News

The Government of British Columbia has announced several changes to Cabinet following Minister Brenda Bailey’s decision to take a leave for cancer treatment and recovery.

First and foremost, BCHPCA extends our warm wishes to Minister Bailey and her family as she focuses on her treatment and recovery.

As part of the Cabinet changes, the Honourable Ravi Kahlon has been appointed B.C.’s new Minister of Health, succeeding Josie Osborne, who has moved to the Ministry of Finance.

This transition also offers an important moment to reflect on something at the heart of our sector: the experience of serious illness extends far beyond medical treatment alone.

Palliative care is not only care for the final days or weeks of life. It can begin alongside treatment and help people and their families navigate the physical, emotional, psychosocial and practical realities that can accompany a serious illness, through treatment, changing health needs, recovery, survivorship and, when needed, end-of-life care.

Across British Columbia, hospice societies are an important part of that continuum. They provide compassionate community-based supports, including counselling, caregiver support, grief and bereavement programs, navigation, volunteer services and connections that help people and families feel less alone through some of life's most difficult experiences.

As Minister Kahlon takes on the health portfolio, BCHPCA looks forward to welcoming him and continuing our work with the Province to advance access to hospice and palliative care and strengthen the role of community hospice societies within B.C.'s broader health care system.

Because access to palliative care should not begin only when treatment ends. It should be part of how we care for people throughout serious illness, when and where they need it.

Read the Announcement Here.

Every child living with a serious illness deserves access to compassionate, high-quality hospice palliative care, and every family deserves to be supported throughout their journey.

The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA), in partnership with Canada’s Pediatric Palliative Care Alliance, has launched the Short Lives Can’t Wait campaign to raise awareness of the urgent need for equitable access to children’s hospice palliative care across Canada.

The campaign highlights a significant gap in care: only 18% of children who could have benefited from specialized pediatric palliative care received it. Among those who did receive specialized support, one in four received care for fewer than eight days before their death. These figures underscore the importance of ensuring children and families can access palliative care early, not only at the end of life, but throughout the course of a serious illness.

Access remains particularly challenging for children and families living in rural, remote, northern, and equity-deserving communities. As of November 2023, only 17 specialized pediatric palliative care programs had been identified across Canada, with most located in larger urban centres.

Short Lives Can’t Wait calls for action in four key areas:

• Equitable access to care — expanding children’s hospice palliative care services across all regions and integrating palliative care earlier throughout a child’s illness journey.
• Support for families and caregivers — recognizing caregivers as essential partners and strengthening access to respite, practical, emotional, and financial supports.
• Grief and bereavement support — ensuring children, parents, siblings, and families have access to culturally safe and ongoing grief and bereavement care.
• Building a stronger future — strengthening national collaboration, research, education, workforce development, and sustainable investment in pediatric palliative care.

A Shared Commitment to Children and Families

BCHPCA recognizes the importance of this national call to action. In British Columbia, hospice societies and community-based providers play an important role in supporting children and families facing serious illness, while also providing compassionate grief and bereavement support.

Equitable access to hospice palliative care means ensuring that children and families receive the right care, at the right time, in the location that best meets their needs. It also means recognizing that support for families does not end when a child dies. Grief and bereavement care are an essential part of the continuum of support.

The Short Lives Can’t Wait campaign is an important reminder that early access matters. No child or family should have to wait until the final days of life to receive the specialized care, support, and compassion they need.

BCHPCA encourages our members, partners, health care providers, and communities to learn more about the campaign and help raise awareness of the importance of equitable pediatric hospice palliative care across Canada.

Learn more about the Short Lives Can’t Wait campaign

Read the original eHospice Canada article

The BC Hospice & Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is pleased to share an opportunity from the University of British Columbia (UBC) School of Nursing for healthcare providers to participate in a research study exploring healthcare providers' perspectives on men's experiences with Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD).

Despite MAiD becoming an increasingly important component of end-of-life care in Canada, limited research has examined how healthcare providers perceive men's experiences throughout the MAiD process. This qualitative study aims to better understand the factors that shape these experiences and contribute to more person-centred, equitable, and gender-sensitive MAiD care.

Researchers are seeking licensed or regulated healthcare providers in British Columbia who have clinical experience supporting adult men through the MAiD journey, from inquiry and assessment to provision or bereavement care. Eligible participants include physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, spiritual health practitioners, and other regulated professionals involved in MAiD care.

