Community Health Networks

As part of its mandate to support a healthier population, Island Health is committed to providing financial support and dedicated participation in Community Health Networks (CHNs).

CHNs bring together community service providers, health care providers, people with lived experience, local governments, First Nations, school districts and boards, postsecondary institutions, local businesses, existing collaborative groups, and other community organizations. This broad participation supports a whole of community approach to health promotion and wellbeing.

CHNs are key partners of Island Health and provide spaces for collaboration across communities. They are supported by Island Health’s Community Development Team and Medical Health Officers through active participation that helps connect community priorities with health evidence and data.

Through facilitated dialogue and collaboration, CHNs help strengthen relationships, build community capacity, and support the sharing of ideas and resources. CHNs take actions to address health equity by developing innovative, community-led solutions that foster resilient healthy communities.

Grounded in research and local knowledge, CHNs focus on prevention, wellbeing, and health promotion. Together, partners build on community strengths and assets, leverage existing resources, and support systems change by co-creating equitable, health promoting policies, programs, infrastructure, and amenities.

Alberni Clayoquot Health Network (ACHN)

The purpose of the ACHN is to network like-minded organizations, agencies, and networks working to improve community health. We aim to “network the networks” to better support the work already being done. We provide supports and capacity to systems enabling us to work more effectively as a region. Where no centralized leadership exists, we have committed to taking a convening role to move forward planning and implementation activities. Using a collective impact framework to identify our role for the work in which we engage, we are continuously scanning for opportunities to support, convene and increase capacity to impactful initiatives in our region.

The Alberni-Clayoquot Health Network exists and gratefully conducts their work on the traditional territory of the Nuu Chah Nulth people. This includes the traditional territories of the Ditidaht, Huu-ay-aht, Hupacasath, Tseshaht, Uchucklesaht, Ahousaht, Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, Toquaht and Yuu-cluth-aht Nations.

Website: www.achn.ca
Contact: achn@acrd.bc.ca, 250-726-5019

Capital Regional District Community Health Network

The Capital Regional District’s Community Health Network conducts its work throughout the lands and waters of twenty First Nations including BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin), MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat), paaʔčiidʔatx̣ (Pacheedaht), Spune’luxutth (Penelekut), Sc'ianew (Beecher Bay), Songhees, SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout), T’Sou-ke, W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip), W̱SIḴEM (Tseycum), and xʷsepsum (Kosapsum) Nations, and the chosen home of the Métis Nation of Greater Victoria.

The Capital Regional District’s Community Health Network’s (CRD CHN) goal is to have communities in the capital region experiencing equitable opportunities for health and wellbeing, supported by collaborative systems and communities that reflect and respond to their needs. This is done through convening regional networking forums focused on evidence-based practice and the social and structural determinants of health, making health and wellness-related data broadly accessible to the social services sector, and by piloting collaborative projects that address gaps in the region’s health and wellness landscape. The CRD CHN has worked on a broad range of determinants of health including childhood development, climate action, equity and inclusion, and healthcare access. Their work focuses on how these different determinants of health intersect to create wellbeing.

Website: www.crd.bc.ca/project/community-health-wellbeing

Comox Valley Community Health Network

The Comox Valley Community Health Network is a community-driven network that facilitates collective action to positively impact the social determinants of health in the Comox Valley. We believe a healthy, sustainable, resilient community is a shared responsibility.

The Comox Valley Community Health Network respectfully acknowledges that it operates on the unceded traditional territory of the K’òmoks First Nation and its members live, work and play within this territory

Website: www.cvchn.ca
Contact: info@cvchn.ca

Mount Waddington Health Network

The Mount Waddington Health Network is a positive, community-centric network of health-related organizations, community members, First Nations and local and regional governments serving the Mount Waddington Region. We collaborate and share ideas and resources for the betterment of health & wellness in our communities.

The Mount Waddington Health Network respectfully acknowledges that it operates in the traditional lands of the Kwakwaka'wakw speaking peoples and is committed to learning and practicing mala'xala (respect). Gilakas'la

Website: www.mwhn.ca
Contact: mwhncoordinator@rdmw.bc.ca

Naut'sa mawt Oceanside Wellness Network (NOW)

The NOW Network is a regional collaboration of individuals, agencies, and organizations across the Regional District of Nanaimo. Its purpose is to improve community wellness by addressing the social determinants of health through upstream, preventative, and community driven approaches. Guided by a vision of health equity and wellbeing for all, the NOW Network emphasizes collaboration, cultural safety, and regional inclusivity. Its approach - “Journeying together as one” (Naut’sa mawt)—reflects a shared commitment to working collectively, honoring diverse perspectives, and strengthening relationships across the region to support healthier communities.

The NOW network is grateful to work in the traditional, unceded territories of the Snuneymuxw, Snaw’naw’as and Qualicum First Nations who have lived here and cared for these lands and waterways since time immemorial. We respectfully honour the traditions and teachings that are shared with us while we walk together with First Nations, Metis and Inuit relatives who live here.

Website: https://www.nownetwork.ca

Our Cowichan Community Health Network

Our Cowichan Communities Health Network is made up of local health organizations, non-profit societies, volunteer groups and government representatives. Our vision is for all people of Cowichan communities to be able to enjoy health and wellbeing. Our mission is to be a collaborative network of organizations and individuals who facilitate dialogue, learn, share information and generate action on the 12 determinants of health. Considering the whole picture, we lead change to improve health and wellness outcomes.

Our Cowichan Communities Health Network acknowledges that that for thousands of years the Quw’utsun, Malahat, Ts’uubaa-asatx, Halalt, Penelakut, Stzuminus, Lyackson, Pauquachin, Ditidaht and Pacheedaht Poeples have walked gently on the unceded territories where we now live and work.

Website: www.ourcchn.ca
Contact: info@ourcchn.ca

Sooke Region Health Network

The Sooke Region Communities Health Network (SRCHN) is a cooperative non-profit organization with charitable status with a vision to create healthy thriving communities within the Sooke Region. Its mission is to support healthy lives in healthy communities through innovative, collaborative development and improvement of services for everyone.

The Sooke Region Health Network acknowledges the traditional territories of the Coast Salish, SCIA’NEW Nation and T’Sou-ke Nation, and Nuu-chah-nulth Pacheedaht Nation to the west, upon which we work together to improve health and wellbeing for all.

Website: www.sookeregionchn.org
Contact: programs@sookeregionchn.org, 778-365-1878

Strathcona Community Health Network

The Strathcona Community Health Network is an intersectoral collaborative partnership that works upstream to improve health and wellbeing by addressing the social determinants of health at a systems level. The Network brings together people from diverse backgrounds, roles, and perspectives to take coordinated action on issues that affect the health and wellbeing of their communities. It provides a space to exchange knowledge and build shared understanding, align around a common vision to amplify impact on shared priorities, strengthen relationships and trust through collaboration on shared projects, and engage in collective problemsolving that encourages innovation and efficiency.

The Strathcona Community Health Network works within the territories of Kwakwaka'wakw, Nu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish peoples and includes Homalco, We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum, Klahoose, Kwiakah, Tlowitsis, Mowachaht/Muchalaht, Ehattesaht, Nuchatlaht, Ka:'yu:'k't'h' and Che:k:tles7et'h' First Nations.

Website: www.strathcona-chn.net
Contact: health@srd.ca, 778-348-0762