Alderville First Nation elder Kathy Mc Leod Beaver opens the Peterborough Community Health Centre in the Peterborough Square mall. (Photo: David Tough) The Peterborough Community Health Centre officially opened on Tuesday with the ceremonial cutting of three ribbons – representing Indigenous knowledge, western biological medicine, and the local community’s understanding of its own needs – braided together. Larger than a typical doctor’s office but smaller than a hospital, a Community Health Centre or CHC aims to combine primary care from family doctors with various other services including counselling and health promotion programs, foot care, and even laundry. CHCs usually focus on serving groups that have historically received inadequate care or need specific cultural considerations. The goal at Peterborough’s centre is to support Indigenous peoples, as well as individuals with disabilities, those living in poverty, and queer and trans people. Peterborough’s CHC is funded by the province; however, Peterborough Currents reported last year that funding was less than what local advocates had requested in 2023. “Health is more than an absence of illness,” executive director Ashley Safar said, and the centre is “more than a health care facility.” In addition to providing necessary primary care services, the centre will also offer essential mental health support and broader community resources to tackle social determinants of health – such as housing, food security, and poverty – within a gender-inclusive and culturally safe environment. “This is what reconciliation looks like,” board chair Jonathan Bennett stated, highlighting how important Indigenous and community involvement was in developing the centre. The Centre occupies two floors within the downtown Peterborough Square mall. Safar noted that it would create 30 new jobs for skilled professionals while benefiting the city’s struggling central area. The opening ceremony drew city officials alongside representatives from local organizations and many curious attendees-many of whom likely faced challenges finding reliable primary care for themselves. The ceremonies emphasized the significance of Indigenous cultural knowledge through drumming and singing provided by Naandewegaan along with a prayer given by Alderville First Nation elder Kathy Mc Leod Beaver in both Anishnaabemowin and English. CHCs operate as non-profits with a participatory governance model where community members actively shape how they function. Bennett pointed out that although there are CHCs throughout Canada, each one is unique as they develop according to their respective communities’ social and cultural needs. The first CHC in Canada was Mount Carmel in Winnipeg; founded in 1926 by Jewish leaders to assist newcomers arriving from Eastern Europe. Like Peterborough’s CHC today, it now focuses its efforts on supporting Indigenous families reflecting evolving community requirements.
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