Participation involves a confidential, one-on-one virtual interview lasting approximately 45–60 minutes, scheduled at a time that is convenient for participants. Participation is entirely voluntary, and all information shared will remain confidential.

The study has received approval from the University of British Columbia Behavioural Research Ethics Board (Ethics ID: H26-00284).

Healthcare providers interested in participating or learning more are encouraged to contact:

Chang-Oh (Chris) Baek, RN, MSN Student
School of Nursing, University of British Columbia
Email: ohbaek@student.ubc.ca

Your experience and insights can help advance understanding of men's health and strengthen compassionate, evidence-informed, and equitable MAiD care across Canada.

Hospice Advocacy During Election Season: What You Need to Know about the 2026 BC Local Elections 

While developed for oncology professionals, the recommendations outlined in this resource have important implications across the continuum of care, including hospice, palliative care, grief, and bereavement services.

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is pleased to share a new educational resource developed by the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (CANO): Cancer Care Compass: Supporting Neurodivergent Cancer Patients.

Approximately 15 - 20% of Canadians identify as neurodivergent, including individuals with autism, ADHD, OCD, Down syndrome, and other neurodevelopmental differences. Yet many continue to experience barriers when accessing healthcare services, including communication challenges, sensory sensitivities, stigma, medical mistrust, and inequitable access to supportive care.

These barriers can contribute to delayed diagnoses, poorer health outcomes, and increased distress for patients and families.

Many of the principles highlighted, including clear communication, sensory awareness, flexible approaches to decision making, caregiver engagement, navigation support, and person centred care, align closely with the values that underpin hospice palliative care.

As our communities become increasingly diverse, it is important that we continue to examine how our programs, environments, and services can better support neurodivergent individuals and families throughout their illness journey, at end of life, and during grief and bereavement.

Why This Matters

Healthcare encounters can be overwhelming for neurodivergent individuals. Differences in communication, information processing, sensory experiences, and the expression of pain or symptoms can create barriers to receiving appropriate care and support.

For hospice societies, this raises important questions:

• How accessible are our programs and services for neurodivergent individuals and families?
• Are staff and volunteers equipped to recognize and respond to diverse communication styles and sensory needs?
• Do our grief and bereavement programs provide flexible and inclusive opportunities for participation?
• Are there opportunities to strengthen partnerships with disability serving organizations in our communities?

Small changes can have a meaningful impact on a person's experience of care.

Building on Provincial Efforts

This resource also aligns with broader work underway in BC to improve equitable access to hospice and palliative care for people with neurodevelopmental disabilities and medical complexity.

BCHPCA has been pleased to support the Advancing Compassionate Hospice & Palliative Care for People with Neurodevelopmental Complexity (CPC-NDC) initiative, a collaborative effort bringing together individuals with lived experience, healthcare providers, researchers, community organizations, disability advocates, and system leaders to identify practical solutions for improving access to compassionate, person-centred care. Through a growing Community of Practice (CoP), educational initiatives, and provincial roundtables, this work is helping bridge longstanding gaps between the disability and hospice palliative care sectors and advance a provincial action plan focused on education, navigation, inclusive decision making, and coordinated care.

As BCHPCA continues its commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, we look forward to supporting conversations and initiatives that help ensure every person receives care that is compassionate, accessible, and responsive to their unique needs.

Join the Conversation

Have you adapted your grief, bereavement, hospice, or palliative care services to better support neurodivergent individuals and families?

We'd love to hear from you.

We invite hospice societies, palliative care providers, volunteers, caregivers, and community organizations to share their experiences, promising practices, challenges, and learning opportunities as we continue working together to build a more inclusive and accessible hospice palliative care system across BC and the Yukon.

Access the Resource Here:

  The BC Centre for Palliative Care is inviting hospice staff and volunteers across British Columbia to participate in a research study evaluating a free online education module designed to improve grief and bereavement knowledge for those who serve people experiencing homelessness.

The study, Fostering Grief and Bereavement Literacy in the Workplace for Those Who Serve People Experiencing Homelessness, aims to test the effectiveness of a virtual educational module in building the capacity of hospice workers and volunteers to provide grief support to people experiencing homelessness.

Participants are eligible if they:

• Are 19 years of age or older

• Live in British Columbia

• Can understand English

• Work or volunteer with people who are grieving at a BC hospice

Participants will be asked to complete the online educational module (approximately 2.5 hours) and a post-module survey (approximately 10–15 minutes). The survey will explore participants' knowledge, skills, and confidence related to grief support and provide an opportunity to offer feedback on the module's content and design. No honorarium is provided for participation.

