recognizing that support for families does not end when a child dies. Grief and bereavement care are an essential part of the continuum of support.

The Short Lives Can’t Wait campaign is an important reminder that early access matters. No child or family should have to wait until the final days of life to receive the specialized care, support, and compassion they need.

BCHPCA encourages our members, partners, health care providers, and communities to learn more about the campaign and help raise awareness of the importance of equitable pediatric hospice palliative care across Canada.

Learn more about the Short Lives Can’t Wait campaign

Read the original eHospice Canada article

The BC Hospice & Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is pleased to share an opportunity from the University of British Columbia (UBC) School of Nursing for healthcare providers to participate in a research study exploring healthcare providers' perspectives on men's experiences with Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD).

Despite MAiD becoming an increasingly important component of end-of-life care in Canada, limited research has examined how healthcare providers perceive men's experiences throughout the MAiD process. This qualitative study aims to better understand the factors that shape these experiences and contribute to more person-centred, equitable, and gender-sensitive MAiD care.

Researchers are seeking licensed or regulated healthcare providers in British Columbia who have clinical experience supporting adult men through the MAiD journey, from inquiry and assessment to provision or bereavement care. Eligible participants include physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, spiritual health practitioners, and other regulated professionals involved in MAiD care.

Participation involves a confidential, one-on-one virtual interview lasting approximately 45–60 minutes, scheduled at a time that is convenient for participants. Participation is entirely voluntary, and all information shared will remain confidential.

The study has received approval from the University of British Columbia Behavioural Research Ethics Board (Ethics ID: H26-00284).

Healthcare providers interested in participating or learning more are encouraged to contact:

Chang-Oh (Chris) Baek, RN, MSN Student
School of Nursing, University of British Columbia
Email: ohbaek@student.ubc.ca

Your experience and insights can help advance understanding of men's health and strengthen compassionate, evidence-informed, and equitable MAiD care across Canada.

Hospice Advocacy During Election Season: What You Need to Know about the 2026 BC Local Elections 

While developed for oncology professionals, the recommendations outlined in this resource have important implications across the continuum of care, including hospice, palliative care, grief, and bereavement services.

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is pleased to share a new educational resource developed by the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (CANO): Cancer Care Compass: Supporting Neurodivergent Cancer Patients.

Approximately 15 - 20% of Canadians identify as neurodivergent, including individuals with autism, ADHD, OCD, Down syndrome, and other neurodevelopmental differences. Yet many continue to experience barriers when accessing healthcare services, including communication challenges, sensory sensitivities, stigma, medical mistrust, and inequitable access to supportive care.

These barriers can contribute to delayed diagnoses, poorer health outcomes, and increased distress for patients and families.

Many of the principles highlighted, including clear communication, sensory awareness, flexible approaches to decision making, caregiver engagement, navigation support, and person centred care, align closely with the values that underpin hospice palliative care.

As our communities become increasingly diverse, it is important that we continue to examine how our programs, environments, and services can better support neurodivergent individuals and families throughout their illness journey, at end of life, and during grief and bereavement.

Why This Matters

Healthcare encounters can be overwhelming for neurodivergent individuals. Differences in communication, information processing, sensory experiences, and the expression of pain or symptoms can create barriers to receiving appropriate care and support.

For hospice societies, this raises important questions:

• How accessible are our programs and services for neurodivergent individuals and families?
• Are staff and volunteers equipped to recognize and respond to diverse communication styles and sensory needs?
• Do our grief and bereavement programs provide flexible and inclusive opportunities for participation?
• Are there opportunities to strengthen partnerships with disability serving organizations in our communities?

Small changes can have a meaningful impact on a person's experience of care.

Building on Provincial Efforts

This resource also aligns with broader work underway in BC to improve equitable access to hospice and palliative care for people with neurodevelopmental disabilities and medical complexity.

BCHPCA has been pleased to support the Advancing Compassionate Hospice & Palliative Care for People with Neurodevelopmental Complexity (CPC-NDC) initiative, a collaborative effort bringing together individuals with lived experience, healthcare providers, researchers, community organizations, disability advocates, and system leaders to identify practical solutions for improving access to compassionate, person-centred care. Through a growing Community of Practice (CoP), educational initiatives, and provincial roundtables, this work is helping bridge longstanding gaps between the disability and hospice palliative care sectors and advance a provincial action plan focused on education, navigation, inclusive decision making, and coordinated care.

As BCHPCA continues its commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, we look forward to supporting conversations and initiatives that help ensure every person receives care that is compassionate, accessible, and responsive to their unique needs.

Join the Conversation

Have you adapted your grief, bereavement, hospice, or palliative care services to better support neurodivergent individuals and families?

We'd love to hear from you.

We invite hospice societies, palliative care providers, volunteers, caregivers, and community organizations to share their experiences, promising practices, challenges, and learning opportunities as we continue working together to build a more inclusive and accessible hospice palliative care system across BC and the Yukon.

