Canada Prioritizes Indigenous Health Transformation and Rare Disease Navigation

Canada is undertaking significant initiatives to improve health outcomes for First Nations populations and enhance support for individuals navigating rare diseases. These efforts reflect a commitment to addressing health inequities and ensuring equitable access to specialized care across the country.

First Nations Health Transformation: A Shift Towards Self-Determination

Recognizing the need for a more effective and culturally sensitive approach to healthcare, the Canadian government is transitioning away from designing and delivering health programs for First Nations communities, and towards models that empower First Nations to design and deliver their own health programs and services. This transformation aims to increase First Nations control over their health services, improve coordination with provincial and territorial health systems, and ultimately address the health inequities faced by First Nations people.

Key aspects of this transformation include:

• Supporting First Nations-led institutions and organizations.
• Advancing cultural safety and self-determination in healthcare.
• Establishing new partnerships based on reciprocal accountability.
• Developing First Nations-led health organizations responsible for the design, administration, management, and delivery of health services.
• Co-developing distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation to provide a framework for Indigenous health.

National Action Plan to End Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls

The Government of Canada is committed to ending violence against Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (2SLGBTQI+) people. The 2021 National Action Plan was developed in collaboration with families, survivors, Indigenous governments, organizations, and communities, prioritizing their voices and truths through the principle of “nothing about us, without us.”

Improving Access to Health Services for Anglophone Minority Communities in Quebec

The Government of Canada is also focused on ensuring equitable access to health services for all Canadians, including Anglophone minority communities in Quebec. Recent initiatives aim to address the specific needs of these communities and ensure they can access care in their official language.

Quebec’s SHIP-NAT Network for Rare Diseases

In Quebec, the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) launched SHIP-NAT, a national navigation network designed to support patients and healthcare professionals in the diagnosis of rare diseases. This network, part of the Quebec action plan on rare diseases 2023-2027, serves as a single point of contact to quickly direct patients to appropriate clinical expertise.

Nurses play a crucial role in this initiative, identifying unusual symptoms and facilitating access to NAVI-NAT, particularly through specialized nurse practitioners. These professionals can submit assessment requests and provide ongoing clinical continuity for patients.

Six centers have been designated for specialized assessments:

• Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center
• University of Montreal Hospital Center
• University Hospital Center of Quebec-Laval University
• McGill University Health Center
• Sherbrooke University Hospital Center
• Integrated university health and social services center of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

Progress in Action Plan Implementation

As of August 22, 2025, progress is being made in implementing action plans related to health services, including discussions between Indigenous partners, Alberta’s Ministry of Health, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), and Health Canada to determine next steps.

These combined efforts demonstrate Canada’s ongoing commitment to improving health outcomes for all its citizens, with a particular focus on addressing the unique needs of First Nations communities and individuals affected by rare diseases.