Pandemic Preparedness

CIEDAR works to connect with Indigenous Peoples and communities to understand the life experiences, opportunities, and challenges that affect their health and well-being, as these factors inform pandemic response.

Current Projects

  • Hearing Indigenous Voices Survey

    The Hearing Indigenous Voices survey is a binational survey of Indigenous individuals who live across Turtle Island (North America). The survey assessed Indigenous persons’ experiences in the pandemic, knowledge of the pandemic and its changes, vaccine hesitancy, resources used for mental health concerns, and willingness to engage with research. Analysis is ongoing and has already produced valuable findings on Indigenous Peoples’ most frequent motivations to seek vaccination (e.g., personal health and safety, protecting vulnerable community members and Elders) and avoid vaccination (e.g., general lack of desire, mistrust of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine), as well as where they accessed vaccines (e.g., vaccination clinics embedded in community settings).

  • Thrivance on Turtle Island

    Thrivance on Turtle Island after the COVID-19 pandemic (TOTI) expands CIEDAR’s Hearing Indigenous Voices survey. Over two years, CIEDAR will develop and distribute a culturally-appropriate survey to Indigenous Peoples across Canada. TOTI will focus on improving pandemic preparedness by:

    Examining and highlighting Indigenous strengths and resilience;

    Better understanding how Indigenous Peoples use culture during health crises;

    Looking at how culture increases Indigenous resilience;

    Studying how better policies can be designed for future pandemics.

  • CIEDAR P2

    The Cluster for Indigenous Engagement, Development, and Research Pandemic Preparedness (CIEDAR P2) emerged from the success of the UBC Grant for Catalyzing Research Cluster (GCRC).  The GCRC provides funding for infrastructure, knowledge translation, and dissemination activities. CIEDAR P2's goal is to expand and deepen our network of Indigenous researchers, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, organizations, community partners, and ally researchers through knowledge translation, communications, and in-person engagement visits. These partnerships have always been at the core of CIEDAR’s work, and we have prioritized the importance of conducting innovative and empowering research with Indigenous community partners.

    We will continue to prioritize community engagement and knowledge translation, incorporating Indigenous ceremony and cultural knowledge into symposia and other events, and advancing Indigenous knowledge and interests through various media platforms.

Outputs

Tradition Guides the Needle

  • Needles do more than play an integral role in the administration of vaccines: They stitch identity into the lives of Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island (a term some Indigenous people use for the continent of North America, encompassing both Canada and the United States). The complex role of needles in promoting health and culture is exemplified by Indigenous participation in beadwork during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. Given its benefits, how can culture be used to address major health concerns among Indigenous Peoples? Do certain cultural practices relate differently to particular health behaviors among them? In this article, we begin to answer these questions by describing how participation in cultural activities relates to vaccination uptake among Indigenous people in the United States and Canada. We begin answering these questions using data comes from the 2021 Hearing Indigenous Voices Survey (HIS).

  • Read the full article here.

Thrivance on Turtle Island 2025 Survey Report

  • Thrivance on Turtle Island (TOTI) was conducted in 2025 to measure the well-being of self-identified Indigenous residents of Turtle Island, or what is now known as Canada and the United States, in a post COVID-19 world. The survey generated 552 complete responses. These responses capture post-pandemic experiences of Indigenous participants in a culturally grounded way, with data including questions about cultural engagement, Indigenous identity, ancestral land use, ecological kinship, environmental stewardship, trust and participation in medical research, and health outcomes across several domains.

    The key findings of this report are as follows:

    • Most indigenous respondents are in good health.

    • Ecological kinship and environmental stewardship are common among indigenous respondents.

    • Indigenous respondents have complicated views of trust and participation in medical research.

    • Indigenous respondents are glad to be indigenous.

    Read the full report here.

Indigenous Health Emergencies Webinar Series

  • CIEDAR P2 presents the Indigenous Health Emergencies Webinar Series.

