Inequity

Ontario’s position on midwifery puts rural and Indigenous communities at risk

For the Ford government, midwives' demands for equitable pay are unacceptable. But instead of using tax dollars to fight midwives in court, Ford should recognize gender-based inequities, address the pay gap and invest in rural and northern midwifery programs.

COVID-19 and the starving student

Food insecurity among post-secondary students is not new, nor has it been caused by the pandemic. Rather, it has been a severe issue in Canada for quite a while. The image of the starving student has, in fact, been romanticized for decades.

‘We had to find our way in the dark’: Physician helps remote Sioux Lookout First Nations navigate through pandemic

Lloyd Douglas worked as part of the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority to protect Indigenous communities in northern Ontario from COVID-19. We're profiling him as a Pillar of the Pandemic.

Community advocate ‘unrelenting in making good trouble’

Angela Robertson, executive director of Parkdale-Queen West Community Health Centre in Toronto, is a determined advocate for homeless, racialized and disadvantaged communities. We're profiling her as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

Vaccine Hunters looks forward to the day it isn’t needed anymore

During the pandemic, Vaccine Hunters Canada became a household name because the group worked around the clock to help Canadians get vaccinated. We're profiling the group as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

Musician, aspiring writer – and one of Ontario’s toughest medical officers of health

Lawrence Loh, Peel Region’s medical officer of health, worked tirelessly to promote public health in one of Ontario's worst-hit COVID-19 hotspots. We're profiling him as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

‘We’re doing this together’: Researcher advocates for transparency and community involvement

Kate Mulligan, member of the Toronto Board of Health, has kept the public informed of discussions and debate at the board while also helping empower front-line community health leaders. We're profiling her as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

‘We deserve better’: Health centre director advocates for marginalized communities

Cheryl Prescod is the executive director of a community health centre that was on the front lines of vaccinating the inhabitants of a disadvantaged area of Toronto. We're profiling her as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

Team Vaccine: Listen, Care and Act

Shiran Isaacksz played a key role in organizing a massive effort to vaccinate as much of Toronto as possible. We're profiling him as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

In Toronto, she’s an infectious disease specialist. In the North, she’s Dr. Balloon

Anna Banerji is a pediatrician, an infectious disease specialist and the founder of the Indigenous Health Conference. We're profiling her as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

An open letter to city council: We need Multi-Tenant Houses across Toronto 

Health-care providers, scientists and researchers are calling on Mayor John Tory and city councillors to regulate multi-tenant houses across Toronto on October 1st. It's time we improved this important affordable housing stock.

Living in encampments is more than just a pandemic issue, researchers find

Recent evictions of encampments in Toronto sparked lots of discussion, but there has been little effort to understand why they exist and what they mean to their residents. We studied these questions. Here's what we found.

Breaking the cycle of racism and bias in health care

COVID-19 has laid bare racial disparities in health. Three medical professionals talk about the structural racism in health care they have seen during the pandemic – and what needs to be done to address it.

Why Peter Bryce’s legacy still matters today

Physician John O'Connor received an award honouring the legacy of Peter Bryce, a government doctor who sounded the alarm over the high death toll in residential schools. Who has the courage to be the next?

‘Equitable and free of barriers’: Canada’s first gold-level certified accessible clinic opens its doors

Canada now has its first medical clinic that is accessible enough to earn gold-level certification from the Rick Hansen Foundation. The Ability Clinic, which opened this August, is one of only 59 gold-certified spaces in Canada.

Extreme heat is here to stay. Canada must adapt.

The extreme heat wave that recently boiled Canada is just a preview of what the future holds in store. It's high time we began preparing for dangerous heat in the future. Here are some ways we can start.

Speed and flexibility: Pop-up clinics highlight advantages of learning health systems

The COVID vaccine rollout is a litmus test for the learning health system. It requires speed, well-working collaborations with community members and the ability to adjust on the fly as supplies and eligibility requirements change.

‘It’s hell for inmates in there’: COVID precautions in prisons are worsening mental health

COVID-19 precautions in prisons, such as extended lockdowns and reduced visits, are taking a serious toll on prisoners' mental health

When a city program is really just another pathway to eviction

The pandemic has intensified the suffering of homelessness. Rather than applauding Toronto's band-aid solutions, like the new program Pathway Inside, we must commit to affordable, permanent housing.

Equal is not equitable: moral distress in health care

The inequity of Ontario's vaccine rollout is causing moral distress and burnout among health-care providers. How can we change the health-care system to make it more equitable and sustainable?