The study is open until August 31, 2026. Hospices are encouraged to share this opportunity with staff and volunteers who support individuals experiencing grief and bereavement.

For more information or to participate, please contact Joshua Black, PhD, Bereavement Initiative Manager at the BC Centre for Palliative Care, at jblack@bc-cpc.ca.

Please see the attached study poster for additional details.

      The British Columbia division of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA BC) has launched a new provincial initiative aimed at better understanding the landscape of voluntary mental health services and identifying gaps in access to care across British Columbia. The project, Mapping BC's Voluntary Mental Health System, is being led by Zahra, Research Analyst and Clinical Social Worker, and Polly McDermid, Manager of Policy Advocacy, with funding support from the Max Bell Foundation.

The project responds to growing concerns that much of the province's recent investment has focused on high-intensity and involuntary mental health interventions, while community-based, preventative, and early-intervention services have received comparatively less attention and support. Through this work, CMHA BC aims to create an evidence base that can help inform future advocacy, planning, and investment in voluntary mental health care services across the province.

Phase One of the project will focus on publicly funded and publicly accessible adult mental health services, including crisis response programs, grief supports, reproductive mental health services, outreach programs, and psychiatric-focused case management. The project will examine barriers to access such as geography, cost, service availability, referral pathways, eligibility requirements, and the unique challenges faced by rural, remote, and underserved communities.

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the importance of strengthening community-based mental health care. Project leaders emphasized the need to better understand and support services that promote mental health, prevent crises, and provide early intervention before individuals require higher-intensity care. The initiative also seeks to better understand how factors such as housing, income, technology access, transportation, and social isolation influence a person's ability to access mental health supports.

Participants highlighted several important considerations for the project, including the need to recognize the intersection between mental health, substance use, and social determinants of health. Additional discussion focused on barriers experienced by people who are street-entrenched, individuals without fixed addresses, and those who may distrust traditional systems of care. The importance of integrating mental health expertise into community outreach services was also raised as a potential area for future exploration.

Of particular relevance to hospice societies and community organizations, participants noted the important role that grief and bereavement programs play in many communities, especially in rural and remote regions where formal mental health services may be limited. CMHA BC acknowledged the value of this feedback and indicated that the scope of grief supports included within the mapping project will continue to be refined as the work progresses.

The project's key deliverables will include:

• A provincial inventory of voluntary mental health services and programs;

• A data visualization map illustrating how services are distributed across British Columbia; and

• A briefing report and gap analysis identifying barriers, service gaps, and opportunities for system improvement.

Data collection is expected to take place throughout June and July 2026, with a final report anticipated by the end of August. Findings will be shared publicly in fall 2026. CMHA BC also hopes to secure funding for a second phase of work that would develop a costed strategy for strengthening and expanding voluntary, community-based mental health services across the province.

Implications for Hospice Societies and BCHPCA

BCHPCA participated in this discussion to help ensure that hospice societies and community-based grief and bereavement programs are recognized within British Columbia's broader mental health and wellness landscape.

For decades, hospice societies have provided accessible grief and bereavement support, caregiver support, volunteer-led programs, and community-based services that help individuals navigate loss, reduce isolation, and build resilience. In many rural and remote communities, hospice societies are among the few organizations offering grief support that is publicly accessible and available regardless of diagnosis or referral pathway.

As CMHA BC advances this mapping project, BCHPCA will continue advocating for hospice societies to be recognized as trusted, qualified community partners within the voluntary mental health system. Ensuring that hospice-based grief and bereavement services are accurately represented in provincial planning and future funding discussions will be critical to strengthening access to support for individuals and families experiencing loss.

This work aligns closely with BCHPCA's ongoing Provincial Grief and Bereavement Strategy, which seeks to increase recognition, sustainability, and equitable access to grief and bereavement services across British Columbia.

Webinar Recording

A recording of the webinar is available below for those interested in learning more about the project, its goals, and opportunities to contribute feedback as the work moves forward.

Recording Link

New report highlights growing pressures facing hospice societies, rural inequities, and the need for a coordinated provincial pathway for hospice palliative care.

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) has released a new provincial report, Building the Missing Pathway for Hospice Palliative Care in British Columbia, calling for stronger integration, planning, and sustainable investment in community-based hospice palliative care across the province.

