New Research Partnership Centres Indigenous-Led Health Solutions for Treaty First Nations Children and families in Alberta

EDMONTON, AB — A landmark Memorandum of Relational Understanding (MORU) has been signed today between the First Nations Health Consortium (FNHC), the University of Alberta (U of A), and the University of Calgary (UCalgary) to launch a collaborative research partnership focused on improving health outcomes for Treaty First Nations children, youth, and families across Alberta.

The MORU on joint Treaty First Nations health research reflects a shared commitment to culturally safe, community-led, and ethically grounded research that advances self-determined health futures for Treaty First Nations children, youth and families.

“This is about building trust and taking action,” said Randy Littlechild, Chair of the FNHC Board. “Through this partnership, we’re combining the lived experience and leadership of Treaty First Nations communities with the academic strengths of Canada’s top universities to create meaningful, measurable improvements in our children’s, youth and families health and well-being.”

Grounded in the principles of Jordan’s Principle, OCAP®, Ethical Space, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the MORU sets out a framework for joint research, knowledge-sharing, and innovation. It honors the Treaties and reaffirms the rights of Treaty First Nations to participate fully in decisions affecting their health.

Key areas of collaboration include:

• • Community-led health research addressing priorities identified by Treaty First Nations;

• • Capacity-building for Indigenous students, researchers, and health workers;

• • Innovation and technology integration to enhance data, service delivery, and access;

• • Policy engagement to influence health systems and advance equity.

“This partnership is a vital step toward reconciliation in health research,” said Dr. Brenda Hemmelgarn, College Dean and Vice-Provost, College of Health Sciences at U of A. “It exemplifies what’s possible when academic institutions listen, learn, and work alongside Indigenous partners.”

“We are committed to a model of research that is community-driven and accountable,” added Dr. Sandra Davidson, Provost and Vice-President (Academic) at UCalgary. “In this model, Universities play an important role in supporting and amplifying Indigenous sovereignty in knowledge creation and application.”

This MORU marks a significant step forward in advancing ethical, culturally grounded, and community-led Treaty First Nations health research. It reflects the shared commitment of all parties to uphold Treaty First Nations data sovereignty, honour community knowledge, and foster respectful, strengths-based research relationships that will benefit Treaty First Nations children, youth and families across Alberta.

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