FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(February 10, 2026, Ottawa, ON) – The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) is excited to announce that abstract submissions are now open for the 2026-2027 Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) Learning Institute. 

The Learning Institute is CHPCA’s national professional education program, designed to strengthen workforce capacity and support learning and knowledge exchange across the hospice palliative care sector. 

Established in 2012 and traditionally delivered biennially, the Learning Institute has served as a cornerstone of professional education in hospice palliative care across Canada. The 2026-2027 Learning Institute builds on this history, offering high-quality, evidence-informed education in a more accessible format designed to better meet the needs of learners nationwide. 

The 2026-2027 Learning Institute will be delivered as a virtual learning series focused on practical, interactive learning for clinicians and interdisciplinary care providers. This format reduces barriers related to geography, travel, and cost, while supporting engagement through presentations, facilitated discussion, and applied learning opportunities that participants can integrate into their practice.  The series will consist of a minimum of eight standalone sessions, each 3 to 3.5-hours in length, and reflects a renewed program designed intended to address evolving issues and priorities within the hospice palliative care sector. 

CHPCA invites submissions on a wide range of topics, including: 

• Clinical Practice: (e.g., symptom management, pain control, interprofessional collaboration, pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions) 

• Equity, Inclusion & Special Populations: (e.g., pediatrics, 2SLGBTQIA+, long-term care, prison populations, racialized communities, disability, rural & remote care). 

• Indigenous Communities & Culturally Safer Care: (e.g., Indigenous-led models, culturally safe care, land-based healing, community engagement, traditional knowledge sharing). 

• Health Systems & Models of Care: (e.g., workforce development, palliative care integration, public health, funding models, leadership, community-based care). 

• Advance Care Planning: (e.g., legal & ethical considerations, family conversations, decision-making tools, ACP in diverse communities, advance directives). 

• Grief, Bereavement & Psychosocial Support: (e.g., mental health, trauma-informed care, caregiver support, spiritual care, grief across the lifespan, cultural approaches to loss). 

• Policy, Advocacy & Ethics: (e.g., human rights, MAID, legal & regulatory frameworks, health equity policies, access to palliative care, advocacy strategies). 

• Innovation & Technology in Palliative Care: (e.g., telehealth, AI, digital tools, emerging therapies, research advancements, virtual care models, assistive technology). 

These examples are not exhaustive. Each learning stream includes additional sub-themes.  

For full details and submission guidelines, visit https://www.chpca.ca/conference-events/learning-institute-home/abstracts/ 

Abstract submissions offer an opportunity to contribute to national dialogue and help shape the future of hospice palliative care education in Canada. 

About Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association 

The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) — the national voice for hospice palliative care in Canada – is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in care for persons approaching death so that the burdens of suffering, loneliness and grief are lessened. CHPCA operates in close partnership with other national organizations and continues to work to ensure that all Canadians, regardless of where they may live, have equal access to quality hospice palliative care services for themselves and their family. 

Media Contact:
Tara Landry
Communications Officer