Mission Statement
The Chiefs of Ontario supports all First Nations in Ontario as they assert their sovereignty, jurisdiction and their chosen expression of nationhood.
Vision Statement
First Nations in Ontario are united towards self-sufficiency and vibrancy while never forgetting who we are; this unity is facilitated through the Chiefs of Ontario. We envision a future where our inherent laws, lands, and traditions are recognized and respected by governments, industry, and the general public.
Click the download button to read the report in full:
As of May 20th, approximately 217,000 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to First Nations communities and urban Indigenous people throughout Ontario.
90,000 vaccines have been completed within First Nations communities.
52,000 first doses have been administered.
38,000 second doses have been administered.
Another 10,000 doses are scheduled to be administered this month.
74 communities are currently in progress of their first and second doses.
59 communities have fully completed second doses.
Recently, the Pfizer vaccine was approved for children ages 12 and up. Some First Nation communities have begun to schedule vaccine clinics for this age category!
Please remember to continue following all public health measures, even after receiving your COVID-19 vaccine.
Read the COO full report here:
Spring has sprung; the weather is getting nicer and while it’s important to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, we all need to continue to keep ourselves and the community safe from COVID-19.
Even after we’ve been vaccinated, we still need to follow public health recommendations.
Sharing some great resources:
Spring Update
COVID-19 Vaccine – Get the Facts!
Seasonal Allergies or COVID-19?
An update as of 04APR from Chiefs Of Ontario:
Variants of Concern (VOC) – Ontario is seeing a rapid increase of VOC cases.
As of 04APR a total of 2,288 positive cases have been confirmed as one of the known VOCs.
There have been 25,470 cases that tested positive for the N501Y mutation, that have not yet been classified.
COVID-19 Testing
There were 179 new positive results among First Nations people over the past week ending Mar 21, 2021, down from 224 last week. This is a 20% decrease and the third week in a row with decreasing totals. The number of positive results among First Nations to date is 2,664.
The cumulative positivity rate among First Nations of 4.8% is only slightly higher than in previous weeks. The Ontario rate stayed relatively steady.
The rolling two-week average of new COVID-19 positive test results among FN decreased for the third week in a row. The Ontario rate increased for the second week in a row. A clear difference remains in the two trends.
Check out the full report below.
COVID-19 Pandemic Update 26MAR21
Ontario Cases ranged between 1,500 and 2,300 daily.
The highest number reported this week was 2,380 on Thursday, March 25th.
The weekly 7-day average reported was 1,794 cases.
Ontario is seeing a trend of increasing cases, similar to the surge that began in November
As of March 25th: 1612 cases have been confirmed to be one the known VOCs
The following map highlights COVID-19 activity within First Nation communities since the beginning of the pandemic.
See the full report below.
Below are a few highlights from the Newsletter. To read it in its entirety scroll to the bottom of this page and click the PDF.
COVID-19 has had a big impact on how we have felt and has caused an increase in stress, anxiety, and worry. Things you can do right now to reduce anxiety, stress and worry, related to COVID-19:
Webinars
Topic: COVID-19 Variants of Concern
Offered by: Public Health Ontario
Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Time: 10:00am – 11:00 am (EST)
About the Webinar:
This rounds session will cover an overview of the evidence to date on COVID-19 variants of concern with respect to their epidemiology and their influence on the pandemic and disease control. We will present some of the methods that are used to screen and test for variants of concern, as well as the results of targeted and surveillance testing for variants in Ontario. Finally, we will present updates from the Provincial Advisory Committee on Infectious Diseases – Infection Control regarding the evidence and recommendations for infection control measures related to variants of concern. Click here to register in advance.
Understanding Wellness in Indigenous Wisdom – Series of webinars (02MAR21)
During the presentations, participants will:
Share the importance of language – what your language says about being well
Discuss how your culture helps maintain being well
Discuss the vision of a healthy community/healthy peoples
Discuss the importance of the caregiver role and how much they are appreciated and valued by communities
To watch the series click here.
The Chiefs of Ontario are looking for individuals, youth, and Elders/First Nation Knowledge Keepers that have knowledge and experience in First Nation health research, research practices, community-based research, experience with the Regional Health Survey (RHS), reviewing and writing research projects, knowledge of First Nation research ethics to sit on the First Nation Data Governance Committee. If interested in this exciting opportunity check out the COO March newsletter