    Webinar 1: Creating an Indigenous Community-Informed Framework for Pandemic Preparedness

    • The webinar is dedicated to CIEDAR P2’s efforts during the first year as a cluster. Drs. Kimberly Huyser, Tabitha Robin, Angela Mashford-Pringle, and Sheila Blackstock shared an overview of the Indigenous Pandemic Preparedness Framework.

    Webinar 2: Indigenous Approaches to Pandemics

    • Dr. Blue Bird Jernigan discussed how her work on improving Indigenous food systems through policy and environmental interventions contributes to the strength, sovereignty, and thrivance of Indigenous communities.

    Webinar 3: Indigenous Approaches to Emergency Assistance

    • The webinar highlighted the work of the Turtle Team. The Turtle Team is an Indigenous group dedicated to providing comprehensive and culturally-grounded support to First Nations relatives during health emergencies. In this session, several members of the Turtles Team discussed their efforts during COVID-19 and the recent wildfires.

2021 Hearing Indigenous Voices Survey Report

  • At the time of the survey, more than 18 months into the pandemic, there was limited data reflecting Indigenous perspectives and experiences. CIEDAR developed HIS to address this gap by offering Indigenous Peoples an opportunity to voice how the pandemic affected their lives and to share insights and lessons learned that may help shape future pandemic responses.

    The report highlights key findings on:

    • Vaccine and booster uptake attitudes and behaviours

    • Trust in science and vaccinations

    • Access to health care and medicine during the pandemic

    • Challenges and opportunities in implementing public health mandates among Indigenous communities

    • Immunization recommendations among Indigenous Peoples on Turtle Island

    We hope these insights will contribute to a better understanding of Indigenous health experiences and ensure that Indigenous voices are heard during current and future health emergencies.

    Read the full report here.

Indigenous Pandemic Preparedness Framework

  • View the full visual here.

    During the CIEDAR P2 workshop, First Nation and Métis community members, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, researchers and ally researchers shared their evidence and experience from the COVID-19 pandemic. The discussions centred on lessons learned from the pandemic, and participants offered suggestions for addressing future health emergencies. These valuable insights and experiences contributed to the creation of the National Framework for Indigenous Pandemic Preparedness. The framework is presented as a red cedar tree, with four major branches: Ways of Sharing (branch one), Ways of Knowing (branch two), Ways of Doing (branch three) and Ways of Being (branch four). Each branch represents an area of work and intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic, as identified by workshop participants.

CIEDAR P2 National Framework for Indigenous Pandemic Preparedness

  • In November 2024, CIEDAR P2 hosted its inaugural workshop, bringing together Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, researchers, and community partners from across Turtle Island (Canada and the United States) and Aotearoa (New Zealand). Rooted in Indigenous teachings and values—respect, bravery, honesty, humility, truth, wisdom, and love—the workshop focused on Indigenous Peoples’ experiences with and contributions to pandemic preparedness.

    The insights shared during this gathering informed the creation of a National Framework for Indigenous Pandemic Preparedness, which is grounded in Indigenous self-determination, ceremony, and connection to land and water. The framework is grounded in four core themes:

    • Ways of Sharing – Culturally and linguistically appropriate communication during health crises.

    • Ways of Knowing – Indigenous knowledge systems and data sovereignty.

    • Ways of Doing – Practices rooted in cultural tradition and access to essential infrastructure.

    • Ways of Being – Promoting cultural safety and Indigenous leadership in health and research systems.

    This framework sets a national standard for community-informed, community-engaged approaches to Indigenous pandemic preparedness.

    Read the full report here.

  • Carly Morrisseau was invited to be the graphic recorder for the CIEDAR P2 inaugural workshop, visually capturing conversations that emphasized Indigenous self-determination in pandemic preparedness. View their graphic recording here.

    Several key conversations stood out to the artist:

    • Taking control of our family, meeting the needs of our people and asking, ‘Do you need anything?’

