BC Hospice Palliative Care Association News & Updates

Government of Yukon Introduces AI Clinical Documentation Tool to Support Health Care Delivery

Daniel Mantilla — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 18:32:46 GMT

The Government of Yukon has announced the implementation of Heidi Health, an AI-powered clinical documentation support tool, across several government-operated clinics. The initiative aims to enhance care delivery, reduce administrative burden for clinicians and improve the overall patient experience.

Heidi Health functions as an AI medical scribe that supports real-time documentation during patient appointments. With patient consent, the platform transcribes conversations and generates structured clinical notes, allowing clinicians to focus more fully on care interactions while maintaining accurate documentation. All notes are reviewed and approved by clinicians before being added to the official medical record.

In addition to transcription, the platform supports customizable templates and can generate documents such as referral letters, care plans and patient summaries from consultation notes. The tool also supports multilingual documentation and can be used in both virtual and in-person care settings. These features are designed to streamline workflow, improve consistency in documentation and reduce time spent on administrative tasks.

The technology is being introduced at multiple sites, including Centre de santé Constellation Health Centre, Dawson City Medical Clinic, Whitehorse Walk-In Clinic, the Yukon Healthy Living Program and the Yukon Midwifery Program. The Government of Yukon notes that the platform meets Canadian privacy and security requirements, and privacy and security assessments have been completed.

This initiative reflects the territory’s commitment to exploring innovative approaches to care delivery, strengthening clinician capacity, and improving access to services across geographically diverse communities.

Administrative workload and documentation demands are frequently identified as pressures within hospice and palliative care settings, particularly in community-based and interdisciplinary care models. Tools that support real-time documentation may help clinicians spend more time with patients and families, support more coordinated care and improve continuity across providers.

AI-supported documentation platforms may also support improved communication across settings, including home, hospice and community programs and collaboration. As health regions explore innovative approaches to workforce sustainability and care delivery, emerging technologies such as AI medical scribes may offer opportunities to enhance clinician capacity while maintaining patient-centred care.

Provincial Consultation Open Long-Term Care and Hospice Access & Transparency Act (Bill M 232)

Daniel Mantilla — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 21:16:34 GMT

The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia has opened a public consultation on Bill M 232: the Long-Term Care and Hospice Access and Transparency Act.
This is an important opportunity for individuals, families, caregivers, community organizations, and health partners across the province to share their experiences and perspectives on:

- Access to hospice and palliative care

- Quality and continuity of care

- Transparency in long-term care and end-of-life services

- Support for families and caregivers

Public input plays a meaningful role in helping decision makers better understand the realities communities are facing and how policies can be strengthened to improve care.

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association will be submitting a sector informed response and encourages hospice societies, partners, and members of the general public to participate.

You may wish to share:

experiences accessing hospice or palliative care services
service gaps or challenges in your community
the importance of grief and bereavement supports
ideas for improving care transitions and communication
perspectives on how communities can be better supported at end of life

Even a short submission can help ensure community voices are heard.

This consultation aligns with BCHPCA’s ongoing advocacy to strengthen awareness of hospice palliative care, improve access across the province, and support families through serious illness, dying, and grief.

Deadline to participate: March 24, 2026 at 3:00 PM (Pacific Time)

Submissions can be made through the provincial consultation portal:
https://consultation-portal.leg.bc.ca/consultations/194

We encourage you to share this opportunity within your networks to help ensure diverse perspectives from across BC are presented.

For additional background, please refer to the information letter attached below.

BCHPCA Bill M 232, LTC Access and Transparency Act 2026 March 17.2026.pdf

Invitation to Participate: National Study on Hospice Nursing Education in Canada

Daniel Mantilla — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 23:23:10 GMT

Take the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/nursUNBC

The British Columbia Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is pleased to share an invitation from researchers at the University of Northern British Columbia to participate in a national study exploring educational strategies for hospice nursing staff across Canada.

The study, “Nursing Education in Hospice Settings in Canada: Leadership Perspectives on Implementation, Context, and Gaps,” is seeking input from hospice leaders who are involved in planning, supporting, delivering, or evaluating education for nursing staff within their organizations.

Researchers hope to gather insights on current educational approaches, as well as the factors that help or hinder the implementation of hospice nursing education. Findings from the study aim to identify strengths, challenges, and opportunities to support workforce development and strengthen hospice care education across Canada.

Who can participate

Participants may include individuals who:

Are 19 years of age or older
Work or have worked in the past three years in a managerial, supervisory, leadership, or educator role in a Canadian hospice organization
Have direct involvement in educational strategies for hospice nursing staff (such as planning, approving, delivering, or evaluating education programs)

What participation involves

Participation involves completing a brief anonymous online survey, which takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Ethics approval

This study has been reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Board at the University of Northern British Columbia (REB File #: 6010132).

Contact information

If you have questions about the study, please contact the research team:

Shannon Freeman, Principal Investigator – School of Nursing, UNBC - shannon.freeman@unbc.ca
Santiago Otalvaro, Student Researcher – School of Nursing, UNBC - ctaan@unbc.ca
Emma Rossnagel, Research Manager – School of Nursing, UNBC - ctaan@unbc.ca

BCHPCA is sharing this opportunity to support knowledge development and collaboration across the hospice and palliative care sector. We encourage eligible hospice leaders to consider contributing their perspectives to this national research effort.

BCHPCA Information Session for Band Social Development Workers

Daniel Mantilla — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:03:30 GMT

On March 4, 2026, the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association recently had the privilege of being invited to host a virtual information session for the Band Social Development Workers (BSDWs) from First Nations communities across British Columbia. This session focused on understanding hospice and palliative care and supporting Elders, families, and communities during serious illness and end-of-life.

The session was organized in collaboration with partners at Indigenous Services Canada, whose team supports BSDWs delivering community programs across the province. The conversation was led by representatives from the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association and included contributions from Sarah Cobb, Executive Director of the Vancouver Hospice Society, who shared additional community-based perspectives and insights from the hospice sector. Participants joined from communities throughout Vancouver Island, the Interior, Northern BC, Fraser, and coastal regions, bringing together social development staff, health directors, wellness coordinators, and other community support workers.

Understanding Hospice and Palliative Care in Community Contexts

During the session, BCHPCA shared an overview of hospice and palliative care in British Columbia, including:

What hospice and palliative care are, and how they support individuals living with serious illness
Where services are typically provided, including home-based care, hospitals, long-term care, and hospice residences
How care is coordinated through provincial health authorities and community hospice societies
Resources available for patients, families, caregivers, and community providers

The conversation also highlighted how hospice and palliative care services connect with existing First Nations health programs and supports, including work led by the First Nations Health Authority, which partners with communities to provide culturally grounded health and wellness services.

The Important Role of Band Social Development Workers

One of the key themes that emerged from the discussion was the central role BSDWs often play in their communities. Families frequently turn to BSDWs when they are navigating complex and emotional situations such as serious illness, caregiving, or the loss of a loved one.

Participants shared how BSDWs may help families understand available services, connect with health authorities, access social supports, or find grief and bereavement resources. These connections can be especially important in rural and remote communities where navigating health systems can be challenging.

Challenges Highlighted:
Participants also discussed ongoing challenges related to understanding the role of hospice palliative care and how hospice services integrate within First Nations community care systems. There was a clear and urgent need identified for stronger clinical supports in community settings, as well as improved coordination and integration between hospice providers, health authorities, and community services.

A significant concern raised by several participants was the daily per diem fee required for individuals to stay in a hospice residence during end of life. The cost, currently $49.57 per day, was described as a substantial barrier for some Elders and families. Participants noted that having to navigate financial considerations during an already difficult time can add stress and inequity.

The Association continues to advocate on this issue, including raising awareness of financial hardship processes that is available. It was also acknowledged that many hospice societies work to ensure that individuals who are unable to pay are still able to access compassionate end of life care at all times.

Strengthening Connections Across the System

Another important part of the conversation focused on strengthening coordination between community services, First Nations health programs, provincial health authorities, and hospice organizations.

Hospice and palliative care often involves many different parts of the health and social care system working together. By sharing information, building relationships, and creating clearer referral pathways, organizations and communities can help ensure individuals and families receive compassionate and coordinated care throughout their end-of-life journey.

Working Together to Support Elders and Families

The session reinforced the importance of working collaboratively across organizations and communities. When hospice programs, health authorities, First Nations health services, and community workers share knowledge and support one another, it becomes easier to respond to the needs of individuals and families facing some of life’s most difficult moments.

BCHPCA is grateful for the opportunity to learn from the perspectives shared by BSDWs and to better understand the realities communities are navigating across the province. Continuing these conversations and strengthening partnerships is an important step toward improving access to compassionate, culturally respectful hospice and palliative care for all people in British Columbia.

We extend our sincere thanks to the Band Social Development Worker community and our partners for the opportunity to connect and learn together. We look forward to continuing this dialogue in meaningful and action oriented ways.

We also encourage hospice societies, community organizations, and health system partners to reflect on the barriers that First Nations communities and indigenous citizens continue to face in accessing care. There is an important opportunity to work together to better respect community priorities, reduce systemic barriers, and support individuals and families to remain connected to their communities throughout serious illness and end of life.

BCHPCA remains committed to advancing this work through its advocacy, partnerships, and initiatives across the province.

BC Budget 2026: Insights from Vantage Point’s Non-Profit Sector Webinar

Daniel Mantilla — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:20:22 GMT

Following the release of British Columbia Budget 2026, our team participated in a timely and insightful webinar hosted by Vantage Point to unpack what the announcements mean for non-profits across the province.

Click here to watch the recording

The session was facilitated by Prairie Chiu, Director of Engagement and Advocacy at Vantage Point, who guided a thoughtful and engaging discussion. Tyler Arnold, Policy and Advocacy Specialist, provided a clear and comprehensive overview of the key highlights from Budget 2026.

Fiscal Overview

Budget 2026 presents an updated deficit of $9.6 billion for 2025–26, $1.6 billion lower than previously forecast, largely due to higher-than-expected corporate and personal income tax revenues and lower spending on refundable tax credits. The fiscal year also reflects a one-time $2.7-billion tobacco settlement, reducing the projected deficit.

Over the three-year fiscal plan, projected deficits are:

$13.3 billion (2026–27)
$12.2 billion (2027–28)
$11.4 billion (2028–29)

While the government emphasized fiscal restraint, it signaled an intention to avoid major cuts to core public services.

Health-Care Investments

Budget 2026 includes $2.8 billion in new health-care funding over three years, including:

$2.3 billion to increase health-system capacity, including hiring more health-care workers and supporting new and expanded facilities
$131 million for intensive mental-health and addictions treatment
$34 million annually to expand access to in-vitro fertilization
$447 million in federal contributions to support seniors’ health services and long-term care improvements
$653 million in federal funding to expand public drug coverage, including diabetes medications and menopausal hormone therapy

At the same time, the Budget does not introduce significant new structural investments for the non-profit sector. Continued fiscal restraint is expected in the coming years, and there is no new commitment to multi-year, core operating funding, a key advocacy priority for many organizations.

Vantage Point and the BC Non-Profit Network consulted extensively with the sector during pre-budget consultations. Their advocacy efforts were reflected in the Finance Committee’s recommendations supporting stable, multi-year core funding and updated funding formulas to reflect current operational realities. However, these recommendations were not fully realized in this year’s Budget.

Sector Panel Discussion

The webinar also featured a compelling panel discussion with sector leaders:

Andrew Price, CEO of ViaSport
Daljit Gill-Badesha, CEO of AMSSA
Jill Atkey, CEO of BC Non-Profit Housing Association
Matt Cook-Cantois, Senior Associate – Programs Specialist at New Relationship Trust

Panelists shared their initial reactions to Budget 2026, discussed how risk and uncertainty are shaping their strategic planning, and reflected on funding impacts for their members and communities. The conversation also explored trends in First Nations support and highlighted the importance of collaboration and solidarity across the non-profit sector during times of fiscal constraint.

How Can Non-Profits Support Each Other?

One of the most meaningful questions posed to the panel was how non-profits can support one another in the coming years, particularly in a context of fiscal restraint and growing community needs.

From a BCHPCA perspective, this question resonates deeply. The hospice and palliative care sector is built on collaboration, between volunteers, community-based organizations, health authorities, and families. Each organization carries unique expertise, lived experience, and regional knowledge. In times of uncertainty, these strengths become some of our most valuable shared assets. Knowledge-sharing, coordinated advocacy, and mutual support are essential.

The one-hour session was incredibly informative and engaging. We extend our sincere thanks to Vantage Point and the panelists for creating space for sector-informed analysis and meaningful reflection on what comes next for non-profits across British Columbia.

BC Budget 2026 What It Means for Hospice and Community Care

Pablita Thomas — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:37:32 GMT

Provincial Fiscal Context

Budget 2026 continues to prioritize core public services while managing fiscal pressures.

Revenue: $85.5 billion
Total spending: $98.8 billion
Projected deficit: $13.3 billion

Health care remains the Province’s largest area of spending.

Health Care Investments

$36.1 billion - Ministry of Health budget for 2026/27
41% of total provincial spending goes to health services
$2.8 billion in additional health funding over three years

Key areas highlighted in the budget include:

system capacity and workforce support
mental health and addictions services
seniors care and complex care services
continued expansion of primary and community care

The Province is also planning $11.1 billion in health facility investments over the next three years.

Social and Community Supports
Budget 2026 also includes investments that affect families and communities connected to hospice care.

$6.0 billion - Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
$2.71 billion - Ministry of Children and Family Development

Additional investments include:

$475 million for children and youth with disabilities
expanded community-based services for families and caregivers
increased support programs for vulnerable populations

What This Means for Hospice and Community Care
While Budget 2026 includes significant investments in health and social services, community based hospice and palliative care services are not explicitly named in the budget highlights.

