# Registration is now open!
Date: June 4 & 5, 2025
Location: Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites, Richmond Hill, ON
Key dates:
- January 27 (5 PM EST): Deadline for Learning Sessions Proposals
- March: Alliance Conference Registration is open and selected proposals are announced
- April 16: Early Bird Registration period ends
- The cut-off date to secure the group rate at the hotel is Tuesday, May 16, 2025. Rates are not guaranteed after this date (see "Accommodations" below)
- June 3: Rural, Remote, and Northern Symposium and Alliance AGM. Register here ($50 fee).
- June 4 and 5: Alliance 2025 Conference in person
#
Alliance's Annual Conference 2025, theme "Put People at the Centre: Advancing Accessible and Sustainable Primary Health Care in Ontario", embodies a collective commitment to ensuring that Ontario's healthcare system remains accessible and sustainable for all. As we navigate current and future challenges, we are centring the needs and voices of the people we serve. What does it mean to design health care that truly places people at the heart of every decision? How can we create services, programs, and policies that are resilient, adaptable, and equitable?
At Put People at the Centre, we will delve into critical topics such as building health system sustainability, enhancing access for all Ontarians, and ensuring that the most vulnerable have a voice in shaping the future of healthcare. We will examine how to address pressing issues like people-centred primary care, connected care, harm reduction, and evolving health equity needs to create a healthcare system that is both inclusive and future-ready.
This conference is tailored for primary health care professionals, community leaders, policy-makers, and system partners, fostering a space for collaborative learning and innovative solutions to make Ontario's healthcare system more accessible, sustainable, and centred around the people it serves.
Check Conference 2024 rundown here.
# Accommodations:
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Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites: Group rate is $234 CAD per night (plus applicable taxes). Booking link: Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel | Hotel Rooms
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Best Western Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites: Group rate is $195 CAD per night (plus applicable taxes). Booking link: Best Western Parkway Hotel Toronto North | Hotel Rooms
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The cut-off date to secure the group rate is Tuesday, May 16, 2025. Rates are not guaranteed after this date.
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For cancellation policies, please refer to the respective hotel’s website.
# Pricing table:
| Early Bird (before April 16) | Regular Price (after April 16) | On-site | |||||||
| 2-day registration | 2-day registration + Gala Ticket | 1-day registration | 2-day registration | 2-day registration + Gala Ticket | 1-day registration | 2-day registration | 2-day registration + Gala Ticket | 1-day registration | |
| Alliance Members | $541 | $630 | $441 | $667 | $756 | $441 | $793 | $882 | $567 |
| CHEB Members | $601 | $680 | $510 | $714 | $794 | $510 | $919 | $1,008 | $693 |
| Students | $315 | $441 | $158 | $315 | $441 | $158 | $919 | $1,008 | $693 |
| Non members | $667 | $756 | $567 | $793 | $882 | $567 | $919 | $1,008 | $693 |
Individual Award Gala tickets cost $126 regardless of registrant type or period.
All prices are listed in Canadian Dollars.
# Conference program outline:
# Tuesday, June 3, 2025:
|
10:30 AM |
3:30 PM |
Rural, Remote, and Northern Symposium (Register here, $50 fee) |
|
6:00 PM |
7:30 PM |
Alliance's AGM |
# Wednesday, June 4, 2025:
|
7:30 AM |
8:30 AM |
Exhibit Hall/Breakfast Buffet |
|
8:30 AM |
09:05 AM |
Welcome and introductions |
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9:05 AM |
10:25 AM |
Plenary Session 1: Culturally Affirming Care (Keynote) |
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10:25 AM |
11:00 AM |
Poster Board Reception & Exhibitor Break |
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11:00 AM |
12:00 PM |
Morning Learning Sessions |
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12:00 PM |
1:00 PM |
Lunch and Exhibition Hall |
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1:00 PM |
2:15 PM |
Plenary Session 2: The State and Future of Health Equity (Panel) |
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2:15 PM |
2:30 PM |
Awards Presentation |
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2:30 PM |
3:00 PM |
Poster Board Reception & Exhibitor Break |
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3:00 PM |
