Indigenous Resources

The North Bay Indigenous Hub (NBIH) offers a comprehensive range of culturally integrated services to support the Indigenous community's health and well-being. Their offerings include:

• Primary Health Care: NBIH provides both primary and holistic medical services, integrating Indigenous culture and traditions to enhance health outcomes.
• Traditional Healing Services: A variety of programs are available, including but not limited to:  Traditional Medicines, the Hair cutting ceremony, Drumming, Sweats, Elders, Traditional regalia/garments, Bundles, Celebration of life, Grief circles, Traditional Preparation for end of life.
• Mental Wellness & Social Services: The hub offers individual and family counseling, stress management, grief and trauma counseling, transitional support, system navigation, and resource linkages to assist clients in managing everyday challenges.
• Child Care & EarlyON Centre: Early childhood development and learning services are available, reflecting Indigenous approaches by incorporating language, traditional teachings, land-based activities, storytelling, and elder visits to support children's holistic growth.

These services are designed to be delivered in a culturally safe manner, ensuring they meet the unique needs of the local urban Indigenous population and partner First Nations, including Nipissing, Temagami, and Dokis.

To become a patient of the North Bay Indigenous Hub, fill out the Intake Form. 

The North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre (NBIFC) offers a comprehensive array of programs and services to support the urban Indigenous community's health, wellness, and cultural needs. Key services include:

• Health Services: The Aboriginal Health Outreach Program assists individuals in navigating the healthcare system, providing advocacy, assistance with forms, housing support, status card applications, and promoting healthy lifestyles.
• Mental Health and Addictions Support: The Addictions and Mental Health Systems Navigator program combines traditional and mainstream services to improve health outcomes and reduce family violence.
• Children and Youth Programs: NBIFC offers various initiatives, such as the Children's Mental Health program, which provides individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, and support groups to promote mental wellness among Indigenous children and youth.
• Family Support: The Aboriginal Family Support Program delivers services like referrals, advocacy, home visits, transportation, emergency material assistance (e.g., formula, diapers), positive parenting classes, and community kitchen activities to foster healthy family life.
• Cultural Programs: NBIFC emphasizes cultural reclamation through initiatives like the Youth Life Promotion program, which helps youth aged 13-24 make healthy life choices and supports cultural engagement.

These services are designed to promote Mno Bimaadziwin, meaning "the good life," by addressing the diverse needs of the Indigenous community in North Bay. You do not have to be a member to access the programs offered at NBIFC.

The Life Long Care Program assists Indigenous adults, seniors, disabled people and chronically ill children with: 

Long-term care 

Medical Transportation:  

• Transportation is provided to and from medical appointments in and out of town.  

Advocacy: 

• Ensuring clients receive support and services they need.  
• Language translation services in Cree and Anishinaabemowin for fluent speakers. 
• Assistance in accessing services, funding, or medical supplies. 

Referrals : 

• For services not provided within the NBIFC 

Friendly Visiting  

Congregate Dining  

Security Checks 

Indigenous Support 

The Aboriginal Health Outreach Program assists Indigenous people to understand the health care system and to obtain the care they require. Services Include: 

• Advocacy 
• Helping you find family physicians, if needed
• Medical transportation for appointments
• Navigating the healthcare system
• Assistance with forms
• Assistance with Housing 
• Status card applications 
• Social assistance 
• Health awareness
• Disease prevention 
• Promotion of healthy lifestyles 
• Violence free families
• And access to cultural healing

The Indigenous Cancer Care Team at the Northeast Cancer Centre (NECC) provides comprehensive support to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit patients and their families throughout their cancer journey. The team comprises Indigenous Patient Navigators, an Indigenous Engagement Liaison, and Regional Indigenous Cancer Leads/Physicians.

Indigenous Patient Navigators offer additional assistance to Indigenous patients and their families at every stage of the cancer journey. They also educate healthcare providers and medical learners on issues specific to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.