Across British Columbia, hospice societies play an essential role in:

supporting people at end of life
providing grief and bereavement care
supporting caregivers and families
mobilizing trained volunteers
strengthening compassionate communities

As demand for palliative and end-of-life care continues to grow, conversations about sustainability, access, and collaboration between the health system and community organizations will remain critical.
Why This Conversation Matters

To explore these issues further, BCHPCA is convening a sector discussion:

BC Budget 2026: What It Means for Hospice and Community Care

A panel conversation with hospice leaders and clinicians exploring how the budget translates to service delivery in communities across BC.

Insights from this discussion will help inform BCHPCA’s sector analysis and recommendations for provincial partners.

STAY TUNED FOR THE EVENT

CHPCA Learning Institute: Abstract Submission is Now Open

Adam Webber — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:50:56 GMT

Abstract submissions are now open  for the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) 2026-2027 Virtual Learning Institute! This is your opportunity to share your research, education and community-based programs, and best practices with a national audience of healthcare professionals, educators, system leaders, and advocates working in hospice palliative care.

Please visit the Learning Institute website for the full list of sub-themes and detailed submission guidance.

Submit your abstract today!  Submissions close March 31, 2026.For full details and submission guidelines, visit https://www.chpca.ca/conference-events/learning-institute-home/abstracts/

Standing with Tumbler Ridge

Pablita Thomas — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:30:00 GMT

The British Columbia Hospice and Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) extends our heartfelt solidarity to the community of Tumbler Ridge following the devastating events at the local school.

We hold the children, families, educators, first responders, and all those affected in our thoughts during this time of profound grief.

Traumatic loss impacts entire communities. Children, youth, parents, and educators may experience shock, confusion, sadness, anger, or fear in the days and weeks ahead. These responses are natural.

Across British Columbia, hospice societies and community based grief programs offer support to individuals and families navigating loss. While we are not a frontline crisis service, our team can help connect individuals and organizations to local grief and bereavement resources.

We encourage everyone to care for themselves and one another, listen gently, maintain supportive routines for children, limit exposure to distressing media coverage, and seek support when needed.

Grief is not something to carry alone. We stand with Tumbler Ridge, and with all communities facing unimaginable loss.

Contact and Support

If you or someone you know is in need of support or guidance, please reach out to your community hospice society, crisis line or the British Columbia Hospice and Palliative Care Association:

Email: office@bchpca.org

Main Line: (604) 267-7024

Toll Free: 1-(877) 410-6297

Our team can connect you with local grief and bereavement services, child and youth supports, and community resources. Support is available for individuals, families, and organizations navigating the impact of this tragedy.

New Data Highlights Growing Pressure on Seniors’ Care and the Critical Role of Community Based Supports

Pablita Thomas — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:58:43 GMT

Newly released data from the Office of the BC Seniors Advocate confirms a widening gap between the growth of British Columbia’s seniors population and the availability of publicly funded long-term care and assisted living beds.

While the population of seniors aged 65 and over has increased by approximately 19% since 2019, long term care capacity has grown by just 5%. The report also notes that the province currently faces a shortfall of more than 2,000 long term care beds, with projected demand rising to 16,000 additional beds by 2035 if no further action is taken.

For hospice societies and community based care providers, these findings reflect what is already being felt on the ground:
more caregivers under strain, more seniors living with complex needs at home, and growing demand for grief, bereavement, navigation, and end of life supports.

Hospice and palliative care services are not long term care, and they should not be treated as a replacement for it. However, hospice societies play a critical role in the broader care ecosystem by supporting people earlier, stabilizing families and caregivers, and reducing unnecessary crisis and acute system use.

As pressure on long term care continues to grow, investment in community based services must be seen as part of a coordinated seniors’ care strategy, not an afterthought. Strengthening hospice, grief, caregiver, and community palliative supports helps bridge gaps, improves quality of life, and ensures seniors are not left without care while waiting for formal placement.

BCHPCA will continue to engage with government, health authorities, and partners across sectors to advocate for a balanced, integrated approach to seniors’ care that recognizes both facility-based care needs and the essential role of community-delivered services.

Read the full Seniors Advocate news release here
View the 2025 Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Directory

Growing Demand for Long Term Care Beds in B.C.

The Office of the Seniors Advocate of British Columbia recently released a comprehensive systemic review titled From Shortfall to Crisis: Growing Demand for Long Term Care Beds in B.C. that examines current and projected demand for publicly funded long term care and assisted living beds across the province. The report highlights that the seniors population in B.C. is growing significantly faster than the expansion of long term care capacity, resulting in increasing waitlists, longer wait times, and greater pressure on families and community supports. It includes detailed data on bed supply, waitlists, and regional disparities, and offers recommendations for strengthening care capacity and supports for older adults. The full report provides valuable context for understanding the broader care landscape in which hospice and community services operate.

Read the full report: From Shortfall to Crisis: Growing Demand for Long-Term Care Beds in B.C

Hospice Palliative Care Is Essential Infrastructure

Pablita Thomas — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:23:05 GMT

A Policy Position from the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association

Ahead of Budget 2026

As British Columbia prepares for Budget 2026, there is an important conversation underway about health system sustainability, mental health, aging, and community care.

Hospice societies sit at the intersection of all of these.

Across British Columbia, hospice societies deliver community-based hospice palliative care that includes grief and bereavement support, caregiver stabilization, volunteer-led psychosocial care, advance care planning education, and continuity of support before, during, and after end of life.

This is not charity at the margins of the health system.

It is essential community infrastructure.

BC’s own End-of-Life Care Action Plan recognizes that high quality end-of-life care must increasingly support people to remain at home and in community, reducing avoidable hospital and emergency department use while improving coordination across settings.

International evidence reinforces this direction. Community-based palliative care models are associated with increased likelihood of dying at home, reduced symptom burden, and better coordination of care. Economic analyses in Canada show that palliative approaches reduce costly acute utilization and transitions to higher cost settings.

Hospice societies provide a distinct and critical layer of that community capacity.

They do not replace clinical teams.
They complement them.

They address needs that clinical systems alone cannot meet:

community palliative care
grief and bereavement across the lifespan
caregiver burnout prevention
psychosocial stabilization
culturally responsive, low-barrier support
volunteer mobilization that extends system reach

The structural challenge facing hospice societies is not evidence.
It is integration.

Too often, hospice societies are referenced but not formally embedded in policy architecture. Consulted but not consistently resourced. Valued but not structurally positioned within funding pathways and cross ministry mandates.

Yet during the 2026 Select Standing Committee on Finance consultations, hospice societies, grief and bereavement services, and caregiver supports were explicitly named within the Committee’s recommendations. This signals growing recognition that community-based hospice palliative care is foundational to system sustainability.

Recognition, however, must translate into structural alignment.

Hospice societies not only support those during end of life, but across all lifespan, including upstream grief and caregiver stabilization, which reduces downstream mental health crises, workplace disruption, and health system demand.

Hospice societies already provide this prevention layer.

They mobilize thousands of trained speciality trained volunteers, deliver low-barrier psychosocial support in rural and urban communities, and reach more than 120,000 people annually across British Columbia.

At a time of fiscal constraint, community-based delivery is not a luxury.

It is a cost effective strategy.

The path forward does not require new bureaucracy.

It requires structural recognition.

Integration without institutionalization means:

explicitly naming hospice societies as essential community health and mental health partners
aligning funding mechanisms with non-clinical palliative functions such as grief and caregiver support
embedding palliative approaches and hospice delivery models across health, mental health, seniors, and family policy frameworks
leveraging provincial coordination to reduce duplication while preserving community governance

British Columbia already has trusted hospice infrastructure.

What is missing is consistent structural alignment.

Hospice societies are system stabilizers.

They are mental health partners.

They are cost containment allies.

As Budget 2026 is released, BCHPCA looks forward to working with government to ensure that hospice palliative care and grief and bereavement services are structurally recognized as essential components of British Columbia’s care system.

Budget 2026, is to be released on Tuesday February 17th. Stay tuned!

BCHPCA Team and Members

Aitken Community Hospice Reopens: A Community Effort That Matters

Ivy Lai — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 21:58:40 GMT

We are pleased to share the reopening of the Aitken Community Hospice in the Comox Valley, an important milestone for compassionate, community-based end-of-life care.

Following a period of reduced capacity, hospice beds are being restored, ensuring individuals and families can once again access dignified, home-like care close to home. This reopening reflects the strength and persistence of local leadership, community advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration.

As recently featured on CBC Radio’s On the Island, the story highlights the collective effort of the Comox Valley Hospice Society, its volunteers, staff, community partners, provincial support organizations, and government partners working together toward a shared goal. It is also a reminder of the role elected officials, including MLA Brendan Day, can play in listening to communities and supporting solutions that reflect local needs.

This moment underscores why sustained investment in hospice and palliative care matters. Community-based hospice are not standalone services, they are part of a broader care ecosystem that supports families, reduces pressure on hospitals, and ensures people can receive care in a setting grounded in compassion and dignity.

The reopening of Aitken Community Hospice is more than the return of beds. It is a powerful example of what is possible when communities, hospice societies, provincial partners such as BCHPCA, and government work together, and why continued funding and expansion of hospice palliative care across British Columbia is essential.

Listen to the CBC Radio segment to learn more about this important milestone and the impact of community-based hospice care.

CBC Listen

Executive Reflection: Presenting the Case: Why Hospice Societies Must Be Recognized as Essential Health and Mental Health Infrastructure

Pablita Thomas — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:55:30 GMT

By Pablita Thomas, Executive Director, BC Hospice Palliative Care Association

As we begin 2026, British Columbia enters the second year of Age Forward, a provincial strategy and action plan grounded in connection, prevention, and community-based supports. While Age Forward is led by the Ministry of Health and focuses on aging well, its intent reflects a broader provincial shift toward upstream, community-based approaches that require alignment across health, mental health, and social systems.

Hospice societies across British Columbia already deliver this model in practice. Through specially trained staff and volunteers, they support not only seniors, but children, families, caregivers, and individuals across the lifespan, across cultures, identities, sexual orientations, and housing circumstances, including people who are structurally unhoused, in urban, rural, and remote communities.

This year, the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association’s theme is Presenting the Case: elevating the services hospice societies deliver as essential health and mental health infrastructure, and naming the structural misalignment that has limited their full recognition and integration within provincial planning, policy frameworks, which ultimately has affected equitable funding pathways.

Delivering System Outcomes Without System Positioning

Hospice societies deliver care where health, mental health, caregiving, and social connection intersect.

They provide grief and bereavement support, caregiver stabilization, palliative and end-of-life care, volunteer-led companionship, and low-barrier psychosocial services, often long before crisis points are reached, and long after formal clinical care ends.

These services are delivered by specially trained staff and volunteers, across urban, rural, and remote communities, in partnership with families, clinicians, and community organizations.

Yet despite this impact, hospice societies remain largely outside formal policy and funding architecture.

This is not a gap in delivery.
It is a gap in policy design.

At times, hospice societies are referenced in consultations and community outcomes, but they are not consistently embedded within funding pathways, cross-ministry mandates, or system integration frameworks. As a result, their contributions remain under leveraged at a time when the health system is under historic strain and fiscal pressure.

Hospice Predates Modern Health Integration

To understand this system/policy gap, is to understand how hospice palliative care delivered by hospice societies began in BC.

Hospice societies in British Columbia predate today’s integrated health system structures and the current regionalized health authority model.

Many emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s through community and volunteer leadership, alongside or ahead of early provincial hospice pilot initiatives. They developed largely outside formalized palliative care structures, as charitable, volunteer-led responses to unmet needs at end of life, in caregiving, and in grief and bereavement.

This community-based origin allowed hospice societies to earn deep local trust, respond flexibly to local realities, and reach people and families the formal health system often could not.

That independence became their strength, and, over time, their vulnerability.

As health systems evolved toward regionalization and integration, hospice societies were never formally repositioned within new policy, planning, or funding architectures. They remained outside the system not by choice, but by historical design.

The result is a paradox: hospice societies now deliver outcomes governments explicitly prioritize, prevention, mental health support, caregiver wellness, social connection, and community resilience, yet remain structurally under recognized and inconsistently integrated as system partners.

A Shift in the Conversation, and a Moment to Act

The 2025 Select Standing Committee on Finance consultation report marked an important shift. For the first time, hospice palliative care, grief and bereavement services, caregiver support, and community-based approaches were raised repeatedly across multiple themes, including health system sustainability, mental health, and community care.

This recognition matters.

But consultation alone does not ensure implementation.

As British Columbia prepares for Budget 2026 release amid fiscal constraints and growing demand for community based care, the opportunity is not only to fund programs, but to align policy, funding, and mandates with infrastructure that already exists and works.

Hospice societies are uniquely positioned to support this alignment. Through its provincial reach and relationships with hospice societies across BC, BCHPCA can help identify where and how community-based palliative approaches intersect with multiple ministries, health, mental health, seniors, children and families, and social development, without duplicating effort or creating new bureaucracy.

What Comes Next

In February 2026, BCHPCA will release a Policy Position Paper outlining how hospice societies can be integrated into BC’s health and mental health systems without being institutionalized or absorbed, and without eroding the community trust that makes them effective.

This paper is not a funding proposal.

It is a systems level policy statement intended to support implementation, interpretation, and alignment, regardless of specific budget allocations.

Our message is simple:

Hospice societies are not charitable add-ons to the health system.
They are community based system stabilizers, mental health partners, and cost containment allies.

If British Columbia is serious about strengthening community care while managing fiscal constraints, hospice societies must be structurally recognized and integrated as essential partners.

This year, BCHPCA will present that case, clearly, constructively, and collaboratively.

In Loving Memory of Dr. Balfour Mount: 1939-2025

Ivy Lai — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 21:19:13 GMT

Montreal, Quebec – September 29, 2025

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association joins colleagues across Canada and around the world in mourning the passing of Dr. Balfour Mount, the "father of palliative care."

In 1975, he founded the Royal Victoria Hospital Palliative Care Service and McGill's Program in Integrated Whole Person Care and organized the first International Congresses on Care of the Terminally Ill, leaving a lasting impact on how healthcare addresses the physical, psychological, social, and existential suffering of seriously ill patients

Dr. Mount’s leadership, compassion, and scholarship shaped the practice of palliative care and continue to guide our work today. His contributions have brought comfort and dignity to countless individuals and families.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and all those grieving his loss. His extraordinary legacy will continue to inspire us.