4:00 PM |
Afternoon Learning Sessions |
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4:00 PM |
4:45 PM |
Networking & Free time |
| 4:45 PM | 5:30 PM | Reception with Cash Bar |
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5:30 PM |
7:30 PM |
Transformative Change Awards Gala |
| 7:30 PM | 8:45 PM | Dinner Service |
| 8:45 PM | 11:30 PM | DJ & Entertainment |
# Thursday, June 5, 2025:
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7:30 AM |
8:30 AM |
Exhibition Hall / Breakfast |
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8:30 AM |
9:45 AM |
Plenary Session 3:Addressing Systemic Racism for Inclusive and Equitable Health Care |
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9:45 AM |
10:00 AM |
Awards Presentation |
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10:00 AM |
10:30 AM |
Poster Board Reception & Exhibitor Break |
|
10:30 AM |
11:30 AM |
Morning Learning Sessions |
|
11:30 AM |
12:30 PM |
Lunch & Exhibit Hall |
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12:30 PM |
1:30 PM |
Afternoon Learning Sessions |
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1:30 PM |
2:55 PM |
Plenary Session 4: This Is What Integrated and Connected Care Looks Like (Panel) |
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2:55 PM |
3:10 PM |
Closing and Door Prizes |
# Plenary Sessions (subject to change):
# Plenary 1: Culturally Affirming Care with (Keynote with Lisa Boivin)
Dr. Lisa Boivin is a member of the Deninu Kųę́ First Nation in Denendeh (Northwest Territories). She is the Indigenous Educator at University Health Network and The Center for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health’s (Ganawishkadawe) at Women’s College Hospital in Tkaronto (Toronto). She creates arts-based curricula for healthcare researchers and providers, using participatory image-based workshops to educate about the colonial barriers Indigenous patients navigate in the current healthcare system. Lisa has researched and developed educational materials for multiple Senators, CIHR Scientific Directors, hospitals and academic institutions. She is an award-winning author and illustrator of We Dream Medicine Dreams, and I Will See you Again. These two books educate young readers about the power of land-based wellness and healing. Lisa has also authored and illustrated chapters in several medical, arts humanities textbooks. She strives to humanize clinical medicine as she situates her art in the Indigenous continuum of passing knowledge through image
# Plenary 2: The State and Future of Health Equity (Panel with Jessica Ward-King and Lorraine Lam)
Jessica Ward-King - the StigmaCrusher - earned her Bachelor of Science (Honours) in psychology from McGill University (2003), and holds a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of London, England (2009). But while she was studying, Jessica was living with some secrets: she was struggling terribly with her mental health, and this good Catholic girl was also wrestling with her sexual orientation. It took years and a lot of hard work for Jessica to reconcile all of these factors into one coherent identity, and to overcome the shame – the stigma – associated with them. Jessica now works with groups from 10-10000, sharing her story of living with bipolar disorder and researching mental health stigma. She lives in Ottawa with her wife and son. If you want to check out Jessica, take a look at her on her website: www.stigmacrusher.com or on her YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@stigmacrusher
Lorraine Lam (she/her) is a Chinese-Canadian daughter of a solo parent, with an education in music, sociology and social work. She has been a crisis outreach worker in the Toronto's Downtown East for over a decade, supporting people who are unhoused and precariously housed. She is currently a caseworker with Amadeusz, supporting individuals who are incarcerated with firearms charges. Driven by her belief that a better world is possible, her work focuses on housing & homelessness, systems navigation, advocacy, harm reduction, and trauma-informed approaches to community, collaboration, survival, and building a more equitable and just reality for all . She was recently nominated for the City of Toronto's Access, Equity and Human Rights Award. She organizes with Christians for a Free Palestine - Toronto and Shelter Housing Justice Network, serves on the board with Building Roots, and was a contributor to Displacement City (University of Toronto Press, 2022). She loves Jurassic Park movies, singing with her gospel choir, taking naps, and eating carbs indiscriminately. She lives in Toronto with her partner, Tim and extroverted fur-child, Miso.
