The Palliative Approach

Each year, Canadians pause during National Hospice Palliative Care Week to reflect on how we care for people living with serious illness, and how we support their families. This year’s theme, “Palliative Care Everywhere,” is both a vision and a challenge. It asks us to imagine a country where high-quality palliative care is not limited by location, age, race or ethnicity, diagnosis, housing instability or setting, but is available wherever people are, whenever they need it.

As 2026 is the International Year of the Volunteer, we’ve prepared this special series to celebrate Nav-CARE volunteers across the country who so generously give their time to support persons in their community navigating complex and declining health.

While the concepts underpinning advance care planning are broadly similar across the country, the legal structures, terminology, and documents used to support ACP vary markedly from one province and territory to another. These regional differences that are rooted in distinct legislative frameworks, create challenges for individuals, families, health care providers, and advocates who work to normalize ACP across Canada.

Across Canada, ACP is recognized as a crucial part of patient-centered care, helping ensure that people receive treatment aligned with their values and goals. Yet, despite the growing awareness of its importance, a critical gap persists: ACP documents often don’t “follow you” across health care systems, hospitals, or even provinces. 

Delivering high-quality palliative care requires more than clinical skill—it demands presence, empathy, and the ability to support families through some of life’s most difficult conversations.

Delivering high-quality palliative care requires more than clinical skill—it demands presence, empathy, and the ability to support families through some of life’s most difficult conversations.

Embracing Grief: A Weekend Nature Retreat is a four-day retreat held at Northern Edge Algonquin, on Kawawaymog Lake in South River, Ontario.

Imagine a network of collaborative hospice kitchens nationwide, sharing recipes, techniques, and solutions.

This article is part of a series following two multi-year projects that bring together social movements to improve quality of life for those facing health challenges.

Palliative care is still widely misunderstood by many people in Canada. Here are 10 common myths we often encounter.