️ May he rest in peace.

National Grief and Bereavement Day at the BC Legislature: A Moment of Visibility and Momentum

Pablita Thomas — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 16:02:26 GMT

On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, we marked National Grief and Bereavement Day with intention and impact at the BC Legislature.

Representing the hospice palliative care sector were:
️Amanda McNally, Executive Director, Peace Arch Hospice Society
️Donna Flood, Executive Director, Prince George Hospice Society
️Teri Henderson, CEO, Victoria Hospice Society
Pablita Thomas, Executive Director, BC Hospice Palliative Care Association

Together, we carried the voices of community hospice societies across BC into the province’s political corridors.

Hospice societies and their work in grief and bereavement were formally acknowledged on the record in the Legislative Gallery, a moving moment of visibility for our sector and the families we serve.

During Question Period, issues around the Comox Valley 50 % hospice bed reductions were raised, igniting broader discussion on end-of-life care, grief supports, and seniors care. Remarkably, nearly 30% of Question Period focused on our sector services, including seniors care, end of life care, a community care, just to name a few, an unprecedented recognition of its role in BC’s health system.

We held productive, solution focused meetings with:

Ministry of Health senior officials
MLAs from BC Conservatives, including Health and Seniors Critics and party leader.
All three Health Parliamentary Secretaries, representing Mental Health, Rural Health, and Seniors & Long-Term Care

Our message was clear:

✅ Hospice societies are essential, community-based partners in BC’s health system.

✅ Grief and bereavement supports must be fully integrated into planning and funding.

✅ Community-led, low barrier hospice care is not only compassionate, it’s fiscally responsible, and critical to reducing system strain.

We’re building on this momentum with:

A Strategic Grief and Bereavement Framework for provincial grief and bereavement integration (2026)
A toolkit for MLA champions and government ambassadors
A public facing awareness campaign
A revitalized working group to support cross sector leadership

We’re grateful for the support, interest, and genuine dialogue at the Legislature, and for every hospice society, staff member, and volunteer making this work possible. Your commitment to care, compassion, and dignity was carried with us into every room.

Let’s continue to walk this path .... together.

#GriefAndBereavementDay #HospicePalliativeCare #EndOfLifeCare #HealthSystemIntegration #CompassionateCommunities #Advocacy #BCHPCA

Breakfast on the Hill: Bringing the Experience of Palliative Care to Federal Decisionmakers

Ivy Lai — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:56:24 GMT

On November 19, the Palliative Care Coalition of Canada (PCCC) hosted its annual Breakfast on the Hill at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The event brought together Members of Parliament, Senators, and federal policy staff for an interactive experience designed to highlight what palliative care looks like in practice, why it matters, and where Canada must act to improve access.

The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) was pleased to participate as a member of the PCCC. Representatives from across the palliative care community volunteered their time to share expert insights and speak directly with federal decisionmakers. The room was designed as a series of museum-style stations, each showcasing a different part of the palliative care experience. These included:

About Palliative Care
Palliative Care at Home
Palliative Care in a Hospice Residence
The Future of Palliative Care in Canada

This format created space for conversation, learning, and connection. Many attendees were new to Parliament following the recent federal election, which made the event an important opportunity to build awareness and strengthen understanding of how palliative care improves quality of life for patients, caregivers, and communities.

A key message shared throughout the morning was the importance of sustained federal leadership in implementing the Framework on Palliative Care in Canada. Improving access requires continued investment, collaboration with the sector, and a commitment to culturally safer, equitable care for people in every region of the country.

The event also supported the launch of the PCCC’s parliamentary petition, which calls for renewed federal investment of $29.8 million to advance the Framework and strengthen palliative care across Canada. The petition remains open to the public in both official languages.

This advocacy work aligns with CHPCA’s strategic goals to influence public policy, raise awareness, support education, and collaborate with partners to ensure that everyone in Canada has equitable access to quality hospice palliative care.

The energy in the room demonstrated the strength and commitment of Canada’s palliative care community. CHPCA thanks the PCCC for convening this important event and is proud to continue contributing to national conversations that help advance compassionate, person-centred care for all Canadians.

Learn More

Funding Opportunity! BCCPC opens Seed Grant funding Cycle 6

Ivy Lai — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:11:44 GMT

Cycle 6 of BC-CPC's Seed Grants Program is here—an exciting opportunity to spark compassion and connection in communities across BC! The BC-CPC is inviting local organizations to create welcoming hubs where people can find information, navigate care, and receive emotional, social, practical, spiritual, or grief support.

These grants help bring the Compassionate Communities approach to life, supporting innovative, community-driven programs that make a real difference for those facing aging, serious illness, caregiving, or loss.

Apply now to turn your ideas into action and help make compassion part of your community.

Applications are now open. Deadline: December 31, 2025

Seed Grant Cycle 6

Information sessions

Need more information or some support on your Seed Grants application? Attend one of our information sessions.

Hospice Bed Closures in Comox Valley Highlight Fragility of End-of-Life Care Access in BC

Pablita Thomas — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 23:00:00 GMT

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is expressing deep concern following the temporary closure of three hospice beds at Aitken Community Hospice in the Comox Valley, owned and operated by Golden Life Management.

The decision, made after the discontinuation of temporary Ministry of Health funding for contract nurses on October 31, represents a 50% reduction in local hospice capacity. For families in the Comox Valley, this means fewer options for compassionate, end-of-life care close to home.

“This isn’t just a local issue in the Comox Valley, it’s a signal of a broader provincial risk,” said Pablita Thomas, Executive Director of BCHPCA. “When temporary funding ends, communities lose access to hospice beds that families depend on at the end of life. These are not interchangeable systems.”

A system stretched thin

The closures drop Aitken Community Hospice from six beds to three, reducing local access from 7.7 to 3.9 beds per 100,000 people, well below national best practice guidelines.

Across BC, there are approximately 318 hospice beds, with an estimated 60–80 co-located within long-term-care (LTC) facilities.
In many communities, local hospice societies raise funds, provide speciality training to volunteers, and provide psychosocial and bereavement supports for residents receiving end-of-life care in these settings.

Hospice beds differ fundamentally from LTC beds: they are purpose designed for comfort, dignity, and symptom management in the final days or weeks of life. While short-term funding may stabilize hospitals or care homes, it cannot replace the specialized hospice model that integrates medical, emotional, and spiritual support.

The call for dedicated hospice funding

“We invest heavily in health systems that support birth and recovery,” Thomas added. “But as a society, we must also care for people at the end of life with the same attention and dignity. Hospice care is not a luxury, it’s a vital service.”

BCHPCA is calling for a dedicated and stable funding model within the Ministry of Health to protect hospice capacity, prevent erosion during system pressures, and ensure that hospice beds are not repurposed to fill other gaps in the health system.

“Communities like Comox shouldn’t lose access to hospice care every time temporary funding runs out,” Thomas said. “These programs have been built over decades by volunteers, families, and donors who believe everyone deserves a peaceful place to die.”

About the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is the united voice for more than 70 hospice societies across BC and the Yukon. BCHPCA advocates for equitable, community-based access to hospice palliative care, grief support, and caregiver services, providing system level leadership, data, and education to strengthen end-of-life care.

Media Inquires:
Pablita Thomas
Executive Director
BC Hospice Palliative Care Association
(604) 267-7024
pablita.thomas@bchpca.org

No Fixed Address: The White Cart Memorial Film Screening

Ivy Lai — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 18:50:17 GMT

No Fixed Address: The White Cart Memorial Film Screening

We invite you to join the B C Centre for Palliative Care, Kelowna Homelessness Research Centre, and Community Action Initiative for a free screening of the BC based documentary No Fixed Address: The White Cart Memorial, including a live discussion with the directors/producers on the themes of the film.

The film is a powerful and intimate documentary that sheds light on a deeply overlooked aspect of the homelessness crisis: people's grief following the death of someone they care about. Through the voices and stories of individuals living with unstable housing, the film explores what it means to grieve without a house, and how loss echoes through a community already struggling to survive. Dedicated to the memories of all unhoused lives lost—and those who carry their grief forward—the film urges us to rethink how we hold space for mourning in public, and how we can come together to build more compassionate, inclusive systems of care. Film trailer available at: https://vimeo.com/1115956034.

November 13th screening:

Join us on Thursday, November 13, 6:00 - 8:30pm at the Sandman Hotel Vancouver Downtown (180 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC V6B 4P4).
This free community event is open to the public.
Learn more and RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/no-fixed-address-the-white-cart-memorial-film-screening-tickets-1778222514409

National Grief and Bereavement Day | November 18, 2025

Pablita Thomas — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 16:55:39 GMT

Grief is a natural response to loss, yet too often, it is faced in silence.

In BC , local hospice societies walk alongside more than 85,000 people each year through grief, bereavement, and anticipatory grief support. These programs are free, accessible, and deeply rooted in community, yet most rely on short-term grants, donations, and volunteer efforts rather than sustained health system funding.

This creates an uneven and inequitable landscape of grief care, especially in rural and remote communities, where access depends too often on where a person lives, rather than on need. Despite these challenges, hospice societies continue to fill critical service gaps, providing frontline mental health and wellness along with emotional support to thousands of British Columbians every year.

On this day, BCHPCA joins the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) along with other organizations like Canadian Grief Alliance, Canadian Alliance for Children's Grief, in calling for national action to close Canada’s #GriefLiteracy gap and establish stable, equitable funding pathways for grief and bereavement care for all!

Why It Matters

Everyone will face loss at some point in their lives.
Most Canadians lack the knowledge or support to cope with grief.
Community based grief programs reduce isolation, strengthen resilience, and prevent mental health crises.

Take Action

Talk openly about grief and loss.
Share open source resources that will help people cope and feel supported during their time of need. Visit your local hospice societies for resources as a great starting point.
Contact your MP or MLA to make grief literacy and bereavement supports a health priority.

BCHPCA’s Action

Meeting with MLAs and government leaders at the BC Legislature on November 18 to close the #GriefLiteracy gap and bring awareness to strengthen access of grief and bereavement care across the province.
Bringing together hospice societies from across BC for the first time to co-develop a Provincial Grief and Bereavement Framework, a coordinated plan to sustain and expand community-based grief and bereavement care.
Continuing the only national conference that unites the grief, bereavement, and mental health sectors under one roof;
The Grief, Bereavement & Mental Health Summit, creating space to learn, share resources, and advance national collaboration
Being part of the Provincial Improvement Action Plan of BC Centre of Palliative Care (BC-CPC) and the Next Steps Grief Action Plan, by Canadian Grief Alliance.

Let’s work toward a future where every person in grief feels seen, supported, and understood.

#Grief #GriefLiteracy #MakeGriefAPriority #HospiceCare #BereavementSupport #CommunityHealing #BCHPCA

Remembering Senator Dr. David Hunt

Ivy Lai — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 16:19:29 GMT

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Senator Dr. David Hunt, KCJSJ, on October 30, in the loving arms of his family.

David was invested into the Order as a member of the Vancouver Commandery in 2009. From the outset, he generously contributed his medical expertise as a palliative care physician and his deep passion for the delivery of compassionate end-of-life care. He was an early and committed member of the St. John Hospice development team and, following the Hospice’s opening in 2013, continued to support the Vancouver Commandery’s work in advancing palliative care throughout British Columbia.

David served on the Almoner Committee for many years, including as Chair from 2017 to 2018. During his tenure, he applied his professional insight to thoughtfully identify and advance applications that would have the greatest impact in supporting hospice palliative care. In 2020, David became Commander of the Vancouver Commandery, continuing his commitment to improving palliative care delivery. His engaging personality and good humour inspired members to become more involved. Many will remember his regular phone calls, checking in to see how each of us was doing and asking how he might offer support.

Duetto health challenges, David stepped away from the role of Commander in late 2022. Nevertheless, he remained an active and dedicated member and volunteer until his untimely passing. Much of David’s work was carried out quietly and behind the scenes, never seeking recognition or the spotlight, an enduring reflection of his humility. These contributions form a significant part of his legacy.

As a palliative care physician, David was acutely aware of the needs of underserved and vulnerable populations, particularly those living in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side. In response, he became a tireless champion for the creation of an SOSJ hospice in the DTES, advocating passionately for compassionate care for those most in need.

David will be remembered as a Knight who truly embodied service to faith and service to humanity.

This remembrance was thoughtfully prepared by Senator Howie Charters and shared with us by one of our partner organizations.

Reframing How We Understand Palliative Care: A Moment of Reflection and Progress

Pablita Thomas — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 14:03:55 GMT

Last week, I had the honour of moderating a deeply meaningful panel at the 2025 Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association Conference titled “Reframing Value: Integrating Lived Experience, Indigenous Epistemologies, and Global Evidence in Palliative Care, End-of-Life, and Grief Research.”

Together with:

Dr. Afsan Bhadelia (Purdue University),
Dr. Natalie Greaves (University of the West Indies),
Sandra Fox (Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute), and
Andreas Pilarinos (Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute)

we explored how diverse ways of knowing, particularly lived experience and Indigenous perspectives, can meaningfully inform and enrich palliative care research and practice.

Our collective message: the people and communities we serve must be seen and heard in every aspect of system design and research. Valuing stories, relationships, and community-led truths is essential for building a more compassionate and just palliative care system.

I invite you to read the article published in Pallinews, “Embracing New Ways of Knowing & Understanding Palliative Care,” which captures the essence of our conversation and highlights key takeaways for researchers, providers, and policy advocates alike:

https://iahpc.org/what-we-do/communication/pallinews/2025/november-20/enriching-research-practices/

Let’s continue to champion approaches that reflect the dignity, values, and voices of those at the heart of palliative and end-of-life care.

