achieving health equity in canada is a shared responsibility, with community-led organizations showing the way forward
novo nordisk is supporting collaborative solutions to redefine health care across canada
published jan 14, 2026
last updated may 08, 2026
3 minute read
3 minute read
“health care in remote communities works best when it’s driven by the community itself,” says laurie wood ducharme, interim executive director at four arrows regional health authority inc. supplied
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despite canada’s rapid urban growth, many regions — particularly remote and northern communities — continue to face significant health inequities. in the island lake region of northeastern manitoba, where four first nations communities live without road access and rely on airline transportation, even routine medical needs can become major crises.
“if someone up here so much as breaks a leg, it could take days for a doctor to come and fix it,” says laurie wood ducharme, interim executive director at four arrows regional health authority inc. (farha), which represents the anisininew okimawin communities of garden hill, st. theresa point, red sucker lake and wasagamack anisininew nations.
community-led solutions for community-defined needs
four arrows was established on the belief that health services improve when they are governed by the people they serve. yet major gaps remain.
while anisininew okimawin communities have federal-run nursing stations in each community, and a community-owned clinic and pharmacy in winnipeg, many urgent or complex medical needs still require air transport to urban hospitals.
“our dream is to one day have a hospital where serious afflictions requiring surgery and other treatment could be performed,” ducharme says, “instead of the time it takes to arrange air transport to an urban centre.”
food insecurity, limited access to care, and underrepresentation in research all contribute to these disparities — and wood ducharme emphasizes that meaningful solutions must be driven by the community. “health care in remote communities works best when it’s driven by the community itself,” she says.
collaborative partnerships that support health sovereignty
to support this work, anisininew okimawin has joined cross-sector initiatives that help build the foundation for long-term health sovereignty. several years ago, island lake was introduced to novo nordisk through their partnership with raven indigenous outcomes funds on the community-driven outcomes contract on type 2 diabetes (ducharme estimates that at least 30 percent of residents live with the condition). since then, four arrows has received funding from novo nordisk to create a platform for holding and governing its own demographic and health data.
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“this gives us ownership of our data instead of outsiders controlling it,” wood ducharme says, noting that the timing aligns with urgent health concerns, including a recent hepatitis a outbreak. she hopes that the collaboration will open doors to more opportunities and eventual infrastructure development.
addressing inequities beyond the north
while island lake highlights the realities of remote communities, urban and rural areas across canada face similar systemic challenges. childhood obesity and chronic disease rates remain high in many regions, in part due to limited access to nutritious food, safe physical activity spaces, and culturally relevant health programs.
in nova scotia, where 68 percent of residents over age 12 live with at least one chronic condition, the lighthouse partnership — a collaboration between novo nordisk and the provincial government — is working to change that. the initiative supports community-driven, preventive health solutions focused on improving food access, strengthening physical activity opportunities, and creating healthier environments.
one example is the wasoqopa’q first nation, which received $400,000 this year to create an outdoor structure to support traditional food harvesting, cleaning, and preparation.
“when our mi’kmaw families and community members have our own culturally safe spaces to learn through land-based knowledge and traditional food harvesting on our lands, we reclaim our health, our identity and our honour,” says melanie robinson-purdy, director of community enhancement and cultural revitalization for wasoqopa’q.
the power of partnership
“lasting progress in health equity happens when communities lead and partners come together to support their vision,” says adam marsella, vice president, patient access and public affairs, novo nordisk canada. “our role is not to dictate solutions, but to listen, collaborate and help build capacity where communities tell us it’s needed.
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“we’re committed to cross-sector partnerships because no single organization can solve these challenges alone — but together, we can help create the conditions for better health.”
a path forward
for wood ducharme, advancing health equity requires exactly this kind of collaboration — communities identifying their needs and partners helping to build capacity around them.
“numerous entities working together to identify root causes and develop solutions is required,” she says. “our partnership with novo nordisk strengthens that work — but the vision, the direction, and the solutions come from the anisininew people of island lake.”
to learn more about how novo nordisk is promoting the health of canadians, visit novonordisk.ca.
this story was created by healthing content works, healthing.ca’s commercial content division, on behalf of novo nordisk canada inc.
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