FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Ottawa, ON (August 4, 2026) — Organizations across Canada are invited to take part in National Grief and Bereavement Day, November 17th, 2026, as the official Campaign Kit is now available.  

Held the third Tuesday of November, National Grief and Bereavement Day is a national initiative that encourages people in Canada to engage government and all sectors of society in a national dialogue to identify and support access to the necessary resources for those living with grief and bereavement. 

Grief and bereavement are universal human experiences, yet many people continue to face them without the understanding, support, and resources they need. While these experiences touch individuals, families, workplaces, schools, and communities across Canada, access to grief support remains inconsistent, and conversations about loss are often avoided or misunderstood. 

By raising awareness, sharing experiences, and advocating for stronger grief and bereavement supports, we can reduce stigma, improve understanding, expand access to support services, and build more compassionate communities where no one has to navigate grief alone 

Whether you are an individual, workplace, school, healthcare organization, or community group, the kit provides ready-to-use tools to help raise awareness and spark conversations about grief and bereavement. Resources include social media graphics, images, posters, virtual meeting backgrounds, email headers, templates, digital badges, and a curated collections of grief and bereavement resources 

“Every day, millions of Canadians are living with grief, yet support remains uneven and often difficult to access. At the same time, conversations about loss and grief are too often avoided, misunderstood, or met with discomfort, leaving many people to feel isolated in their experiences.” said Cheryl Spencer, Interim CEO, Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA). “This Grief and Bereavement Day, we are calling on governments, organizations, communities, and individuals to shine a light on grief support in Canada. By increasing grief literacy, fostering open conversations, and strengthening access to compassionate support services, we can help create a future where no one has to navigate grief alone and where support is available to everyone who needs it, when and where they need it.”   

By joining the 2026 National Grief and Bereavement Day campaign, participating individuals and organizations become part of a growing national movement working to bring greater visibility to the realities of grief and the importance of compassionate support.  

Organizations are encouraged to download the campaign kit now and begin planning their National Grief and Bereavement activities for November 17, 2026.  

Download the campaign kit 

For more information visit: https://www.chpca.ca/awareness/national-grief-and-bereavement-day/  

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About CHPCA:  

The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) is the national voice for hospice palliative care in Canada. CHPCA is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in hospice palliative care and provides leadership on advocacy, education, research, and knowledge translation to ensure that everyone in Canada has access to high-quality hospice palliative care. CHPCA operates in close partnership with provincial hospice palliative care organizations and other national organizations to strengthen the accessibility and quality of palliative care provided across Canada. Visit www.chpca.ca to find out more. 

Media Contact:
Tara Landry
Communications Officer