Thank you,
Pablita

#HospicePalliativeCare #CHPCA #BCHPCA # IAHPC #EquityInCare #IndigenousKnowledge #LivedExperience #HealthResearch

New National Data Highlights Barriers and Care Gaps for Canadians Living with Life-Limiting Illnesses

Pablita Thomas — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 15:54:33 GMT

Released: October 1, 2025 by Statistics Canada

A new national study from Statistics Canada, Living with a Life-Limiting Illness: A 2024 Crowdsourced Study of Experiences and Access to Care, offers a rare glimpse into how Canadians living with life-limiting conditions, and their unpaid caregivers, experience care, access, and support.

The study engaged nearly 1,000 participants across the country between October 2024 and March 2025, including people living with advanced cancer, dementia, and neurological diseases, as well as unpaid family and community caregivers. While not statistically representative, the findings provide meaningful insight into lived experiences and highlight ongoing gaps in palliative and end-of-life care.

Among participants, only 27% reported receiving a high level of palliative care, while 30% experienced low levels of support. 80% said that health services were difficult to access outside regular hours, and over half reported complications due to delayed or insufficient care. Pain and symptom management, specialist referrals, and care coordination were among the hardest services to access.

The study also sheds light on the experiences of unpaid caregivers, 89% reported never receiving an assessment of their support needs. The most requested supports were respite care, improved communication with health-care providers, and access to home care or financial assistance.

These findings reinforce what hospice societies across British Columbia see every day: that timely, community-based palliative and bereavement supports are essential to quality of life and to the sustainability of our health system. BCHPCA commends Statistics Canada, Health Canada, CIHI, and the Public Health Agency of Canada for advancing this critical national conversation, so that provinces and territories, in partnership with care providers, can support people where and when it is needed most.

BCHPCA will use this report in our ongoing advocacy to strengthen the integration of hospice palliative care within the health system and to ensure that hospice societies are recognized as equal partners in the continuum of care across communities.

Read the full release from Statistics Canada here:

Living with a Life-Limiting Illness: A 2024 National Crowdsourced Study of Experiences and Access to Care

Navigating the Insurance Storm: Strategies for Hospices Facing Rising Costs

Ivy Lai — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 18:13:23 GMT

In recent years, insurance has been a hot topic among our members, with many expressing concerns about rising costs and the lack of funding to offset them. For hospices, insurance isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a critical safeguard against a range of liability risks. As Carlene Forde noted, 'while many small groups assume that a simple liability policy and a basic property package are sufficient...the reality is far more complex'. Forde argues that non-profits often underestimate the breadth and depth of their insurance needs, facing unique challenges such as funding shifts and reduced donations, compounded by rising insurance costs . This complexity arises from the unique challenges hospices face, from ensuring the safety of patients and staff to protecting against potential lawsuits. Without adequate insurance, programs and services simply cannot happen.

The reality is that hospices are facing a perfect storm of rising insurance costs, increasing risks and challenges with funding. According to Hub International's Nonprofit Outlook report, insurance premiums for nonprofits are expected to rise between 7% and 20%. This surge is driven by factors such as social inflation, which refers to the increasing tendency of juries to award larger damages in lawsuits. Additionally, the growing threat of cyberattacks and data breaches has made cyber liability insurance a necessity for many nonprofits, further adding to their financial burden.

How do hospice societies and other nonprofits navigate this "perfect storm"? Unfortunately, there is no Staples "Easy" button for this. Here are a couple of suggestions :

Form a good relationship with your insurance broker. Ask your broker to provide a detailed breakdown of your policy, including all exclusions and limitations. Also, inquire about potential discounts or risk management strategies that could help lower your premiums.
Include the necessary insurance costs in project and program grant budgets. When preparing grant proposals, research the average cost of insurance for similar projects and include a line item for insurance expenses. Be prepared to justify this expense to grantors by explaining the importance of protecting the organization and its beneficiaries.

We encourage you to reach out to us via email at adam.webber@bchpca.org or through our online member forum to share your experiences and challenges with insurance. Your insights will help us develop more effective solutions and advocate for your needs.

Links:

Not-for-profits' insurance challenges often misunderstood, says expert | Insurance Business Canada

2024-Outlook-Nonprofit-CAE.pdf

Rise in civil litigation sparks social inflation concerns

Canada’s Global Palliative Care Ranking - WHO 2025

Pablita Thomas — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 19:53:50 GMT

Canada ranks below expectations in new global palliative care report

The 2025 World Map of Palliative Care Development, published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, has placed Canada in the “Established” category, 8th in the Americas and 51st globally.
Countries like Uruguay, Costa Rica, Chile, and the U.S. ranked higher under the new WHO framework assessing policy, access to essential medicines, education, research, and community empowerment.

The findings highlight both progress and a warning: while palliative care is embedded in parts of our system, major gaps remain in community-based care, data coordination, policy integration, and sustainable funding, areas where hospice societies play a critical role, like in rural and remote communities.

Hospice societies across BC are already leading the shift toward stronger, community-based care. It’s time for policy and funding to catch up.

As BCHPCA continues to advance the next frontier of hospice palliative care, integrated, community-led, and close to home, we’ll use this global evidence to strengthen our collective call for investment, data coordination, and policy alignment.

Read the study here: FREE REPORT
#HospicePalliativeCare #HealthEquity #CommunityCare #BC #Canada

Protecting Sensitive Data in Hospices: Cybersecurity and Insurance Insights

Ivy Lai — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 17:13:02 GMT

Cybersecurity knowledge and cyber insurance are top of mind for many and frequently discussed in meetings. Common questions include: How can we best protect our data? How do we keep clients’ personal and private information safe? What steps should we take if our website is hacked or if phishing emails are sent to our contacts?

Navigating the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape can be challenging, and you’re not alone in figuring out where to start.

We recommend speaking with your insurance broker to determine if cyber insurance is appropriate for your organization. Keep in mind that there are specific requirements for cyber insurance eligibility, so it’s important to ensure your organization meets them. There have been notable cases where cyber incidents were not covered due to unmet requirements—for example, the $5 million claim denied to the City of Hamilton due to lack of login security (CBC News article). While this was a significant attack, it highlights the importance of compliance with cyber insurance standards.

On Oct 1, 2025, Imagine Canada is hosting a webinar: From Insights to Action: Cybersecurity for Nonprofits, Stronger Together Learn more and Register here

To learn more about cybersecurity issues and practical steps to protect the data and personal information you manage, please explore these excellent resources:

Canadian Centre for Cyber Security — The unified source for expert advice, guidance, services, and support on cybersecurity for Canadians.

Get Cyber Safe — A national public awareness campaign providing simple, effective steps Canadians can take to protect themselves online.

Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience — Dedicated to empowering Canada’s diverse nonprofit sector to use data and technology to advance their missions and amplify impact.

Adam Webber, Membership & Education Coordinator

Budget 2026 Consultation Report Released: Hospice Care, Grief, and Bereavement Named as Provincial Priorities

Pablita Thomas — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 17:00:00 GMT

The Report on the Budget 2026 Consultation has now been tabled by the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, following public hearings and written submissions from across British Columbia.

REPORT PAGE

Earlier this year, BCHPCA shared that we participated in the provincial budget consultation process to ensure the realities of hospice societies and community-based palliative care were part of the conversation. The final report reflects many of the issues hospice societies have long raised, including end-of-life care, grief, bereavement, caregiver support, and the need for stable funding for community-based services.

Hospice care, grief, and bereavement explicitly recognized

Notably, the Committee’s report explicitly acknowledges gaps in grief and bereavement services, including the specialized needs of families experiencing complex loss.

In the Health section of the report, the Committee notes a submission from Canuck Place Children’s Hospice Society, which:

"... called for increased investment to ensure adequate specialized grief and bereavement care for caregivers and siblings experiencing the death of a child, noting that there are gaps in specialized support for neonatal and infant loss, traumatic deaths, and sibling and family support.” (page 46)

This recognition is significant. It reflects what hospice societies across BC consistently report: grief and bereavement support is essential, specialized, and currently under-resourced, particularly for children, families, and caregivers navigating traumatic or complex loss.

A clear recommendation to invest in hospice and bereavement care

Importantly, the Committee goes further by including a direct recommendation to the Province of British Columbia to strengthen hospice and end-of-life care through stable investment. The report recommends that the provincial government:

"...Invest in end-of-life care, including providing core funding for hospice societies and increased funding for palliative care, and increasing access to bereavement, grief, and counselling programs.” (page 52)

This recommendation aligns closely with BCHPCA’s ongoing advocacy to recognize hospice societies as essential community based infrastructure within BC’s health and mental health systems.

Why this matters for hospice societies

Hospice societies deliver low-barrier, relationship centred supports at some of the most vulnerable moments in people’s lives. Yet, as the report underscores, many of these services remain structurally under recognized within funding and policy frameworks, despite their proven impact on families, caregivers, and the broader health system.

The Committee’s acknowledgement of grief, bereavement, and hospice care delivered by hospice societies, alongside a call for core funding, reinforces the importance of moving beyond short term, project based funding toward sustainable, predictable investment.

What comes next

BCHPCA will continue to:

Track how the Budget 2026 recommendations translate into government decisions and investments in the coming year
Engage with MLAs, ministries, and partners to highlight the role hospice societies play in health system sustainability, including a Day at the Leg later this fall.
Advance sector wide work on grief, bereavement, caregiver wellness, and community-based palliative care as part of integrated system solutions

We are grateful to hospice societies, our specialty trained volunteers, and partners whose lived experience, data, and leadership continue to inform this work. Your voices are increasingly reflected in provincial conversations, and they matter!

Read BCHPCA’s June Budget Consultation post

Bridging Community Action and Grief Support: Insights from CAT Convening 2025

Ivy Lai — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:04:06 GMT

On June 26 and 27, the BC Hospice and Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) had the privilege of attending the CAT (Community Action Teams) Convening 2025, hosted by Community Action Initiative (CAI), a nonprofit organization transforming mental health and substance use (MHSU) support across British Columbia.

As connectors between grassroots organizations and government, CAI plays a critical role in supporting locally led initiatives and aligning them with broader provincial strategies. BCHPCA was proud to participate and reflect on how our work in grief, bereavement, and hospice-based services contributes to this shared vision of community wellness.

Key Takeaways and Connections to Our Work

1. Expanding the Conversation Beyond the Drug Crisis

While the convening's initial focus was on the toxic drug crisis, discussions increasingly emphasized a broader understanding of substance use, particularly in northern, rural, and Indigenous communities. This shift, backed by the Ministry of Health and local health authorities, resonates with our approach to grief and bereavement: understanding local contexts, meeting people where they are, and supporting holistic, culturally aligned care.

2. Building Strong Relational Foundations

It became clear that community trust and facilitation are crucial for sustainable impact. The example of Nanaimo's local facilitator model, designed to convene community dialogue and chart a new direction, echoes our own interest in supporting hospices as local hubs for healing. As BCHPCA continues to explore collective impact models, we find alignment with efforts to empower local leadership in addressing community grief and loss.

3. Collective Impact as a Framework for Change

One presentation that stood out was on Collective Impact, a model in which community members, organizations, and institutions work together to achieve systems-level change. The work of the Cowichan Community Action Team, shared by Mayor Michelle Staples of Duncan, demonstrated how partnership and coordination can lead to meaningful outcomes. This mirrors our ongoing collaborations within the Grief and Bereavement Funding Strategy Working Group, where we strive to support and amplify locally relevant grief supports.

4. Engaging Communities with Purpose

A session on Community Engagement, supported by Yulu Impact Consultants, introduced a flexible toolkit to help raise awareness, reduce stigma, and tailor communications to community needs. BCHPCA sees communication not just as outreach, but as a means to inspire compassion and normalize conversations around grief, loss, and support.

5. The Data Behind the Crisis

The update from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) highlighted current trends in drug poisoning events and deaths. While data suggests a decline, it’s important to recognize this may be due to tragic factors, including high death tolls and underreporting. Of particular concern is the disproportionate impact on First Nations communities, with 2024 data showing First Nations people dying at 6.7 times the rate of other BC residents. BCHPCA is committed to ensuring that data-informed service planning remains sensitive to these disparities and supports equity across the province.

6. Understanding the Cost of Substance Use

A powerful presentation by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction emphasized the economic and social burden of substance use in Canada—estimated at $49.1 billion in 2020, largely from productivity losses and healthcare costs. BCHPCA believes that strengthening grief and bereavement services not only promotes healing but also alleviates pressure on other parts of the system, particularly healthcare and mental health services.

7. Youth Grief and Healing: Voices from the Field

A moving panel, “What Support Really Looks Like: Youth Grief and Healing,” revealed deep gaps in grief support for youth. Long waitlists, inconsistent age cutoffs, stigma, and a lack of immediate, accessible care all create barriers. Panelists called for partnerships with culturally competent organizations, drop-in counselling models, and greater attention to the wellness of care providers themselves—themes that align closely with our advocacy for funding, training, and community-rooted services.

Next Steps: Sharing Learnings and Strengthening Community Support

BCHPCA’s participation in CAT Convening 2025 was driven by a commitment to learning from diverse community initiatives and bringing valuable insights back to our hospice societies. Our goal is to ensure that hospice-based grief and bereavement services are connected to broader efforts addressing substance use, mental wellness, and community healing. As we move forward, we are focused on:

Sharing Key Learnings with Hospice Societies
Developing Tools for Community Engagement
Fostering Partnerships for Education and Capacity Building
Encouraging Dialogue with Hospice Societies

Moving Forward Together

The CAT Convening 2025 reaffirmed the vital need for collaboration across sectors to ensure that grief, substance use, and mental wellness are addressed not in silos, but as interconnected parts of a healthy community. We see strong alignment between the work of CAI, the Ministry of Health, Indigenous organizations, and local CATs with our mission to support hospice-led grief and bereavement services across British Columbia.

As we continue to expand our collective impact and develop sustainable funding strategies, we thank CAI and all the community members, presenters, partners, and organizers who made this convening a space for learning, reflection, and connection. We are honored to contribute to the conversation and look forward to deepening our partnerships to ensure that no one faces grief alone.

