Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI) are pleased to report back to the community on the progress of our joint Strategic Plan 2026.

Strategic Plan 2026 focuses on five pillars that build on a philosophy of Patients at the centre of everything we do. These pillars are: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Patient Experience; Staff Experience; Research, Innovation and Learning, and Sustainable Future.

For the second year, we have made significant progress on all of our strategic priorities that are represented across all of our strategic pillars.

Each year, we choose to focus in on one of the strategic pillars and provide a closer look at some of the initiatives under the pillar that TBRHSC and TBRHRI have undertaken to advance the overall Strategic Plan 2026; with an ultimate goal to continue to improve health care in Northwestern Ontario. This year, we are highlighting the strategic pillar of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and have chosen to showcase some of our initiatives that foster a culturally safe environment where all patients, families and staff feel like they belong.

“To ensure we provide the best possible health care experience, we are strengthening our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion,” says Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO at TBRHSC and CEO at TBRHRI. “We are creating a more culturally safe and compassionate environment — to ensure equity for all throughout our Hospital and Health Research Institute.”

Initiatives to support this commitment include the addition of Indigenous Care Coordinators to help patients navigate the health care system; mandatory cultural safety and equity, diversity, and inclusion training for all staff; and enhancements to our Hospital environment to create a more welcoming space.

“Prioritizing equity, diversity and inclusion supports a positive experience, not only patients and their families but also for our staff,” says Gord Wickham, Board Chair for TBRHSC. “These initiatives are just the beginning; we are continually building an environment to enable our vision of Exceptional care for every patient, every time.”

“Research and innovation are major contributors to providing quality, equitable health care and what we do is driven by the needs of patients in our unique region,” comments Dr. Andrew Dean, Board Chair for TBRHRI. “Collaboration is vital in a place like Northwestern Ontario with a vast geography and unique cultures. Our incredible team of researchers recognize the value of finding and developing new innovations to address local and regional challenges.”

View the Year Two Progress Report through the 2023-24 TBRHSC Annual Report here or the 2023-24 TBRHRI Annual Report here.

View the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion video here.