#
# Plenary 3: Addressing Systemic Racism for Inclusive and Equitable Health Care (Keynote)
# Plenary 4: Integrated and Connected Care (Panel with Notisha Massaquoi, Dominik Nowak, and Jen Quinlan)
Dr. Notisha Massaquoi is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Society at the University of Toronto, Scarborough with cross appointments in the Faculty of Social Work and the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. She is also the founder and director of the Black Health Equity Lab (The BHEL) which conducts community-based health research and works with Black communities to develop advocacy tools, strategies and programs to improve health outcomes, wellbeing and success in Canadian systems. During her early health leadership career she helped establish several organizations which serve Black communities in Canada, such as Africans in Partnership Against AIDS and TAIBU Community Health Centre. She notably served for over two decades as the Executive Director of Women's Health in Women's Hands Community Health Centre in Toronto – the only Community Health Centre in North America specializing in primary healthcare for Black and racialized women. She has consulted globally with the United Nations Social Development Forum on racism and its impact on workforces and she is considered one of Canada's leading experts in developing equity responsive organizations. Her research and advocacy have pushed Canadian institutions to address anti-Black racism and the collection of race-based data. For her efforts Notisha was awarded the Alliance for Healthier Communities Joe Leonard Award for extraordinary leadership, commitment and support for accessible health care in 2020.
Dr. Dominik Nowak is a family doctor and health leader. In addition to his clinical practice at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, Dr. Nowak’s mission is to build teamwork across the health system. He is a trusted advisor to leading provincial, national, and international organizations toward a health system that is more kind, caring, and careful. As President at the Ontario Medical Association, the voice of 43,000 doctors across Ontario, he advanced substantive health systems change.
Dr. Nowak trained at McMaster University, where he specialized in family medicine and served as chief resident. He went on to the University of Toronto to finish a Master of Health Administration at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation as well as the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program at the Rotman School of Management. Dr. Nowak is a faculty member in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. He is a recipient of the College of Family Physicians of Canada Award of Excellence for his leadership in Canadian healthcare.
Jennifer Quinlan – CEO Flemingdon Health Centre
# Learning Sessions:
Wednesday, June 4, Morning Sessions:
|
Session |
Session Title |
Organizations or Presenter |
Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governance 1 | High Performing Boards through Policy Governance |
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| Workshop 1 | Culturally Affirming Care | Lisa Boivin |
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| Panel 1 | Improving Collection of Sociodemographic Data - Successes and Learnings from a Collaborative Quality Improvement Journey |
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| Workshop 2 | 2SLGBTQ+ Older Adults and Inclusive Care: Education for Clinical and Cultural Competencies | Rainbow Health Ontario | |
| Panel 2 | Women’s Wellness: An interprofessional program to promote physical and mental well-being in newcomer women through nutrition education, exercise, art and therapeutic activities. | Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services | |
| Panel 3 | Integrated Care in Action: The Thorncliffe Hub Story of Community Well-being |
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| Spotlight 1: Health Equity Priorities (4 presentations) |
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Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services |
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Kingston Community Health Centres |
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Maamwesying Ontario Health Team | ||
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Women’s College Hospital | ||
| Spotlight 2: Ontario Health Quality Standards & Integrated Care (4 presentations) |
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Ontario Health | |
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Ontario Health | ||
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Ontario Health | ||
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Wednesday, June 4, Afternoon Sessions:
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Session Code |
Session Title |
Organizations or Presenter |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Governance 2 | Generative Governance for Boards |
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| Panel 4 | Strengthening cyber resiliency in healthcare - 5 important actions every organization should take |
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| Panel 5 | From Vision to Action: Strategic Approaches to Embedding Equity in Community Health Centres |
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| Panel 6 | Health Care for All: Practical strategies and advocacy opportunities for improving access to health care for medically uninsured people in Ontario |
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| Panel 7 | Innovative Approaches to Continuity of Care for Our Unhoused Community | Community Healthcaring KW | |
| Panel 8 | Incorporating Chiropractic Care into Interprofessional Teams: Opportunities to Reduce Opioid Prescribing and Health-Related Costs |
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| Workshop 3 | Toronto Community Crisis Service at TAIBU CHC: A Step In the Right Direction | TAIBU Community Health Centre | |
| Spotlight 3: Social Prescribing and Empowering Communities (4 presentations) |
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Carlington Community Health Centre | ||