Daniel Ordonez Mantilla
BCHPCA Data & Research Coordinator

Now Published! Essential Outcomes for Palliative Care in BC

Ivy Lai — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 15:55:02 GMT

The BCCPC is pleased to announce the release of a key deliverable from their ongoing Quality Outcomes in Palliative Care project.

“Essential Outcomes of Palliative Care in BC”, a checklist of nine (9) quality outcomes agreed upon by a wide-ranging province-wide advisory panel, including strong representation from people with lived experience. In addition to the nine outcomes, the report includes validated, reliable tools for measuring these consensus-driven outcomes.

These Essential Outcomes mark an important step toward standardized, reportable palliative care outcomes for people in BC.

Full Report

2-page Summary

Key themes
The nine Essential Outcomes transcend care settings – whether the person is receiving care at home, in hospital, or with a hospice. The outcomes are grouped to address four key themes:

What a person experiences
How a person and family are cared for
What a person and family know and share
How a person gets the care they need.

Collective voices for an identified need
The project was initiated in response to Health Canada’s Framework on Palliative Care in Canada, which identified developing and standardizing person- and family-reported outcomes and experience measures as one of its four priorities for action. In 2024, BCCPC convened an advisory panel to develop recommendations for measuring palliative care outcomes in BC.

This collaborative panel was drawn from the BC health system, hospice sector, Family Caregivers of BC, other key community organizations, and most importantly people with lived experience, who made up over 40% of the participants and played a critical role in shaping the outcomes.

The work continues
BCCPC’s work in this field will continue – they are now exploring opportunities to move forward with standardized reporting of palliative care outcomes in BC across settings, including Long Term Care homes.

BCHPCA Board Welcomes New Leaders and Fresh Perspectives Following July 2025 AGM

Ivy Lai — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 17:29:19 GMT

We’re excited to share some important updates from the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association’s Annual General Meeting this past July. It was a milestone moment for BCHPCA, with new faces joining our Board of Directors and leadership changes that promise to bring renewed energy and ideas to our mission of compassionate hospice care across BC.

Welcoming Our New Board Members

This year, we are proud to introduce four remarkable individuals to our Board team:

Donna Flood, Vice President: Donna’s journey in healthcare is inspiring—spanning over four decades and global impact. From supporting Mother Teresa’s hospice in Calcutta to leading innovative hospice care programs in Prince George and beyond, her leadership is recognized with multiple prestigious awards, including the Queen’s Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals. Donna’s passion for collaboration and sustainability drives her work on behalf of hospice communities.

Shannon Pintwala, Director-At-Large: Founder of Victoria Death Doula, Shannon brings a unique blend of professional leadership and deep personal commitment to end-of-life care. Inspired by her own experience with loss, she offers compassionate, patient-centered support that honors each individual’s journey. Shannon also volunteers with BC Cancer, providing comfort during some of life’s hardest moments.

Christine Colbert, Vancouver Island Regional Director: Christine leads the Comox Valley Hospice Society with dedication, backed by a strong background in primary health and community development. Her experience spans mental health, children’s services, and building collaborative programs that strengthen community care. Outside of work, Christine enjoys time in her garden and cherishing moments with her furry friends.

Debbie Butt, Provincial Regional Director: Debbie’s expertise in communications and fundraising shines through her work with Canuck Place and previous leadership roles with prominent initiatives like the Rick Hansen Leadership Group and Vancouver sports foundations. Her dynamic experience and community connections will be invaluable in advancing BCHPCA’s impact province-wide.

Leadership Changes to Note

Our heartfelt thanks go to Kevin Harter, who completed his term as Board President and now serves as Past President, continuing to provide guidance with his extensive experience. We also welcome Natasha Girard as our new Board President, bringing her passion and commitment to lead BCHPCA into its next phase.

Additionally, we bid a fond farewell to Gretchen Hartley, who retired as both the Vancouver Island Board Representative and from her role with the Vancouver Island Federation of Hospices. We deeply appreciate Gretchen’s years of dedicated service and the positive impact she’s made on hospice care.

What’s Next for BCHPCA?

With the strength of this energized Board, BCHPCA is poised to continue advocating for and supporting hospice palliative care across British Columbia. Together, we will explore innovative approaches, foster collaboration, and, most importantly, serve our communities with compassion and respect.

Please join us in warmly welcoming our new Board members and thanking our outgoing leaders for their invaluable contributions.

Learn more about BCHPCA’s Board members and their inspiring work by visiting our Board of Directors webpage.

Sector Update: Hospice Societies Unite to Shape BC’s Grief & Bereavement Funding Strategy

Ivy Lai — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 21:31:25 GMT

Over 70 hospice societies across British Columbia deliver grief and bereavement services that reach more than 120,000 people each year, yet most operate without stable, designated funding. National data shows that 1 in 3 Canadians are navigating significant grief without adequate support, and BC hospices are seeing rising demand, longer waitlists, and growing complexity in the needs of those they serve. In response, BCHPCA has convened a provincial working group to develop a unified funding proposal to government, one that reflects the urgency, value, and community impact of these essential services.

On May 27, our first working group meeting brought together hospice leaders, providers and volunteers from across the province for a powerful discussion about the realities, gaps in funding, and shared priorities. Together, we began building the foundation for a unified provincial ask rooted in the voices and expertise of local communities.

Next Steps:

The group meets again in late June 2025, expanding the conversation to explore regional delivery models and funding strategies.
A shared drive of resources, research, and policy alignment has been created to support collaborative work.
Regular updates will be shared with members, board representatives, and partners throughout the process.

This work is not just about funding, it’s about ensuring the services hospices deliver in community like grief and bereavement supports are seen as core health and mental health services, not charitable add-ons.

Thank you to all the hospice societies participating in this important work. Your leadership is helping shape a more equitable and sustainable future for grief care in BC.

Want to stay in the loop, provide feedback or learn more? Contact daniel.mantilla@bchpca.org or pablita.thomas@bchpca.org

Executive Reflection: Grief, Meaning, and Why It Matters Now

Ivy Lai — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 16:16:13 GMT

This year, BCHPCA has been focusing on integrating key elements, including evidence, voices, strategy, and heart.

As we prepare to present our first-ever provincial business case for hospice societies and funding ask, I’ve found myself sitting with a deeper truth. One that has emerged not just from the numbers and reports, but from listening, really listening, to hospice providers, volunteers, and the people they walk alongside.

And that truth is this:

The Grief that hospice societies support is not just about death. It’s about the loss of meaning.

When someone loses the person they have shared a home with for years, a relationship, a sense of belonging, or a vision for the future, they are grieving. When that grief is unsupported or unacknowledged, it doesn’t fade away, it festers. It can lead to despair, disconnection, and sometimes harm.

What hospice societies do, quietly, consistently, and often without recognition, is help people rebuild meaning. They create spaces where grief is named, where stories are held, and where life can be reoriented.

"When a caregiver loses the partner they’ve spent decades supporting, the absence of daily purpose can be devastating. Hospice societies quietly step in, holding space for grief, honoring stories, and helping people rebuild meaning in a life forever changed."
- Health care provider in community

That’s not merely a “nice to have.” It represents public health infrastructure, mental health care, and prevention!

I wanted to share a reflection that was brought forward at the Budget 2026 consultations this month. It’s not a formal pitch. It’s a reminder of what’s at stake and what’s possible when we choose to invest in care that's relational, responsive, rooted in community, and, yes, evidence-informed.

“The Absence of Meaning is a Public Health Issue”

When people experience grief, trauma, or chronic disenfranchisement without support, they lose their sense of meaning and purpose….

In today’s world, people aren’t just struggling with symptoms, they’re struggling with meaning. When someone loses a partner, a job, a home, a community, or even a vision of the future, what they’re grieving is not just the event. They’re grieving the loss of who they are and why they matter.

And when that grief is unsupported, unspoken, or unseen, it doesn’t disappear, it festers. It shows up in depression, substance use, suicide, isolation, chronic illness, and even disengagement from work, education, or community life.

That’s why I’m saying: The absence of meaning is a public health issue. It’s what underlies so many of our crises, mental health, toxic drug deaths, aging in isolation, and youth despair.

“Grief-Responsive Care IS System Transformation”

Hospice societies are not only about end-of-life. They are anchors of meaning-making. They help people:

make sense of what they’re going through,
reconnect with identity,
build resilience, and
take the next step forward, whatever that may be.

This is what grief-responsive care looks like. It is non-clinical, often volunteer-driven, and embedded directly in community. It reaches people where they are, and often prevents their need to enter the formal mental healthcare system.

And that’s what makes it system-transforming. It reduces crisis interventions, delays deterioration, and brings relief to an overwhelmed health system at a fraction of current healthcare costs.

If we fund grief-responsive, meaning-restoring supports, such as those delivered by BC’s 70+ hospice societies, we are not just being compassionate; we are being fiscally responsible.

We are investing in the emotional infrastructure of this province.

We are addressing mental health/mental wellness at its roots, not at the ER doors.

Your Perspective - Grief, Meaning, and Why It Matters Now

Food for Thought – Rethinking Fundraising in Unstable Times

Ivy Lai — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 18:26:05 GMT

Donor habits are shifting — and not just in how much people give, but in how they give. With rising economic uncertainty, many donors are giving differently, or not at all. For charities and non-profits, including hospice societies, this is a signal to rethink traditional fundraising models.

BCHPCA recently completed a 10-year CRA analysis comparing government funding to other sources like donations. Between 2018 and 2023, donations to hospice societies declined by as much as 16% year-over-year. This ongoing drop highlights an urgent need to explore new, more resilient ways to generate funding.

In response, BCHPCA is exploring innovative fundraising models to better support hospice societies. Emerging trends include:

Reducing large-scale in-person events that carry high costs
Expanding low-barrier options such as raffle ticket, 50/50, etc. sales
Exploring partnerships with builders, contractors to launch home lotteries, a model that has gained popularity and proven success in other sectors

Why home lotteries? Research shows that during economic downturns, people are more inclined to purchase lottery tickets. Home lotteries, in particular, offer wide appeal and strong returns when done strategically — especially because they provide the chance to win a tangible, life-changing item that people can dream about and invest hope in.

As we adapt to this changing landscape, BCHPCA remains committed to supporting our members with tools, partnerships, and shared learning. Have you explored new fundraising approaches? We’d love to hear from you.

Resource you might find helpful

BCHPCA at the Provincial Budget Consultation: Making the Case for Hospice Care

Ivy Lai — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 16:37:20 GMT

On June 16, 2025, our Executive Director, Pablita Thomas, represented the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) at the 2026 Budget Consultation in Victoria. Speaking directly to members of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, Pablita delivered a powerful message: hospice societies are delivering critical health and mental health services across BC, but they are under-recognized and under-resourced.

Pablita’s presentation called on the provincial government to take bold, necessary action in three key areas:

Make End-of-Life Care a Provincial Priority
She emphasized the need for a renewed, equity-informed end-of-life care strategy—one that includes community hospice societies as true partners in delivering care across urban, rural, and Indigenous communities.
Recognize Grief and Bereavement as Public Health Priorities
Grief affects every part of our society, from those mourning the loss of loved ones to those grieving due to trauma, addiction, and social disruption. Yet grief remains largely unsupported in the public system. Pablita called for grief-informed approaches to be embedded across ministries and service models.
Stabilize Hospice Societies Across BC
Despite reaching more than 120,000 people annually, most hospice societies operate without sustainable core funding. BCHPCA is recommending a modest $3.3M annual investment to stabilize existing services, a move projected to protect $145M in health system costs.

BCHPCA Budget 2026 Recommendation

We ask that MLAs and ministries:

Recognize hospice societies as essential health and mental health partners
Champion core operational funding of $3.3 million in Budget 2026
Prioritize grief and bereavement and invest in low-cost, high-value services rooted in compassionate, community-based care

Pablita closed by reminding committee members that grief, dying, caregiving, and loss are universal experiences. They are not partisan issues—they are public health priorities. She urged government to recognize and invest in the compassionate, community-rooted work already being done by hospice societies across BC.

We are proud to have had the opportunity to speak on behalf of our members and the communities they serve. Stay tuned for updates as we continue advocating for meaningful investment and recognition of hospice palliative care across British Columbia.

BCHPCA 2026 Budget Estimates - Poster

Upcoming Initiative: Enhancing End-of-Life Care Education for Healthcare Workers

Ivy Lai — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 22:38:59 GMT

Douglas College, in collaboration with the BC Hospice and Palliative Care Association, is preparing to launch an innovative education initiative aimed at supporting healthcare professionals who care for patients approaching the end-of-life. This program will emphasize the development of practical skills and emotional resilience through End-of-Life Doula training. Our goal is to equip workers in long-term care and other settings to provide compassionate, culturally responsive, and comprehensive support.

As we shape this initiative, we are actively seeking input from healthcare professionals throughout BC. Your firsthand experiences are crucial in ensuring that the training addresses the realities of your daily work such as navigating grief, managing stress, and addressing the emotional complexities inherent in end-of-life care in ways that are both meaningful and relevant. This initiative will complement Douglas College’s existing suite of End-of-Life Studies programming.

We invite you to contribute to this vital endeavor. Your insights will directly influence the delivery of training and the prioritization of support. Together, we can develop resources that enhance the quality of patient care and promote the wellbeing of healthcare providers.

Please reach out to Jennifer Mallmes (mallmesj@douglascollege.ca) to join the conversation and help shape the future of end-of-life care education.

Canada’s National Grief Portal Launches Today

Ivy Lai — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 GMT

We’re excited to share that today marks the official launch of AboutGrief.ca | LeDeuil.ca — Canada’s new national grief portal. Led by the Canadian Grief Alliance (founded and administered by Canadian Virtual Hospice), this bilingual platform is accompanied by the release of The Next Steps Action Plan: A Strategic Approach to Grief Literacy and Grief Support in Canada, developed with support from Health Canada.

