Item - 2021.HL30.2

The Board of Health:

1.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to arrange an Indigenous cultural safety training session for the Board of Health in 2022 to build the Board's capacity to respectfully advance Indigenous health and reconciliation through its public health policy mandate.

2.  Requested the Chair to call a Special Meeting of the Board of Health in 2022 for the training session referenced in Part 1 above.

3.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health, in collaboration with Indigenous community partners and City of Toronto divisions, to continue the implementation of the Toronto Indigenous Health Strategy's actions and operating principles using an approach that allows for transparency and accountability.

4.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to review and advance the recommendations from the Toronto Indigenous Health Strategy Implementation Assessment, including:

a.  implementing an Indigenous cultural safety framework aimed at decolonizing Toronto Public Health's programs, services, policies and approach;

b.  engaging Toronto Public Health's Senior Management Team in a facilitated discussion to further define and act on the Toronto Indigenous Health Strategy's operating principles;

c.  exploring mechanisms to ensure that Indigenous communities' perspectives are represented at the Board of Health;

d.  strengthening Toronto Public Health's relationships with Indigenous partners such as the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council, the City of Toronto's Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee and Indigenous community organizations;

e.  continuing to invest in staff development opportunities to strengthen cultural safety and Toronto Public Health's capacity to respectfully and effectively serve Indigenous Peoples in Toronto;

f.  reviewing Toronto Public Health's hiring practices and exploring opportunities to recruit and retain Indigenous employees; and

g.  reviewing and revising Toronto Public Health's policies and practices to support Indigenous cultural safety.

Due to the ongoing impacts of colonization, Indigenous Peoples in Toronto continue to experience inequities within a number of health outcomes.

This report provides a progress update on Toronto Public Health's (TPH) implementation of the Toronto Indigenous Health Strategy (2016-2021). It also provides key recommendations for advancing the implementation of the strategy, specifically focused on enhancing cultural safety across TPH programs and services, strengthening partnerships with Indigenous communities, and advancing Indigenous health and reconciliation through a public health policy mandate.

The recommended next steps will better position TPH to work with Indigenous Peoples in Toronto to reduce health disparities and to support strong and vibrant Indigenous communities.