For more than 40 years, hospice societies across British Columbia have supported individuals and families through serious illness, caregiving, grief, bereavement, and end-of-life care. Today, hospice societies collectively support approximately 120,000 service interactions annually while generating an estimated $141 million in annual system value.

The report highlights:

• growing reliance on hospice societies across communities
• fragmented and inconsistent funding structures
• increasing pressures related to aging populations and health system demand
• significant inequities in rural and remote communities
• opportunities for alignment with emerging federal infrastructure investments

“British Columbia is already relying on hospice societies as part of its health system, but funding them as though they are outside of it,” said Pablita Thomas, ED of BCHPCA.

The report outlines three key recommendations:

• Establish a provincial hospice palliative care funding pathway
• Integrate hospice societies into provincial and regional health system planning
• Advance equitable access in rural, remote, and underserved communities

Download the full report:

Building the Missing Pathway for Hospice Palliative Care in British Columbia

Read the Full Press Release:

About BCHPCA

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association is a provincial systems partner and not-for-profit organization that has been strengthening hospice palliative care across British Columbia and Yukon for more than 40 years through advocacy, education, collaboration, and sector leadership.

Across British Columbia, hospice societies, grief support programs, volunteers, and community leaders continue to show the importance of compassionate grief and bereavement care. Through the 2026 Grief & Bereavement (G&B) Funding Strategy Working Group, organizations from across the province are working together to strengthen recognition, sustainability, and support for these essential community services.

What began as a strategic funding discussion is evolving into something broader: a coordinated provincial movement to increase awareness, recognition, and long-term support for grief and bereavement care in BC

The Working Group continues to advance a three-year pathway focused on:

2026 – Awareness & Presence
Building shared messaging, strengthening relationships, and increasing visibility across ministries and sectors.

2027 – Formal Recognition
Strengthening municipal and legislative engagement to elevate grief and bereavement as essential community infrastructure.

2028 – Investment
Supporting long-term and sustainable funding integration that reflect the growing needs of communities across BC.

Highlights from Meeting #2: Turning Strategy into Action

The second Working Group meeting held on March 31, focused on turning strategy into coordinated action.

Provincial Proclamation Initiative

The Working Group discussed the development of a Provincial Grief & Bereavement Day Proclamation for November 2026. Participants explored how proclamations can help increase public awareness, strengthen community conversations, and create opportunities for engagement with local governments and MLAs across BC.

Growing Sector Pressures

The need for coordinated advocacy continues to grow as many hospice societies face increasing financial pressures. Common challenges identified by the group included:

• Reductions in gaming and charitable funding
• increasing demand and complexity of grief support needs
• funding gaps impacting volunteer-led and rural organizations

These realities continue to impact the sustainability of community-based grief and bereavement services throughout BC.

Strengthening a Public Health Approach

The Working Group continues to strengthen the use of a public health approach to grief and bereavement care, highlighting the role hospice societies play in mental health promotion, early intervention, social connection, and community resilience.

Looking Ahead

BCHPCA is currently reviewing the results of the Mobilization & Advocacy Survey to help guide the next phase of engagement and strategy development.

Upcoming milestones include:

• May 26, 2026 - Working Group Meeting #3
• Finalization of the Strategic Framework for government submission
• Continued development of advocacy and engagement materials

This work continues to grow through collaboration, shared knowledge, and community leadership.

We welcome organizations, partners, and community members interested in:

• supporting grief and bereavement awareness
• participating in future engagement activities
• sharing advocacy ideas and resources
• exploring partnership opportunities

We encourage you to connect with the BCHPCA team. Either Daniel or Pablita via the office@bchpa.org

Together, we can continue building a more compassionate and connected province.

National Hospice Palliative Care Week 2026: Palliative Care Everywhere
May 3–9, 2026

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is proud to recognize National Hospice Palliative Care Week, taking place May 3–9, 2026. This year’s theme, Palliative Care Everywhere, highlights the importance of ensuring equitable access to compassionate, high-quality palliative care for all regardless of age, diagnosis, location, or circumstance.

Across British Columbia and the Yukon, hospice societies are coming together to raise awareness, celebrate the impact of palliative care, and advocate for improved access in every community. We invite you to learn more, connect with your local hospice, and be part of the conversation.

Read the full press release

Learn more about National Hospice Palliative Care Week