AboutGrief.ca | LeDeuil.ca: A Central Resource for Grief in Canada

This mirrored bilingual website supports Canadians experiencing all forms of loss — both death and non-death related. Key features include:

33 original articles developed with grief experts and individuals with lived experience
Curated databases of over:
- 400 resources across multiple formats
- 400 grief programs and services across local, regional, and national levels
- 100+ innovations and research initiatives
Grief Assistant: A safe and structured AI chatbot that guides users to tailored resources
Video gallery with over 1,000 searchable clips of lived experiences and expert guidance
Windmail: A secure feature allowing users to send private messages to those they miss

The Next Steps Action Plan (NSAP)

In response to Health Canada’s request for a national grief strategy, the NSAP offers five key recommendations for improving grief literacy and support across Canada.

Why it matters:

Canada currently lacks a cohesive grief support system
Post-COVID, grief is more widespread and complex
Many Canadians cannot access the help they need, leading to downstream impacts on mental health and community well-being

The NSAP is built on:

Insights from 300+ informants, 44 organizations, and 55 focus groups
Over 4,000 survey responses — 500+ of whom formed the “Great Big Grief Focus Group”
4,500+ hours of volunteer support
Guidance from a National Consultation Committee of 33 members

This is a much-needed and highly anticipated resource for grief practitioners, community members, and policy makers alike.

How You Can Engage

Visit AboutGrief.ca | LeDeuil.ca and explore the tools and resources
Read the NSAP (available in English and French)
Share the site with your staff, clients, residents, and networks
Amplify the launch on your social media platforms
Request content for newsletters or communications — we’re happy to support

We are grateful to Health Canada and the many individuals and communities who made this possible. This is a big step forward in supporting grief across Canada.

Sector Report Highlight: Aging in Place in Evidence Report - Canada

Pablita Thomas — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 21:07:27 GMT

Sector Report Highlight: Aging in Place in Canada

Published by Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC)

This national evidence review explores the barriers and enablers to aging in place across Canada. While the report doesn’t specifically mention hospice or palliative care, its themes strongly reinforce the importance of community-based, integrated, and person-centred supports, the very principles at the heart of hospice society work.

Key findings include:

Limited access to home-based health services, especially in rural and remote communities
Increased social isolation among older adults
The need for caregiver support and coordinated care systems
The role of local, culturally appropriate services in enabling people to age safely and meaningfully at home

Why this matters for us:
Hospice societies are already filling many of these gaps, supporting isolated seniors, providing non-clinical grief care, and easing the strain on families. This report offers a valuable policy lens to position hospice work as essential to the aging-in-place strategy.

READ FULL REPORT

Volunteer Canada's National Volunteer Action Strategy (NVAS) Survey

Adam Webber — Wed, 28 May 2025 18:40:26 GMT

The NVAS is a co-created strategy, and we need your input to ensure it reflects the voices and experiences of everyone invested in the future of volunteering in Canada. We want to be able to share the data and analysis with our partners and members based on their geographic location and subsectors - and so, getting a sample that is representative of the population is deeply important. By participating in the survey, you will help us:

Create a representative data sample that tells the story of volunteering and community participation across the country.
Strengthen our advocacy and policy propositions with robust data collection.
Share valuable data with our partners to support their work and projects.
Gather insights that address the concerns of your subsector, city, province, or territory.
Build a national volunteer action strategy backed by data and the voices of the country

To learn more about the NVAS and participate in the survey, check out volunteerstrategy.ca/get-involved. There are surveys for Individuals, as well as for Organizations and Non-Profits.

Hike for Hospice Palliative Care 2025

Pablita Thomas — Wed, 07 May 2025 20:45:31 GMT

British Columbians and Yukoners are invited to take part in this year’s Hike for Hospice, a national event that supports compassionate end-of-life care in local communities.

Thousands walk each year to honour loved ones, raise vital funds, and ensure hospice palliative care is available close to home.

“It’s a day where families gather to remember, and where we all feel the power of community walking together for a cause that touches every one of us.”
-Northern Region Hospice Society Volunteer

Read the full release and find out how to get involved: www.bchpca.org/hike-for-hospice-palliative-care

To learn more or find a hike near you, visit:
www.bchpca.org/hike-for-hospice-palliative-care
www.chpca.ca/awareness/hike-for-hospice-palliative-care

#HikeForHospice #BCHPCA #HospicePalliativeCare #CommunityCare #EndOfLifeCare #HospiceSupport

Strength in Numbers: Creating a Unified Voice Through Data

Ivy Lai — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:40:57 GMT

Hospice societies across British Columbia and the Yukon provide invaluable support to individuals and families facing end-of-life care, grief, and bereavement. To strengthen recognition and ensure sustainable funding for these essential services, the Information and Technology Task Group has been working since June 2023 to create a standardized framework for data collection and reporting across all hospice societies. A province-wide data initiative.

This initiative aims to develop a will harmonized data reporting practices, empowering hospice societies to present a unified and compelling case for advocacy and funding.By aligning how we gather and share our stories through data, we can build a stronger, collective case for the critical role hospice societies play in caring for our communities.

We're currently in the environmental scan phase, conducting targeted surveys across key service areas: grief and bereavement support, palliative care, community education and outreach, and indirect support. We've already completed surveys for grief and bereavement support, as well as community education and outreach, and are analyzing the data. We will post preliminary snapshots on our Standardizing Hospice Data Practices webpage.

In the coming weeks, we plan to release the indirect support survey, followed by the palliative care survey at the end of May. Throughout the summer, we will analyze the collected data to gain a comprehensive understanding of the invaluable contributions of hospice societies across British Columbia and the Yukon. We are eager to see this data come to life and use it to create a standardized framework for data collection and reporting. This will enable us to effectively advocate for our hospice society members, highlighting the critical role they play in our communities.

We are incredibly grateful for all the support we have received throughout this project from our task group members, pilot group and all those who have completed our surveys. Please watch for more information about our upcoming surveys! Your input is crucial to this important project!

Adam Webber
Membership and Education Coordinator

Research Study: Volunteers’ experience of client interactions

Ivy Lai — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 16:47:29 GMT

We would like to inform you of a study investigating how volunteers experience interactions with palliative and grief clients. This study involves answering a brief mobile survey after your next several interactions with your client, intended to help the researchers understand how volunteers listen to and support clients, and how those interactions impact the volunteers themselves. We hope you will consider participating.

The principal investigator of the research study, Tiffany Kriz, Ph.D., an Associate Professor in Management and Organizations at MacEwan University in Edmonton. Dr. Kriz is collaborating with the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley (Banff/Canmore) to conduct this study of palliative, hospice, and grief care volunteers in Western Canada, and they have asked us to reach out to our eligible volunteers for inclusion into the study. You are being invited to participate in this study because you are currently deployed as a volunteer to support a client in Western Canada navigating difficult life changes.

If you participate, you will be asked to provide your email address, provide some basic demographic information, and answer some questions about your personality through the link below, then you will be asked complete a short (~3 minutes) survey after at least five client interactions.

If you are interested in participating in the study, please visit this link: https://macewan.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_067Mrvv3ibmoKCW

If you have questions about the study or your participation, contact Dr. Tiffany Kriz at Tiffany.Kriz@macewan.ca.

Participation in the study is voluntary. If you choose not to participate, you can simply disregard this communication, and your volunteer position will not be affected in any way.

The British Columbia Atlas of Palliative Care

Ivy Lai — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 20:44:22 GMT

Pallium Canada has officially launched the British Columbia Edition of the Canadian Atlas of Palliative Care. This groundbreaking resource provides a comprehensive, data-driven snapshot of the status of palliative care across several domains in the province and its regions.

Learn More

BCHPCA at the "Dying, Death, Burial & Bereavement Resource Fair"

Ivy Lai — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 17:52:22 GMT

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

BCHPCA and Prince George Hospice Spotlighted in IAHPC Global Feature on Culturally Safe(r) Care

Pablita Thomas — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 15:46:27 GMT

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

Support for OSA's Ageism Report from BC’s Hospice Sector

Ivy Lai — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 18:21:01 GMT

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

Press Release: 2025 Spring Lunch & Learn Webinar Series

Ivy Lai — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 17:46:52 GMT

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.

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

Call to Support Greener Options for British Columbians

Ivy Lai — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 18:12:39 GMT

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

Serving Our Community in Time of Challenge and Change - Wildflower Bloom

Ivy Lai — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 16:00:00 GMT

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

Palliative Care, Sepsis & Antimicrobial Resistance: Shared problems, shared solutions

Ivy Lai — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 19:13:51 GMT

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

Honouring Traditions: Integrating Cultural Wisdom into Palliative Care – Saif Mohammed

Pablita Thomas — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 20:24:09 GMT

"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.

The Hospice and Palliative Care Community calls on the BC Government to further support those nearing end of life and those grieving and bereaved.

Ivy Lai — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 19:31:23 GMT

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.

Read BCHPCA's Response

Hospice and Palliative Care Community’s Response to BC Throne Speech

Ivy Lai — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 17:15:39 GMT

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

Call for Tributes for Dr. Bernard Lapointe

Adam Webber — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 20:40:51 GMT

Please email alexandra.frail@mcgill.ca with any tributes you may have.

Establishing An Expert Consensus Statement: Nurses Pre-Drawing Subcutaneous Medication For Palliative Patients At Home

Ivy Lai — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 17:29:17 GMT

Co-led by the BC Centre for Palliative care and First Nations Health Authority, this project developed a consensus statement to guide nursing decision making for people receiving palliative care who need subcutaneous medications for symptom management at home.

Read The Statement

The Need

Many people living with serious illness are cared for at home as their illness progresses. Family caregivers play an essential role. When people with life-limiting illness are prescribed subcutaneous medications and are receiving nursing care at home, there are nursing decisions to be made related to the tasks involved in the medications’ preparation and administration.

In Canada, it is common for home care nurses to pre-draw and label subcutaneous medications for family caregivers to administer to people with advanced progressive life-limiting illness at home. However, there is limited evidence to base guidelines for this nursing practice and significant variability in existing guidelines. Some standards specify that medication should only remain in syringes for a short period of time before administration, whereas others guide nurses to consider several related factors in the decision.

Application of standards designed for facility-based care settings or for pharmacy compounding of parenteral medications can profoundly impact the ability for subcutaneous medications for palliative care to be provided within a person’s home.

The Approach

An expert team of nurses, prescribers, pharmacists and family members with lived experience created a consensus statement to address this reference gap.

We adapted a consensus method called the Delphi process, combining input from meetings of a provincial working group and surveys with an expert panel of Clinicians experienced in palliative home care: 13 Nurses, 1 Nurse Practitioner, 2 Physicians, 2 Pharmacists; and focused discussions with 2 people with lived experience of giving medications in a syringe to a person with palliative needs at home.

Informed by a literature review and environmental scan, the provincial working group and expert panel provided their thoughts and opinions of the applicability and importance of identified factors and considerations for the decisions involved with preparing and administering subcutaneous medications for people with palliative needs at home. This information was synthesized by the team and provincial working group into a consensus statement.

The expert statement reached 100% consensus by the panel of clinicians and people with lived experience (n=20).

The consensus statement includes implications for the health system, practice, people living with life-limiting illness and family caregivers, education and research. In addition, the document includes the evidence base and a list of nursing decision-making factors in preparation of subcutaneous medication for people receiving palliative care at home based on consensus of experts.

King Charles III Coronation Medal Recipients in Hospice Palliative Care

Adam Webber — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 17:15:45 GMT

The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) announced the 25 distinguished recipients of the King Charles III Coronation Medal. We are proud to honor these exceptional champions of hospice palliative care from across Canada with this prestigious award.

The British Columbia Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is equally thrilled to share that one of our esteemed Board Members, Dr. Shannon Freeman, is among the honourees.

Join in celebrating these remarkable individuals at a virtual ceremony on February 28, 2025, at 2:30 PM EST. Their invaluable contributions have significantly strengthened the quality of hospice palliative care in Canada. Click here to register and attend the ceremony.

Click here for the CHPCA Press Release and to see the names of the 25 honourees.

January is Alzheimer's Awareness Month in Canada

Ivy Lai — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 17:24:38 GMT

Did you know that seniors with dementia in Canada have a mortality rate 4.3 times higher than other seniors? Yet, they are significantly less likely to receive palliative or hospice care. This alarming gap highlights the urgent need for improved access to palliative care for dementia patients across the country.

Here are some key stats:

Over 402,000 seniors in Canada are living with dementia, and this number is expected to rise as the population ages. By 2031, healthcare costs related to dementia will double, reaching $8.3 billion annually.
In 2015, 67% of seniors with dementia who died in acute care hospitals had palliative care needs, but only 21% received primary palliative care, compared to 41% of cancer patients.

In December 2023, as part of our Winter Lunch and Learn Series, we hosted a webinar on “Dementia Care For Clients And Families - A Palliative Approach”. We covered important topics such as:

Understanding the different presentations of common dementias
Communicating with a client who has dementia
Caring for caregivers, interdisciplinary team & volunteers
Person-centered End-of-Life Care for Persons Living with Dementia and their Families/Chosen Families & Anticipatory Grief

The full recording, presentation slides, and resources are available exclusively to BCHPCA members.

Not a member yet? Join us today to access these invaluable resources. https://bchpca.org/Join-us
Together, we can raise awareness and drive change for those living with dementia, their families, and caregivers.

#AlzheimersAwareness #DementiaCare #PalliativeCare #EndOfLifeCare #BCHPCA #AlzheimersMonth #DementiaSupport #PalliativeCareForAll #HealthcareForSeniors #Caregiving #DementiaAwareness

It's a Wrap!

Adam Webber — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 21:19:38 GMT

We are delighted to conclude the 2024 Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health Summit, held from November 20-22, 2024 In Richmond, BC. This year, we were joined by 224 incredible individuals from across the grief, bereavement, and mental health fields. We are deeply grateful to the 66 speakers, facilitators, and moderators whose expertise, insights, and passion made this summit truly impactful.

Our summit was proud to foster diversity and inclusivity by welcoming participants from a wide range of backgrounds, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, as well as 2SLBTQIA+ individuals, people with lived experiences, and members of various underserved communities and communities of color. We are also grateful for the generous funding received from the Vancouver Foundation, which supported our efforts to create an event that truly reflects and celebrates this diversity.