    • We must acknowledge the land we are on and respect those who have cared for it.

    • Asking the question, ‘Whose water are you from?’

    • When we are in relation, we are in community, recognizing our roots and how we are connected.

    • Acknowledging our familial history of matriarchs that is both complex and layered.

    • We have more work to do, and we need each other’s strength.

CIEDAR P2 Workshop

  • CIEDAR P2 Workshop

    In November 2024, CIEDAR P2 hosted its inaugural workshop. Indigenous and allied scholars from Turtle Island and Aotearoa gathered to share insights on Indigenous experiences with pandemic preparedness. Guided by Elders and Knowledge Keepers, the workshop helped shape a National Framework for Indigenous Pandemic Preparedness, rooted in Indigenous values, sovereignty, and ceremony. The framework centers on four interconnected themes:

    Ways of Sharing: Culturally and linguistically appropriate communication for timely and effective health messaging.

    Ways of Knowing: Indigenous data sovereignty and community-led knowledge systems.

    Ways of Doing: Practices grounded in land, tradition, and access to essential infrastructure.

    Ways of Being: Cultural safety, reflexivity, and respectful engagement with Indigenous protocols.

Hearing Indigenous Voices During the COVID-19 Pandemic Symposium

  • In June 2023, CIEDAR hosted a dialogue session, Hearing Indigenous Voices During the COVID-19 Pandemic, highlighting the experiences and triumphs of Indigenous Peoples on Turtle Island and around the world. The hybrid dialogue session with researchers based in Canada, the United States, and New Zealand included presentations and discussions about lessons learned on conducting research in Indigenous communities and about Indigenous resilience during the pandemic.

    The event was presented in partnership with UBC Health After 2020 Dialogue Session, UBC Sociology, UBC Indigenous Land-Based Health, Wellness, and Education Research Cluster, and CoVaRR-Net EDI&I.

  • Watch the full video here.

CoVaRR-Net Spring 2023 Meeting

Wastewater Needs Assessment & Infographic

  • CIEDAR published a one-page summary to educate Indigenous communities and academics on what is needed for Indigenous Peoples to sustainably participate in wastewater surveillance.

    If you’re interested in wastewater surveillance in your community, please contact the director of CoVaRR-Net’s Wastewater Surveillance Research Group, Robert Delatolla, Robert.Delatolla@uottawa.ca.

  • View the full infographic here.

Social Determinants of Health and COVID-19 Case Incidence Study Across Canada

  • Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada collected data on SARS-CoV-2 infections by health region but did not collect individual demographic data. Thus, it left a gap in understanding the link between social factors and disease occurrence. This paper explores the social factors (i.e., household income, household composition, minority status/experiences of racism, housing and transportation, and the number of First Nations communities) that have influenced Indigenous Peoples’ health during the pandemic across Canadian health regions. The findings illuminate how many social factors are the result of systemic racism that place Indigenous Peoples at an increased risk for COVID-19.

    The event was presented in partnership with UBC Health After 2020 Dialogue Session, UBC Sociology, UBC Indigenous Land-Based Health, Wellness, and Education Research Cluster, and CoVaRR-Net EDI&I.

  • Read the full article here.

Canadian Immunization Research Network

  • Dr. Kimberly Huyser collaborated with the Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) as their Research Champion.

Webinar on Health Equity

  • CoVaRR-Net’s CIEDAR hosted a virtual panel called “Indigenous Peoples and the Canadian Research Ecosystem Webinar” in collaboration with Genome Canada, the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health, and CanCOGen on December 6, 2021. Panelists included Dr. Jessica Kolopenuk, Taylor Morriseau, and Leona Star, and the panel was moderated by CIEDAR Lead Dr. Kimberly R. Huyser.

    The webinar covered issues specific to engaging Indigenous populations in research such as open data/open science, and data sovereignty.

Webinar on Vaccine Hesitancy

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Community-based research