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Community Health Centres of Northumberland | ||
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WellFort Community Health Services |
Thursday, June 5, Morning Sessions:
|
Session Code |
Session Title |
Organizations or Presenter |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Governance 3 | Executive Leader Evaluation: Supporting and Monitoring Your Executive Director or CEO | Alliance for Healthier Communities |
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| Workshop 4 | Ask Me Anything with Robyn Maynard | Robyn Maynard |
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| Panel 9 | From Competition to Collaboration: Africentric Pathways to Empower Black-Led, Black-Serving Nonprofits and Advance Health Equity |
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| Panel 10 | Empowering Caregivers through Social Prescribing: Integrating Caregiver Support and Inclusion into Primary Care for Better Outcomes |
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| Panel 11 | Embracing Innovation and Equity: Advancing Primary Care through Artificial Intelligence and Quality Improvement |
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| Panel 12 | The ABC’s of Community Health Capital Planning |
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| Spotlight 4: Integrated Care and Community-Driven Models (4 presentations) |
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Flemingdon Health Centre | |
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Chatham-Kent OHT | ||
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| Spotlight 5: Clinical Innovations in Primary Care (4 presentations) |
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Grand River Community Health Centre | |
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TAIBU Community Health Centre | ||
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Kingston Community Health Centres |
Thursday, June 5, Afternoon Sessions:
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Session Code |
Session Title |
Organizations or Presenter |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Governance 4 | Balanced Scorecard: Monitoring Strategic Plan Progress |
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| Workshop 5 | The Power of Storytelling: Building Trust and Connection in a Polarized and Shifting Media Landscape | Pages For Good | |
| Panel 13 | Prioritizing People for a Resilient Healthcare System |
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| Workshop 6 | Neighbourhood Primary Care Network Implementation | WellFort Community Health Services | |
| Workshop 7 | Creating Community Driven Integrated Care Programs: Flemingdon Health Centre’s Leadership Journey | Flemingdon Health Centre | |
| Workshop 8 | Reframing Substance Use in Primary Care: A Health-Centred Approach | Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA) | |
| Workshop 9 | Generative AI and Healthcare Organizational Transformation | Compass Community Health | |
| Spotlight 6: Organizational Strength and Capacity Building (3 presentations) |
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Registered Massage Therapists' Association of Ontario (RMTAO) |
Poster Board Presentations (available throughout the two days of the Conference):
|
Poster Code |
Poster Title |
Organizations |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Poster 1 | RALI-PROMs: Implementing Patient Reported Outcome Measures to Evaluate and Improve Care Delivery |
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| Poster 2 | Timely Access to Care for Urgent Diabetes and Endocrinology Referrals | Langs Community Health Centre | |
| Poster 3 | Community Vaccination Promotion (CVP)- National Project - Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy and Misinformation Among Equity-Deserving Populations in Canada |
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| Poster 4 | Optimizing Perinatal Health | Carlington Community Health Centre | |
| Poster 5 | Developing a Framework to Measure Complexity and the Care Provided by Diabetes Education Programs (DEPs) |
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| Poster 6 | Voices in Transition: A Community-Centered Approach to Health Research Equity | University of Toronto | |
| Poster 7 | GRCHC: Managing Counselling Waitlist in a Rural Community | Grand River Community Health Centre | |
| Poster 8 | Innovation and collaboration: the journey to providing accessible, person-centred health care through the Interprofessional Primary Care Team at the Grand River Community Health Centre | Grand River Community Health Centre | |
| Poster 9 | Peers, Pets and Potential: Building leadership capacity and growing opportunities for companionship | Guelph Community Health Centre | |
| Poster 10 | Streamlining Access to Care by Implementing a Regional Central Intake Model | Langs Community Health Centre | |
| Poster 11 | Evaluating Health Promotion Programs in Ontario Community Health Centres |
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| Poster 12 | Transforming Patient Engagement Through Co-Designed Education: Insights from the "Engaging with Everyone Webinar Series" | Women's College Hospital | |
| Poster 13 | Prescribing Time in Nature: The Green Rx Piolet Project | South Georgian Bay Community Health Centre |
# Sponsors and Exhibitors:
Our goal is to cultivate a dynamic space for connection, learning, and action. Delegates will be encouraged to engage in forward-thinking discussions while integrating new research findings and evidence-informed practices that yield tangible results. We invite you to participate in this pivotal knowledge-sharing event, which offers opportunities for sponsorship and exhibition to raise awareness about your organization.
We warmly welcome our returning exhibitors and supporters while also looking forward to engaging with new organizations. There are numerous ways to contribute to the movement toward health equity. This document outlines our developed sponsorship packages, but we are eager to hear your creative ideas as well.
Download the Sponsors and Exhibitors package here.
# Sponsors:
# Exhibitors:
