BC Hospice Palliative Care

09/08/2026

Hospice belongs in the local election conversation

The 2026 BC General Local Elections are approaching, and this is an important opportunity to help candidates understand the role hospice societies play in building strong, caring and connected communities.

BCHPCA has launched a new 2026 BC Local Election Resources page with practical, non-partisan tools for hospice societies, candidates, voters and community partners.

Learn More: https://conta.cc/4r30SoD

Email from BC Hospice Palliative Care Association   Hospice Belongs In The Local Election Conversation     The 2026 BC General Local Elections are approaching, and this is an important opportunity to

07/30/2026

📣 Call for Study Participants

The BC Centre for Palliative Care is looking for participants to help evaluate a free online course designed to strengthen grief and bereavement support for people experiencing homelessness.

Do you work or volunteer at a BC hospice and provide grief support? Or are you interested in serving clients experiencing homelessness?

You may be eligible to participate in the study “Fostering Grief and Bereavement Literacy in the Workplace for Those Who Serve People Experiencing Homelessness.”

📩 Interested or have questions?
Contact Joshua Black at [email protected]

This project is being conducted by the BC Centre for Palliative Care.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Eman Hassan
Ethics ID: H24-00329

Please share this opportunity with hospice colleagues and volunteers who may be interested.

07/30/2026

📣 Office Closure – BC Day

In honour of British Columbia Day, the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association office will be closed on Monday, August 3, 2026, and will reopen with regular hours on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

As we take this time to rest and reflect, we acknowledge the importance of compassionate care and the communities across BC working tirelessly to support those facing serious illness, grief, and loss.

Wishing you a peaceful long weekend. 💙🌿

07/01/2026

🇨🇦 Canada Day Office Closure 🇨🇦

Please note that the BCHPCA office will be closed on Today, July 1, in observance of Canada Day.

We wish everyone a safe and reflective holiday as we honour the diverse histories and cultures that shape this land.

We'll resume regular office hours on Thursday, July 2.

06/15/2026

🌈 Happy Pride Month from the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association! 🌈

This June, we celebrate the strength, diversity, and contributions of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities across British Columbia and beyond.

At BCHPCA, we believe that everyone deserves access to compassionate, person-centred hospice palliative care that honours their identity, relationships, experiences, and wishes. Creating welcoming, inclusive, and affirming spaces is essential to ensuring dignity and quality of life for all individuals and families.

Pride Month is an opportunity to celebrate progress, recognize ongoing challenges, and reaffirm our commitment to equity, inclusion, and belonging in hospice palliative care.

Together, we can help build communities where everyone feels seen, respected, and supported throughout life's journey.

05/08/2026

Where you live should not determine whether you get support with end of life services, anticipatory grief, and bereavement support.

But right now, it often does.

Hospice societies delivering hospice palliative care exist across rural, remote, and urban communities, but access is inconsistent, and services depend on local capacity and funding.

In some communities, support is strong.
In others, it’s stretched thin or missing.

isn’t everywhere, yet it should be.

If we’re serious about equity,
we need a system that matches the need and demand.

05/07/2026

Grief and bereavement can be found everywhere, and as part of the delivery of
So are hospice societies.

Across BC, hospice societies support:
120,000 people every year
Including 85,000 in grief and bereavement alone

That’s families.
Caregivers.
Children.
Those structurally unhoused
Entire communities.

And this care is not just compassionate, it’s effective.

Hospice societies generate an estimated $141 million in system value each year,
helping keep people out of hospitals, reducing pressure on acute care,
and supporting people where they want to be, at home, in community.

This isn’t “extra” care.
This is core health and mental health support, already working.

05/06/2026

Here’s the reality:

Many hospice societies are not funded as part of the health system.

They rely on:
Donations
Grants
Fundraising
Community generosity

In some cases, up to 75% of funding comes from the community, not government.

And nearly 50% of hospice societies in BC operate on budgets under $150,000,
most in rural and remote communities.

Yet they deliver essential:
Palliative care
Grief and bereavement support
Caregiver services

This is not sustainable.
And it’s not equitable.

Care should not depend on where you live
or who can fundraise the most.

We can, and MUST, do better.

05/05/2026

You won’t always see them.
But they are there.

Sitting beside someone at end of life.
Supporting caregivers.
Holding space in grief.

Across BC, hospice societies are powered by a 10:1 volunteer-to-staff ratio. With 3,400 specialty trained volunteers working alongside dedicated staff to deliver care every day.

Together, they provide:
Palliative and end-of-life support
Grief and bereavement care
Caregiver support
Community programs and education

This is not extra care.
This is the system, quietly holding people through life’s hardest moments.

05/02/2026

🌿 That’s a Wrap! 🌿

A heartfelt thank you to all our incredible attendees and inspiring speakers for making the 2026 Spring Lunch & Learn series a huge success! Your participation and engagement have made this event truly memorable.

If you missed any sessions or would like to revisit the content, don’t worry! Recordings of all sessions will be available on our website soon. Stay tuned for updates on where to access these insightful resources.

We’re already looking forward to our next series and can’t wait to bring you more enriching discussions and learning opportunities. Keep an eye out for details coming your way soon!