This webinar is hosted by Access Alliance Multicultural Health & Community Services.
# How can Ontario’s health care system be reimagined to be more accessible and equitable for immigrants and refugees?
Join this webinar from Access Alliance on May 27, 10am - 11:30am for an engaging and solutions-focused conversation. Together we will re-imagine how Ontario’s health care system can be more accessible, equitable, and responsive for immigrants and refugees. We’ll explore how to ensure these communities are not only included in system improvements, but also meaningfully connected to primary care and vital social supports.
# What to expect
- Learn about new research findings on the compounded effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on immigrants and refugees in Ontario - especially those living with cancer, mental health, and addiction disorders.
- Learn about the experiences of people at the intersection of social and clinical disadvantage during the pandemic.
- Identify gaps and opportunities for advocacy.
- Share your ideas and lived experiences.
- Explore how we can best co-create relevant health promotion materials for immigrant and refugee communities.
We will broaden the conversation to address key health equity challenges and opportunities for action. We will ask: What can we do differently? What steps do we need to take to ensure Ontario’s health care system better meets the needs of immigrants and refugees today?
We will connect these insights to other research, lived experiences, and current policy initiatives, with a focus on building a health system that truly supports every community. Beyond long-term policy change, we will discuss how to create practical, culturally relevant health resources based on community recommendations and identified needs.
# Who should attend?
This session is open to everyone interested in health equity in Ontario—including health service users, researchers, health and settlement service providers, community leaders, and policy makers. If you want to learn about the latest research, share your perspective, and help shape next steps for a more inclusive health system, this event is for you. Together, we’ll consider questions like:
- How is the health care system serving you and your community you live in or serve?
- What community-driven strategies can improve health crisis responsiveness?
- What are your top health priorities?
- What changes - big or small - would make the system work better for you or the people you serve?
# Background
This community-based research project, led by Dr. Mandana Vahabi at Toronto Metropolitan University in partnership with Access Alliance, examined the unique challenges faced by immigrants and refugees with cancer, mental health, and addiction disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study focused on understanding the impact of intersecting social and clinical disadvantages in times of crisis.
The central question guiding the research was: What happens to those who are at the intersection of social and clinical disadvantage during a pandemic? The research identified significant systemic barriers to equitable health care access and offers actionable recommendations for supporting these communities in future public health emergencies. The findings provide a practical roadmap for building a more resilient, equitable health system—one that protects Canada’s most vulnerable by addressing both clinical needs and the social determinants of health.