The Indigenous Engagement Liaison supports the Regional Indigenous Cancer Leads in implementing their mandates and helps design and deliver culturally relevant cancer programming, coordination, outreach, and education to Northeastern Indigenous communities.

Regional Indigenous Cancer Leads/Physicians work to build relationships within communities and with key stakeholders to address cancer prevention, screening, survivorship, and palliative care for Indigenous patients and their families. They advocate for issues related to the Indigenous Cancer Strategy and the specific cancer needs of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit populations. Additionally, they support primary care providers in improving screening practices for Indigenous clients.

This dedicated team ensures that Indigenous patients receive culturally safe and appropriate care throughout their treatment journey.

The Mînowacihewin – Regional Service for Indigenous People at the North Bay Regional Health Centre supports Indigenous peoples with culturally relevant care that integrates holistic health principles. They aim to recognize and respect Indigenous ancestry and culture, fostering physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being through education and community capacity building. Services include:  

Internal referrals:  

• Internal referrals to Minowacihewin can be made by any healthcare team within the hospital. Clients can also self-refer to Minowacihewin.  
• The Mino team can also support and advocate for referrals for clients in and out of the hospital. 

Clinical consultations 

Discharge planning 

Community resource coordination  

Cultural engagement for patients and their families 

• Spaces for smudging 
• Traditional medicines (Sage, Tobacco, Cedar, Sweetgrass) 
• Sharing circles for families 
• End-of-life ceremony 
• Cultural grounds from Spring to Fall 
• Language translation services in Cree and Anishinaabemowin  

On-going support after discharge 

• Traditional medicines (Sage, Tobacco, Cedar, Sweetgrass) 
• Visits from Case workers 
• Phone/zoom calls 
• Advocate for in community services

The Community Health Program offers individuals living with chronic disease support including working with the client’s primary care provider to monitor or bridge the gap between visits. Education sessions to increase awareness and management are offered in NFN including topics such as blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and cancer screening.

The Medical Health Fund was established to provide financial assistance for health-related expenses not covered by other health benefit plans or funding sources. Approvals are subject to the availability of funds per fiscal year (April to March). 

**Please note that at this time, you do not need Metis citizenship to access the Community Support Services Program. You can be self-identifying.

Community Support Services Program 

The Community Support Services Program’s primary focus is to help people who are elderly and/or chronically ill and who may be experiencing isolation or are having difficulty managing their disease or dealing with a terminal illness.

Services Include, but are not limited to: 

Friendly Visits

Providing clients with regular visits and phone calls, based on client wishes, to help to provide support for isolated or ill clientele while ensuring their health and safety.

Medical Transportation Services

This service is available to help transport clients to and from medical appointments. For clients who meet the criteria transportation will be arranged through either a volunteer driver or a CSS coordinator. 

Caregiver Support Services 

Provides advocacy services and information to assist caregivers in their role. CSS can provide referrals for respite care and friendly visits to help reduce isolation for both clients and caregivers.

The Traditional Healing Services (THS) program believes in sustaining person/client beliefs and values by providing Indigenous-based ceremony, guidance, counsel, and cultural education services to facilitate holistic healing of self, family, community, and nation. Services include, but are not limited to:  

• Traditional Medicines  
• Hair cutting ceremony 
• Drumming 
• Sweats 
• Elders 
• Traditional regalia/garments 
• Bundles 
• Celebration of life 
• Grief circles 
• Preparation for end of life  
• Advocacy to support cultural preparations for end of life (medicines. moccasins, traditional regalia, ceremony, etc)  

The Healing and Wellness Program addresses healing and wellness through: 

• The promotion of healthy lifestyles 
• Culturally based programming 
• Access to cultural healers 
• Elders
• Ceremonies

Green Medicine is an Indigenous owned health food store which sells salves, natural/organic products, healthy foods, and homeopathic medicine.

Neepsee provides a wide range of herbs, teas, and traditional medicines. NeepSee follows strict protocol and procedures while harvesting herbs to create top quality natural products. Most products can be shipped within Canada.