Access the Resource Here:

  The BC Centre for Palliative Care is inviting hospice staff and volunteers across British Columbia to participate in a research study evaluating a free online education module designed to improve grief and bereavement knowledge for those who serve people experiencing homelessness.

The study, Fostering Grief and Bereavement Literacy in the Workplace for Those Who Serve People Experiencing Homelessness, aims to test the effectiveness of a virtual educational module in building the capacity of hospice workers and volunteers to provide grief support to people experiencing homelessness.

Participants are eligible if they:

• Are 19 years of age or older

• Live in British Columbia

• Can understand English

• Work or volunteer with people who are grieving at a BC hospice

Participants will be asked to complete the online educational module (approximately 2.5 hours) and a post-module survey (approximately 10–15 minutes). The survey will explore participants' knowledge, skills, and confidence related to grief support and provide an opportunity to offer feedback on the module's content and design. No honorarium is provided for participation.

The study is open until August 31, 2026. Hospices are encouraged to share this opportunity with staff and volunteers who support individuals experiencing grief and bereavement.

For more information or to participate, please contact Joshua Black, PhD, Bereavement Initiative Manager at the BC Centre for Palliative Care, at jblack@bc-cpc.ca.

Please see the attached study poster for additional details.

      The British Columbia division of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA BC) has launched a new provincial initiative aimed at better understanding the landscape of voluntary mental health services and identifying gaps in access to care across British Columbia. The project, Mapping BC's Voluntary Mental Health System, is being led by Zahra, Research Analyst and Clinical Social Worker, and Polly McDermid, Manager of Policy Advocacy, with funding support from the Max Bell Foundation.

The project responds to growing concerns that much of the province's recent investment has focused on high-intensity and involuntary mental health interventions, while community-based, preventative, and early-intervention services have received comparatively less attention and support. Through this work, CMHA BC aims to create an evidence base that can help inform future advocacy, planning, and investment in voluntary mental health care services across the province.

Phase One of the project will focus on publicly funded and publicly accessible adult mental health services, including crisis response programs, grief supports, reproductive mental health services, outreach programs, and psychiatric-focused case management. The project will examine barriers to access such as geography, cost, service availability, referral pathways, eligibility requirements, and the unique challenges faced by rural, remote, and underserved communities.

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the importance of strengthening community-based mental health care. Project leaders emphasized the need to better understand and support services that promote mental health, prevent crises, and provide early intervention before individuals require higher-intensity care. The initiative also seeks to better understand how factors such as housing, income, technology access, transportation, and social isolation influence a person's ability to access mental health supports.

Participants highlighted several important considerations for the project, including the need to recognize the intersection between mental health, substance use, and social determinants of health. Additional discussion focused on barriers experienced by people who are street-entrenched, individuals without fixed addresses, and those who may distrust traditional systems of care. The importance of integrating mental health expertise into community outreach services was also raised as a potential area for future exploration.

Of particular relevance to hospice societies and community organizations, participants noted the important role that grief and bereavement programs play in many communities, especially in rural and remote regions where formal mental health services may be limited. CMHA BC acknowledged the value of this feedback and indicated that the scope of grief supports included within the mapping project will continue to be refined as the work progresses.

The project's key deliverables will include:

• A provincial inventory of voluntary mental health services and programs;

• A data visualization map illustrating how services are distributed across British Columbia; and

• A briefing report and gap analysis identifying barriers, service gaps, and opportunities for system improvement.

Data collection is expected to take place throughout June and July 2026, with a final report anticipated by the end of August. Findings will be shared publicly in fall 2026. CMHA BC also hopes to secure funding for a second phase of work that would develop a costed strategy for strengthening and expanding voluntary, community-based mental health services across the province.

Implications for Hospice Societies and BCHPCA

BCHPCA participated in this discussion to help ensure that hospice societies and community-based grief and bereavement programs are recognized within British Columbia's broader mental health and wellness landscape.

For decades, hospice societies have provided accessible grief and bereavement support, caregiver support, volunteer-led programs, and community-based services that help individuals navigate loss, reduce isolation, and build resilience. In many rural and remote communities, hospice societies are among the few organizations offering grief support that is publicly accessible and available regardless of diagnosis or referral pathway.

As CMHA BC advances this mapping project, BCHPCA will continue advocating for hospice societies to be recognized as trusted, qualified community partners within the voluntary mental health system. Ensuring that hospice-based grief and bereavement services are accurately represented in provincial planning and future funding discussions will be critical to strengthening access to support for individuals and families experiencing loss.

This work aligns closely with BCHPCA's ongoing Provincial Grief and Bereavement Strategy, which seeks to increase recognition, sustainability, and equitable access to grief and bereavement services across British Columbia.

Webinar Recording

A recording of the webinar is available below for those interested in learning more about the project, its goals, and opportunities to contribute feedback as the work moves forward.

Recording Link