As a triannual event, the GBMH Summit remains a vital platform for critical conversations and interdisciplinary education. Building on the success of our inaugural 2021 summit, we are proud to have explored key topics that continue to shape the future of grief and mental health support This year’s summit offered three specialized streams, Patients and Caregivers, Interdisciplinary Care Teams, and Funders & Policymakers, with tailored discussions designed to enhance support and understanding across these vital areas. Attendees also engaged in inspiring keynote sessions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities that fostered collaboration and connection.

The Gala Night provided a memorable conclusion to the event, with attendees celebrating a live performance by the award-winning Indigenous band, Twin Flames. The evening also offered a platform to recognize SOSJ, a philanthropic organization that supports local, provincial, and national projects focused on palliative care, neurodivergence, and research initiatives. Their ongoing efforts are vital in advancing the care and support needed in these important sectors.

A comprehensive Summit Report will be released in the new year, capturing key insights and takeaways from the event. This report will be shared with attendees, funders, and policymakers, highlighting both formal and informal care supports in the grief and bereavement space. It will focus on strategies for enhancing mental health and promoting better support for individuals in our communities.

We thank everyone who participated in making this summit a resounding success. Your engagement, passion, and commitment to improving the landscape of grief, bereavement, and mental health will leave a lasting impact. We look forward to continuing this important work together and seeing you at our next summit in 2027!

As one attendee shared, "Not enough words to express the impact of this presentation on me personally and hopefully professionally." This sentiment reflects the profound impact this event had on all of us, and we are deeply grateful for your participation.

The sessions Insights on Resilience Through Loss: Lessons from Science and Life presented by Lucy Hone on Day 3 and Revealing and Reimagining Our Relationships to Grief and Loss presented by Larissa Crawford on Day 2 were both incredibly well-attended and deeply impactful. These thought-provoking presentations captivated a large and diverse audience, sparking meaningful conversations on resilience, grief, and the human experience. Attendees left with valuable insights and practical tools to navigate loss, making these sessions a standout feature of the summit.

For those who couldn’t attend or wish to revisit these impactful sessions, recordings and PowerPoint presentations will be available to BCHPCA members for a minimal fee. To ensure the knowledge and insights from this summit are accessible to as many people as possible, we are offering the pre-recorded sessions free of charge to representatives of underserved communities and to patients from the general public. All GBMH attendees and registrants will receive access to the recordings and PowerPoints via Pheedloop, which will be delivered directly to their email over the next few weeks.

BCHPCA News Release: GBMH Summit 2024 , National Grief and Bereavement Day and Children's Grief Awareness Day

Adam Webber — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:04:17 GMT

VANCOUVER, BC – November 5, 2024 | Grief, bereavement and mental health have become urgent public health concerns. The lack of resources and funding for grief and bereavement was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Combined with the devastating toll of over 14,000 deaths since the declaration of BC's opioid crisis in 2016, people and communities are grappling with grief on a unprecedented scale.

Read the full News Release

GBMH 2024 Special Room Rate at River Rock Casino Resort!

Adam Webber — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 19:50:35 GMT

Special Update - River Rock Casino Resort as a special offer for GBMH attendees!

River Rick Casino Resort has just announced they will be further reducing the discounted rate to $149.00 plus Resort Fee plus taxes for November 20-22! Book by October 30^th to get this special rate!

For more information on registration and accommodation please visit: GBMH 2024

BC Election News: Conservative Party of BC committed to eliminating daily palliative care charges

Adam Webber — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 16:05:11 GMT

In their recently released platform, the Conservative Party of British Columbia has committed to eliminating daily palliative care charges to alleviate financial pressure during end-of-life care.

The BC Hospice and Palliative Care Association encourages all political parties, including whichever party forms the next provincial government, to commit to supporting palliative and hospice care by alleviating financial pressures and increasing grief and bereavement support.

Click the links below to read each party's 2024 election platform.

BC Green Party's Platform | BC Conservative Party's Platform | BC NDP Party's Platform

This post by no means is to be used or considered as an endorsement, but an update as part of our 2024 Election strategy in ensuring hospice palliative care is on all party platforms.

The Early Edition with Stephen Quinn - Oct. 11, 2024: End of life care as an election priority

Adam Webber — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 17:33:46 GMT

The Early Edition with Stephen Quinn

The British Columbia Hospice and Palliative Care Association is encouraging provincial parties to ensure grief and bereavement care is available to all residents of the province, including rural and remote areas because British Columbia experiences more deaths per capita than other jurisdictions but its palliative care expenditure accounts for just 2% of the health care budget. Pablita Thomas, Executive Director of the association, speaks.

Listen Here

Pablita Thomas and Chris Walker talk about the need for palliative care to be prioritized in this election on Daybreak South

Adam Webber — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 15:48:12 GMT

Daybreak South with Chris Walker

Listen as Pablita shares why end-of-life care needs to be part of election campaigns.

Pablita's segment occurred on Oct 11, 2024 and begins at 1:33.

Listen to Daybreak Here

Canadian Virtual Hospice co-founder wins prestigious award

Pablita Thomas — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov, co-founder of the Canadian Virtual Hospice and co-editor of The Handbook of Psychiatry in Palliative Medicine, has been recognized for his work that made dignity the focus in palliative care. Dr. Chochinov pioneered 'dignity therapy' and other person-centred methods of caring for the dying.

He has been awarded the 2024 Arthur M. Sutherland Award and Memorial Lecture from the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) in Maastricht, The Netherlands. The award is given to an internationally recognized individual who has contributed to the area of psychological and social care for cancer patients over their whole career.

Standardizing Data Collection Practices in Hospice and Palliative Care

Adam Webber — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 18:21:58 GMT

In the healthcare sector, particularly within hospice and palliative care, nurturing a robust patient-provider relationship is crucial. Patients and their loved ones rely on hospices to provide unwavering support. To cultivate trust with patients and their families, it is essential to demonstrate a steadfast dedication to transparency, accountability, and evidence-based practices. By using shared indicators and reporting frameworks, hospice societies can underscore their commitment to delivering the highest calibre of care, fostering a solid and reliable rapport with their patients and communities.

In the fall of 2023, the British Columbia Hospice and Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) initiated the formation of the Information and Technology (IT) Task Group with the goal of co-developing a set of standardized metrics and reporting framework with hospice societies in British Columbia (BC) and the Yukon. The IT Task Group consists of individuals who have extensive experience working in hospice palliative care and a keen interest in data collection and analysis. The IT Task group has also engaged the help of experts in the field and hospice societies in BC and the Yukon to test and provide feedback on data collection tools.

This work comes in part as a response to increased calls from the province for standardized data models in healthcare-related fields. In the Government of Canada’s report The Framework on Palliative Care in Canada-Five Years Later: A Report on the State of Palliative Care in Canada they state that “the 2023 data reflects some improvements to home care reporting and overall access to palliative care. However, data are needed to better measure access to care and experiences across settings in all provinces and territories, as well as who was not able to access palliative care” (Section 4.3, 2023). The federal budget in 2023 included multi-year funding for Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians, part of this initiative is to modernize “the health care system with standardized health data and digital tools.” This aligns with the work being done by the BCHPCA and the IT Task Group to create standardized data reporting practices for hospice societies across BC and the Yukon.

The IT Task Group’s goals include establishing common language and indicators, mapping core hospice services across BC and the Yukon, and developing a standardized reporting framework. By engaging with hospice societies of all sizes across BC and the Yukon, the BCHPCA and IT Task Group seek to lead the way in building standardized data reporting practices for hospice societies, with hospice societies, by hospice societies. We believe the benefits of this work go far beyond a standardized reporting framework, and include:

Improve individual hospice societies' understanding of their care and service delivery trends
Improve understanding of the services provided by hospice societies across the province, gaps in service and developing areas of need
Foster improved communication with health authorities

Create opportunities for enhanced inter-organizational communication and connections
Boost the visibility of the vital work being done in our communities and help the public understand the crucial role hospices play
Allow for the possibility of communicating collective impact to current and potential funders
Create new opportunities, including working towards a provincial funding model

At its core, the work of this task group is to understand how hospice societies contribute to their communities, increase access to funding, and ultimately support hospice societies in providing the highest level of client care within hospice palliative care, including grief and bereavement services, to clients across BC and the Yukon.

News Release: Ontario Expanding Access to Palliative Care

Adam Webber — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 17:29:34 GMT

$19.75 million to build 84 additional hospice beds, connecting more people to end of life care close to home

Click here to read the article

GBMH Summit 2024 - Save The Date!

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 22:02:07 GMT

November 20 – 22, 2024

The GBMH Summit is a triannual event that brings together professionals, caregivers, policymakers, and stakeholders to delve into interdisciplinary education, idea sharing, and awareness surrounding grief, bereavement, and mental health. Building on the success of our inaugural event in 2021, we are proud to continue our mission of providing a platform for critical conversations and impactful initiatives in the field of mental health support.

Secure your spot now as tickets are limited, and enjoy discounted early bird pricing!

Recordings Now Available – Spring Webinar Series 2024

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 15:16:18 GMT

Palliative Care Awareness: Bringing Hospice and Palliative Care to Home and Community

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make our 2024 Spring Lunch & Learn Webinar Series a success!

Recordings are now available for members of BCHPCA. Please login to the member site and access the recordings under: Resources – Past Events & Conferences – Lunch & Learn Webinar Series

Not a BCHPCA Member? Join today

Wildflower Bloom Campaign 2024

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:09:34 GMT

April 3-30, 2024

Throughout the month of April, the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) will be leading the charge in honouring B.C. and Yukon Hospice Societies. 2024 marks the fourth annual Wildflower Bloom Campaign to raise funds for hospice societies while also raising awareness of the many services they offer.

Since hospice services are as diverse as wildflowers, the BCHPCA and participating hospice societies will be selling wildflower seeds to bloom in appreciation of hospice societies across B.C and Yukon plus lapel pins will also be available for purchase to show your support for local hospices. The sale of the Wildflower Bloom lapel pins will be launched in April and will continue throughout the year.

Support for the Wildflower Bloom Campaign will mean more people in our communities will be aware of the diversity of hospice services available to them and their loved ones, to ease the pains and challenges of their serious illness, end of life, or grief journeys. The fundraising efforts will also help hospice societies continue to deliver quality services to meet the needs of communities throughout the province and territory.

To learn more about hospice societies and to find out how you can support them through the Wildflower Bloom Campaign, please visit https://bchpca.org/wildflowers/.

Canada signs $733 million bilateral agreement to help British Columbians age with dignity

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:00:00 GMT

News release

February 12, 2024 | Vancouver, British Columbia | Health Canada

Every senior in Canada deserves to age in dignity, safety, and comfort, regardless of where they live. That is why the Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion over 10 years, which includes $5.4 billion for tailored bilateral agreements with provinces and territories on Aging with Dignity.

Today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Canada’s Minister of Health and the Honourable Adrian Dix, Minister of Health of British Columbia announced a bilateral agreement to invest $733 million over the next five years to help British Columbians age with dignity, closer to home, through improved access to home and community care and long-term care (LTC). This funding builds on the $1.2 billion bilateral agreement that was announced with the province in October of 2023.

Federal funding will support British Columbia’s five-year action plan to improve health care for seniors.

Read the full news release

Establishing A Common Definition For Care Provided By Hospice Societies In BC (2022-2023)

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 16:30:00 GMT

Big News! BC Centre for Palliative Care & BC Hospice Palliative Care Association announce a consensus-based definition for the services provided by hospice societies in BC.

For further information please visit Hospice Definitions Project.

Economic Club of Canada: Hospice and Palliative Care in Canada

Alan Jodoin — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 17:48:32 GMT

Upcoming Event Announcement:

HCABC Secretariat and BC Hospice Palliative Care Association ED, Pablita Thomas will be a Panelist at the upcoming event, Economic Club of Canada; Hospice and Palliative Care in Canada on January 24, 2024, held at the Sheraton Center Toronto Hotel.

For further information please visit: https://economicclub.ca/.

HCABC Report Back – Summary Report 2023

Alan Jodoin — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 17:00:00 GMT

On October 6, 2023, the Hospice Care Alliance of British Columbia (HCABC) held its second Roundtable meeting at the Vancouver Marriott Airport Hotel. The event, facilitated by Pabilta Thomas, Executive Director of BCHPCA and Secretariat of the Alliance, was attended by key stakeholders and new partners in hospice care from across British Columbia. This report aims to provide a factual summary of the discussions and outcomes of this full-day meeting.

The agenda of the meeting included participant introductions, a presentation on the Alliance’s recent projects, and an in-depth discussion on the Terms of Reference, Vision, Mandate, and collective goals of the Alliance. The discussions focused on three of the ten steps from the “Path Forward” report: advocating for a provincial policy and strategy for hospice care, exploring partnership opportunities with underserved communities, and raising public awareness of hospice palliative care.

The report details the discussions held, the feedback received, and the decisions made during the meeting. It serves as a record of the event and provides information on the future priorities and planned contributions of the participants in relation to the Alliance’s activities.

Download report

The Framework on Palliative Care in Canada – Five Years Later

Alan Jodoin — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 17:58:42 GMT

Health Canada has published a progress report on its “Framework on Palliative Care in Canada” detailing the progress in palliative care since the adoption of the 2017 framework. This framework, mandated by the Government of Canada, focuses on improving palliative care accessibility nationwide. The report, based on data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, indicates an increase in palliative care usage – from 52% in 2016-2017 to 58% in 2021-2022. It also notes a rise in the number of Canadians receiving palliative care at home.

The report further highlights the expansion of hospice facilities, with an increase in the number of residential hospice beds across the country. This expansion is part of a broader effort by provinces and territories to enhance palliative care services, as exemplified by new hospice openings in Yukon and Saskatchewan. The full report, offering a detailed overview of the state of palliative care in Canada, is available for download on the Health Canada website.

