Dr. Margot Parkes, Lheidli T’enneh Elder and UNBC Chancellor Darlene McIntosh and Dr. Rheanna Robinson gather during a health research engagement initiative focused on Indigenous, rural and remote communities in northern B.C. UNBC photo
Prince Georgy Daily News by admin | Published February 10, 2025
A new health research initiative in northern British Columbia aims to address inequities in health research infrastructure for Indigenous, rural, remote and northern communities. Supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) planning and dissemination grant, the project focuses on developing solutions tailored to the unique needs of these communities.
“This grant is about more than infrastructure; it’s about ensuring that infrastructure meets the needs of Indigenous and remote communities,” said Dr. Margot Parkes, Professor in UNBC’s School of Health Sciences and UBC’s Northern Medical Program at UNBC. “Bringing people together to share and discuss this work is essential to creating meaningful solutions.”
The project emphasizes a long-term Indigenous co-designed research agenda that integrates Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility (IDEA) principles and intergenerational sustainability.
“This collaboration ensures Indigenous voices are included in the context of how research is moving forward,” added UNBC Associate Professor in the Department of First Nations Studies Dr. Rheanna Robinson.