September 30, 2026 – September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, established by the federal government in 2021 in response to Call to Action 80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. This Call to Action asked the federal government to recognize a statutory holiday to honour the children who never returned home from residential schools, along with Survivors, their families and their communities and continue to publicly commemorate the history and legacy of residential schools in Canada.
Our work at Santis is focused on health policy and system change in Canada, work that is directly influenced by a critical need for equitable health outcomes for all. Calls to Action 18 through 24 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission speak directly to that work. They address the health disparities created by colonial policy, the recognition of Indigenous healing practices, the recruitment and retention of Indigenous health professionals, and the requirement that medical and nursing students receive training in Indigenous health, cultural competency and anti-racism. Progress against these Calls to Action remains uneven more than a decade after they were issued, and the organizations best positioned to describe what is required are Indigenous-led.
As part of our ongoing commitment to educating ourselves and others, Santis has gathered a set of resources below, drawn from organizations directly influencing and impacting this work. We encourage colleagues, clients and partners across the health sector to spend time with them on September 30 and throughout the year.
Understanding the day and its history
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR): The permanent archive for the statements, documents and records gathered by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, hosted at the University of Manitoba. The full list of the 94 Calls to Action is available here. nctr.ca
- Orange Shirt Society: The organization founded in Williams Lake by those who began Orange Shirt Day, including Phyllis Webstad. The site holds educational materials, event tools and the Survivor Voices Speaker Series. orangeshirtday.org
- First Nations Child and Family Caring Society: Learning materials and annual Orange Shirt Day programming, including activities held in partnership with the Assembly of Seven Generations. fncaringsociety.com/orange-shirt-day
- Legacy of Hope Foundation: An Indigenous-led national charitable organization with online exhibitions and educational resources on the residential school system and its continuing effects. legacyofhope.ca
Indigenous health organizations and leadership
- National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health: A national Indigenous organization supporting First Nations, Inuit and Métis public health renewal and health equity through knowledge translation. Its publications database covers cultural safety, the social determinants of health, and early childhood development. nccih.ca
- Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada: Founded in 1991, IPAC supports Indigenous physicians and medical learners through mentorship, advocacy and partnerships, and works with the College of Family Physicians of Canada on the Indigenous Health Committee. ipacamic.ca
- Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association: The professional nursing organization for Indigenous peoples in Canada, and an affiliate of the Canadian Nurses Association. indigenousnurses.ca
- Thunderbird Partnership Foundation: A leading authority on First Nations substance use and mental wellness, advocating for culturally based services and holding a substantial research library. thunderbirdpf.org
- National Council of Indigenous Midwives: Working to expand access to Indigenous midwifery and reproductive health care in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. indigenousmidwifery.ca
- First Nations Information Governance Centre: An independent non-profit with a mandate from the Assembly of First Nations Chiefs-in-Assembly, working toward First Nations data sovereignty and stewarding the OCAP principles. fnigc.ca
Ontario-specific resources
- Indigenous Primary Health Care Council: An Indigenous-governed organization supporting the advancement of Indigenous primary health care across Ontario through its Model of Wholistic Health and Wellbeing. Its resource library includes the Indigenous Patient, Family and Community Engagement Toolkit, a Culturally Appropriate Language Guide, and guidance on developing a land acknowledgement. iphcc.ca/resources
- Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres: The provincial body representing Friendship Centres, which deliver health, wellness and community programming to urban Indigenous populations across Ontario. ofifc.org
- Anishnawbe Health Toronto: A fully accredited community health centre providing health care rooted in traditional practices to the Indigenous community in Toronto. aht.ca
Research, data and policy reading
- Stats Canada: Statistics on Indigenous peoples: A dashboard for easily accessible statistics on Canada’s Indigenous peoples. statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects-start/indigenous_peoples
- Santis Health, Reconciliation and the Future of Indigenous Health Care in Canada Our own piece from National Indigenous Peoples Day, examining what First Nations, Inuit and Métis patients report when they navigate mainstream health services in Canada, and what a recent systematic review found about trust, safety and access. Read the piece
Support for Survivors and their families
The Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to Indigenous peoples across Canada, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 1-855-242-3310 or through online chat at hopeforwellness.ca.
The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line provides support to former residential school students and their families at 1-866-925-4419, 24 hours a day.
Reconciliation in health care is long-term work that extends well beyond one date in the calendar. We are grateful to the organizations above for the knowledge they share publicly, and we encourage those in our network to support that work directly where they are able.