Learn more and download report

Grief And Bereavement Support In BC: A Collaborative Improvement Action Plan

Alan Jodoin — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 18:00:00 GMT

The Action Plan:

A Product of Insights from 33 Experts, 32 Organizations, and Two Public Partners at the 2022 Provincial Bereavement Roundtable.

The groundbreaking report maps how British Columbians experience grief, and where they turn for support, and presents actionable recommendations to enhance the diverse forms of grief and bereavement support across the province.

Whether you’re an organization, professional, or someone who has experienced bereavement, this Action Plan has valuable insights and actionable recommendations.

Released By BC Centre For Palliative Care- November 2023

Learn more and view report

Winter Webinar Series 2023 – Registration Open

Alan Jodoin — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 18:11:44 GMT

Dementia Care for Clients and Families – A Palliative Approach
Winter Lunch & Learn Webinar Series

December 4, 5, 7, 8th, 2023
12:00 – 1:00 PDT

Each year, BCHPCA organizes two Lunch and Learn Series, providing a diverse range of educational sessions for both its members and the general public.

Given the themes and topics covered, this webinar series can benefit not just the hospice palliative care community but also individuals working in charitable, non-profit, public, and private sector organizations, including staff, volunteers, and leaders. It offers a practical opportunity to develop transferable skills that can support their work and community involvement.

Analyzing Hospice Palliative Care Across Canada

Alan Jodoin — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 16:30:00 GMT

Many people in Canada experience challenges in accessing palliative care when and where they need it early enough in their illness trajectory to get the support they need. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on policy priorities, programs and services related to hospice palliative care in Canada. As such, the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) made it a priority to understand the state of palliative care across the country including progress made, enablers, barriers and gaps in care.

To do so, CCS surveyed all provinces and territories, 4 departments of the federal government and 13 community organizations on the state of palliative care. Quebec and Manitoba are the only two provinces that did not take part in the survey. The survey aimed to provide an update on the findings published in 2017 by the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association as part of The Way Forward Initiative.

The report details the state of palliative care in each surveyed jurisdiction. The report also includes the number of hospice beds in each province and territory. Based on the findings, CCS has provided a response discussing the ways governments can address the existing gaps and barriers identified in the report.

Released By Cancer Society of Canada – October 2023

View report

Media Release – Funding for BCHPCA Announced

Alan Jodoin — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Funding for the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association announced

The BC Ministry of Health has provided the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) a grant of $140,000 to support the ongoing delivery of high quality palliative care by British Columbia hospice organizations.

“Ensuring that people nearing the end of their lives and their loved ones have access to quality hospice and palliative care services continues to be a priority for our government,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “The funding provided to BCHPCA will help them to continue their work in bringing together individuals and organizations that deliver these services to people in our province and foster meaningful collaboration, education and research in the sector.”

The funding enables BCHPCA to significantly broaden its reach and better support its members and community. The association provides a wide range of services and programs, driven by education, research and stakeholder partnerships in hospice palliative care, grief and bereavement and community navigation to people in B.C. who are dying, their loved ones who are grieving, and caregivers.

Access to hospice palliative care continues to be a growing concern as the aging population requires more end-of-life care and services, along with support for family caregivers.

“By 2036, 240,000 of the provincial population will be over the age of 65, increasing demands on hospice palliative care,” said Kevin Harter, President of BCHPCA and CEO of Victoria Hospice Society.

A palliative approach to care is required to ensure all people in B.C. live well until the very end, dying the way they choose and easing the challenges on family, loved ones and the primary health care system. Hospice societies in B.C. are uniquely positioned to help deliver person-centered hospice palliative care services in a variety of settings and bereavement supports.

“B.C. hospices are expanding grief and bereavement services that are making a significant impact and allow for the implementation of new and effective supports. This important funding will enable us to connect with vulnerable populations, including structurally unhoused, BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ and increase our reach to rural and remote communities,” says Pablita Thomas, Executive Director of BCHPCA.

Together with the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA), BCHPCA recently celebrated the essential services and leadership the hospice palliative care community provides during National Hospice Palliative Care Week from May 7 to 13, 2023. In the month of May, the hospice palliative care community also celebrates Hike for Hospice, which is a national event that hospice palliative care societies in B.C. participate in. Connect with your local hospice society to learn more about the important hospice and palliative care work being carried out in your community.

###

About the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association – The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association is a not-for-profit, charitable, public membership organization, which has been representing individuals and organizations committed to promoting and delivering hospice palliative care to people in B.C. and the Yukon for over 37 years. Our members provide a broad range of hospice palliative care programs and services to people in need across the province of B.C. and the Yukon territories with serious illnesses, their loved ones who are grieving, and their caregivers. The services hospice societies deliver are accessible to all, regardless of the type of illness, age, sex, sexual orientation, race, culture, and religious beliefs. Go to www.bchpca.org or visit us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to learn more.

For more information, please contact:
British Columbia Hospice Palliative Care Association
Christie Carrington, Communications and Projects Coordinator

christie.carrington@bchpca.org

See PDF version of this media release.

2022 Key Facts & Backgrounder

Alan Jodoin — Mon, 15 May 2023 17:36:12 GMT

Download the 2022 fact sheet.

This document is a collection of current statistics and knowledge of hospice palliative care in British Columbia, and Yukon. Whether you are receiving care, are a healthcare professional, a caregiver, researcher, policy maker or are interested in learning more about hospice palliative care in BC, and Yukon. We’d like to acknowledge CHPCA, whose fact sheet we referenced in creation of this backgrounder. BCHPCA hopes this document is helpful.

Month of Giving: Executive Director Interview with Global News

Alan Jodoin — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 17:00:00 GMT

Pablita Thomas talks with Global News about BCHPCA and hospice societies and the role they play in the community to make sure British Columbians have access to hospice and palliative care.

Watch on Global News

UBCM Hospice Endorsement

Alan Jodoin — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 16:00:00 GMT

With the Municipal Election coming up, the UBCM 2022 Convention was well attended and more important than ever. At this year’s convention, the Town of Gibsons submitted a request to adopt EB21 – Hospice Services; a letter from Mayor William Beamish, click here.

EB21 was endorsed and adopted at the convention on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, with amendments. Please read the endorsed recommendation here on page 45 of the UBCM Resolution book.

BCHPCA sees this as an opportunity for growth and support from municipal electors and an excellent opportunity to engage with the community about supporting community hospice services within our regions.

Please stay tuned for our advocacy Action Plan and Key messaging to help support the growth and capacity of Hospice palliative Care in BC.

For more information, see the Union of BC Municipalities and the 2022 UBCM Resolutions Book.

BC Standing Committee on Finance Recommends that Bereavement Care Be Publicly Funded

Alan Jodoin — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 16:30:00 GMT

This year, the BCHPCA collaborated with VIFOH, CCS – BC, CMHA – BC on this year’s budget committee submission; focussing on the need for funding support for bereavement care.

Pablita Thomas, ED at BCHPCA worked with Canadian Cancer Society, Charles Aruliah (CEO) and the Canadian Mental Health Association, Jonny Morris (Advocacy Manager), to develop common recommendations about funding and recognizing the need for grief and bereavement care.

Good news is that the Budget committee is recommending that bereavement care be funded. (Page 63)

There are several references to hospice bereavement care throughout the report, but here is the recommendation:

Hospice and Palliative Care

138. Increase funding and adopt a provincial approach to providing culturally respectful grief and bereavement supports to build capacity for community hospices across the province.

Also of interest:

Community Social Services, Not for Profit Sector, and Social Policy

202. Provide increased, predictable, multi-year funding to the community social services sector, including administrative funding and supports to address compensation challenges.

203. Expand social service delivery and the continuum of care to improve response to mental health, addictions, and other complex social issues.

Although these recommendations do not automatically roll into government policy, they provide important indicators of public priorities as budgets are developed and Ministers’ mandate letters with more specific recommendations are developed.

2022 Public Town Hall Recording

Alan Jodoin — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 17:53:13 GMT

This year we were honoured to have Parliamentary Secretary Elmore as an opening speaker for our Townhall event. The event introduced the new board of the BCHPCA, highlighted key achievements of the Association this past year, and what to expect moving forward with Hospice Palliative Care in BC and the BCHPCA.

The 2022 Townhall event was held on June 9th.

Media Release

Alan Jodoin — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 16:30:00 GMT

Bc Hospice Palliative Care Association Statement

A provincial approach to grief and bereavement services surrounding illicit drug toxicity deaths

VANCOUVER, BC — March 10, 2022 | The BC Coroners Service – Illicit Drug Toxicity Deaths in BC 2021 Report launched on February 9, 2022, highlights the desperate need for special attention not only on drug overdose but supports services around illicit drugs as a whole. The toxicity in British Columbia caused an average of 6.1 deaths per day, greater than the number of deaths of all other unnatural causes combined. 2021 saw 2,224 suspected deaths from illicit drug toxicity, a 26% increase from 2020. Given that each death directly impacts nine people on average (1 ,2), approximately 20,016 British Columbians suffered from grief and bereavement due to illicit drug use.

In response to the recent BC Coroners Service Illicit Drug Toxicity Deaths in BC 2021 Report, the province’s Chief Coroner is calling for an end to old prevention measures that have failed, highlighting the need for a significant shift in how we treat people who use drugs and their loved ones who support them. Additionally, the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is calling for a provincial and community approach around grief and bereavement services supporting those needing direct care and families of loved ones who have died from illicit drug use.

“While the Government of BC has announced pandemic and opioid-related investments in regards to mental health, grief remains outside the mandate of the Canadian Mental Health Commission and mental health associations. To date, there has been no acknowledgement of unresolved or complicated grief as an additional mental health crisis by the Government of BC, no planning to address the severe shortage in grief services, nor recognition of the long range impact that failing to act will have on our communities and the economy”, says Pablita Thomas, BCHPCA Executive Director.

It is well known that traumatic events, including losses and grief, increase the risk of substance use and addiction in an attempt to reduce tension and the complexities of grief. Compounding the matter, individuals who abuse substances are less able to cope with traumatic events, consequently complicating grief.

We not only see grief as potential causation of illicit drug use but also as an outcome experienced after the death of a loved one resulting from drug toxicity. Friends and family of those using substances often experience many losses throughout the course of their loved one’s addiction: the loss of the person they knew before their addiction took hold, the anxiety and anticipation of their possible death by overdose, the heartbreak of not being able to help their loved one heal, and the unacknowledged grief by others due to the stigma of drug use.

The BCHPCA supports the position of the BC Chief Coroner, in calling for measures that support those suffering from drug use, but would also like to ensure measures around grief, bereavement and family supports are all-encompassing in a service delivery model that based on education, training and awareness on the complicated and complex grief associated with traumatic loss around deaths incurred by drug overdose.

The grief surrounding illicit drug use is multi-dimensional and in a time filled with crisis and loss, there is an overwhelming need for grief and bereavement support. Continuing on from the Grief, Bereavement & Mental Health Summit held in the fall of 2021, the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association will be continuing conversations and education on grief by hosting a four day virtual educational series on the Complexities of Grief in our Communities. Focusing on Traumatic Loss and Prolonged Grief Disorder, the sessions will explore how grief and bereavement services can support community members who are impacted by a death due to overdose.

Support for loved ones who have experienced traumatic loss from death due to overdose and the stigma associated with this type of death.
Preventative measures dealing with one of the root causes of drug addiction and grief due to losses (including losses other then death) that can transform into a stress-related disorder, Prolonged Grief Disorder.
Practical tips on how to support people experiencing complicated grief and self-care practices to allow practitioners to continue to provide this type of intensive work.
Education about PEACH (Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless) program and how they help to support people experiencing structural vulnerability in their community with harm reduction, trauma informed care, and an anti-racism approach.

Both the public and professionals are invited to join the BCHPCA Spring Lunch & Learn Webinar Series: Complexities of Grief in our Communities. Sessions will be held virtually March 14th to 17th, from 12 pm to 1 pm Pacific Standard Time.

The distinguished speakers will catalyze conversations on supporting vulnerable populations through traumatic loss and prolonged grief disorder with a hospice palliative care perspective. Hospice Palliative Care organizations in BC are uniquely positioned to support the complexities of grief in our communities, but continuing education and government funding play a crucial role in increasing their capacity to deliver these valuable services; services that will help support the illicit drug crisis in British Columbia.

Reference:

1. BC Center for Disease Control. British Columbia (BC) COVID-19 Situation Report

Week 25: June 20 – June 26, 2021. 2021, July [cited 2022 March 7]. Available from:

View Report

2. Canadian Grief Alliance. Addressing the deficit in grief services: A response to

pandemic-related grief. Written Submission to the Pre-budget Consultations for

the 2021-22 Federal Budget. 2020, Aug 1 cited 2022 March 7]. Available from:

View Report

2021 Hospice Society Provincial & Territorial Grief & Bereavement Report

Alan Jodoin — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 17:00:00 GMT

News Release – Vancouver, BC

The 2021 Hospice Society Provincial & Territorial Grief & Bereavement Report explores the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on grief and bereavement in B.C. and the Yukon, particularly focusing on the adverse effects on the mental health of its residents, including vulnerable populations who are disproportionately hit the hardest. The data obtained in the Grief and Bereavement Survey (2021) that provided insights around hospice society funding, capacity and demographics of those accessing grief and bereavement supports, show how current grief and bereavement services being offered by hospices across B.C.and the Yukon, could significantly help mitigate the mental health sequelae of COVID-19 if sufficient resources were allocated to expand capacity within these organizations.

Hospice Palliative Care societies have been supporting their communities for over 40 years around end of life, palliative and grief and bereavement services; serving over 10,000 clients monthly, with a volunteer force of over 3600. In addition, in 2019 hospice societies in B.C., saved the province over $40 million in added value services alone.

View the complete Press Release (PDF).

View the Report

BC Hospice Palliative Care Association News & Updates

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Executive Reflection: Grief, Meaning, and Why It Matters Now

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Read the full article:

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The Hospice and Palliative Care Community calls on the BC Government to further support those nearing end of life and those grieving and bereaved.