Indigenous Health

As an organization, SickKids has much to learn about the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada, as well as how the diverse cultures, educational backgrounds, and histories of our staff shape the care we deliver. A reconciliation statement on the hospital’s history with Indigenous peoples was a starting point in 2018 for SickKids’ reconciliation journey. As work continues, we are committed to collaborating with partners to identify, prioritize, and implement improvements to ensure accessible, culturally appropriate services for Indigenous children and families in our own backyard, and across the province.

Land acknowledgement

We would like to acknowledge the land on which SickKids operates. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today, Toronto is home to Indigenous Peoples from across Turtle Island. SickKids is committed to working toward new relationships that include First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, and is grateful for the opportunity to share this land in caring for children and their families.

Artwork with the SickKids land acknowledgment has been installed in the hospital and in the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning. Emily Kewageshig, an Ojibwe Woodland artist, was commissioned by SickKids to paint the land acknowledgement plaques in honour of our commitment toward reconciliation.

Navigation services for Indigenous patients and families

The Indigenous Health Navigator (IHN) is here to support you and your family with traditional healing practices, spiritual guidance, and access to culturally appropriate care.

The IHN can:

Facilitate traditional Indigenous healing ceremonies with you at the hospital
Connect you to Elders and healers for spiritual and emotional support
Give you information about health services and local community resources (such as sweat lodges and sacred spaces)
Explain how to report concerns about care and services
Help to report and address your concerns about care and services

Contact the Indigenous Health Navigator

Email: indigenous.navigator@sickkids.ca
Phone: 416-813-6181

Priority areas and initiatives to date

SickKids acknowledges harmful aspects of the hospital's history with Indigenous peoples as a first step on the path of reconciliation. Read the August 7, 2018 statement.

Indigenous cultural safety training

Through cultural safety training, SickKids staff are better equipped to deliver respectful and culturally informed care, ensuring every Indigenous child and family feels seen and supported. More than 250 staff have registered for the San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety online training, and a plan to provide broad cultural safety training for staff and volunteers through the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy is being developed. 

In October 2024, the executive leadership team and staff supporting EDI work across SickKids and the Foundation completed the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, a participatory education exercise about the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada. The hospital is currently exploring options to engage more staff in this exercise.

Indigenous Days of Significance

The following days of significance are honoured annually at SickKids through staff education rounds: Bear Witness Day, National Indigenous People’s Day, International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and Orange Shirt Day.

Smudging ceremony policy

A policy that facilitates open-flame smudging ceremonies in patient rooms was approved in 2022 and additional polices are planned for other Indigenous medicines and ceremonies.  The policy was updated in 2024 to include access to smudging ceremonies after hours.

Land acknowledgement policy

In September 2018, the hospital adopted a land acknowledgment policy. The policy provides guidelines for the where, when, how, and who of how the policy should be used, as well as supporting material to ensure understanding of the history and rationale behind it.