First Nations Health Council

09/08/2026

A new school year brings new routines — and new opportunities to support the wellness of our children and families.

Wellness isn't only what's in a lunchbox. It's connection to culture, rest, movement, mental health and knowing you belong. As kids head back to the classroom, small things make a big difference: regular sleep, time on the land, checking in on how they're really feeling and staying rooted in who they are.

Healthy, self-determining children and families are at the heart of everything we do. Here's to a strong, supported school year for every young person in our communities.

09/06/2026

Fall 2026 Regional Caucus dates are here.

From October through December, FNHC will be gathering in each of the five regions for Fall Caucus — a chance to connect, share priorities, and shape the path forward for First Nations health governance in BC.

Registration links coming soon at https://fnhc.ca/engage/

09/04/2026

The Movable Feast is coming to communities across B.C. — and it's FREE.

2 Rivers Remix is bringing contemporary Indigenous music, art and culture directly to the people this September, with traditional songs and dances, food, and market vendors at every stop. A festival that travels to the community.

Three dates to mark:

Sept 12 — St'uxwtéws Movable Feast, Historic Hat Creek Ranch, Cache Creek. The third collaboration between St'uxwtéws Nation and 2RMX.

Sept 19 — Tsal'álh Movable Feast, Sk'il' Mountain Community School Field, Shalalth. Traditional St'át'imc songs and dances.

Sept 26 — Toquaht Movable Feast, t̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥiic hišimyiły̓ak (Toquaht Gathering Place), Macoah Village, Vancouver Island. Featuring Nuu-Chah-Nulth songs and dances.

Free, outdoor, and open to all. Bring your family and celebrate the strength of Indigenous music and culture.

Learn more at https://2riversremix.ca/pages/movable-feast

09/01/2026

Our Summer 2026 Update is here.

Catch up on FNHC's latest work in advancing the 10-Year Strategy on the Social Determinants of Health — including tripartite partnership meetings, the newly endorsed First Nations Principles for Health-Related Legislation, and a warm welcome to our new FNHC representatives, Tammie Myles and Ernest Armann.

Read the full update at https://fnhc.ca/fnhc-summer-2026-update/

08/31/2026

Today is International Overdose Awareness Day.

We pause to remember the people we've lost — brothers, sisters, parents, children, friends, knowledge keepers, community members. In First Nations communities across BC, those losses have been deep and ongoing. The grief is real. The names matter.

And to those who are still here — those who have survived, who are healing, who are supporting someone through it — we see you too.

In memory of all those we've lost. In support of all those finding their way.

08/28/2026

“It was with great disappointment that we learned of the Province’s decision to cancel the planned overdose prevention site slated for 900 Helmcken in Downtown Vancouver. Harm reduction services, including overdose prevention sites, save lives by offering compassionate, accessible health services to people who use substances, wherever they are on their healing journey.”

Read the full statement from the First Nations Health Authority, First Nations Health Council and First Nations Health Directors Association: https://fnhc.ca/statement-on-the-provinces-decision-to-cancel-900-helmcken-street-overdose-prevention-site/

“It was with great disappointment that we learned of the Province’s decision to cancel the planned overdose prevention site slated for 900 Helmcken in Downtown Vancouver. Harm reduction services, including overdose prevention sites, save lives by offering compassionate, accessible health services to people who use substances, wherever they are on their healing journey.”

Read the full statement from the First Nations Health Authority, First Nations Health Council and First Nations Health Directors Association: https://fnha.ca/statement-on-the-provinces-decision-to-cancel-900-helmcken-street-overdose-prevention-site/

08/27/2026

Continuing our series on the 7 Directives that guide BC First Nations health governance:

Directive #2: Increase First Nations Decision-Making and Control

Directive #1 says health must be community-driven. Directive #2 takes that further: First Nations must have real control — not just a seat at the table, but the authority to make decisions that stick.

That means First Nations determining how health programs are designed, funded, and delivered in their communities. It means governance structures where power flows to Nations, not away from them.

This is what made the creation of the FNHA in 2013 so significant — for the first time, BC First Nations held decision-making authority over the planning and delivery of their own health services.

Learn more about the 7 Directives at https://fnhc.ca/our-why/

08/25/2026

In January 2026, something significant opened on the shared territories of the Sq'ewlets and Sts'ailes Nations in Harrison Mills.

Éyameth' means "weaving health together" in the Halq'eméylem language. And that's exactly what the Éyameth' Health Centre does.

Under one roof: primary care, maternal health, Elder care, mental health support, traditional wellness and healing, diabetes and chronic disease management, and an on-site pharmacy. Served by a team that includes physicians, nurses, clinical counsellors — and Traditional Healers and Elders.

This isn't a government clinic dropped into a community. It's a Sts'ailes-led, society-operated centre more than a decade in the making.

"Weaving together the best of contemporary medicines with holistic health care, Éyameth' will address gaps by providing innovative, quality, patient-centred health and wellness services to individuals and families in the region." — Angela Paul, Executive Director

Once fully operational, approximately 1,400 patients will be attached to a primary care provider — people who previously had to travel for care they can now access close to home.

Éyameth' is one of 15 First Nations-led primary care centres opening across BC through the First Nations Primary Care Initiative — a Tripartite partnership between the FNHA, the Province of BC, and First Nations communities.

Learn more at eyameth.com

08/20/2026

Canoe Cultures is presenting the Tatus Festival — a two-day celebration of Indigenous music, arts, and culture on September 4th and 5th at the Festival Park area of the PNE Fairgrounds.

And if you can't make those dates, the broader Canoe Cultures exhibit runs August 22 to September 7, featuring cultural demonstrations and a showcase of over 50 Indigenous artisans selling their work.

Whether you're there for the music, the art, or just to be in community — this is a beautiful way to celebrate the richness of First Nations culture right here in BC.

Tatus Festival: September 4–5, 2026
Full exhibit: August 22 – September 7, 2026
PNE Fairgrounds, Festival Park area, Vancouver

Learn more at https://canoecultures.com/markets/

08/18/2026

Something significant is coming.

By 2027, Chiefs and leaders across BC will vote on a new direction for the FNHC — new Terms of Reference, a renewed mandate, and a structure built for the next chapter of First Nations Health Governance.

That process starts now. And the best way to stay informed as it unfolds is through the FNHC newsletter.

Updates on regional engagement. Summaries from community consultations. What you need to know before Gathering Wisdom XIV.

Subscribe at fnhc.ca