Dr. Meaghan Thumath, Assistant Professor, is a co-investigator on a newly funded study led by Dr. Brittany Bingham (Principal Investigator), Assistant Professor in the Division of Social Medicine (Faculty of Medicine), affiliate researcher with SARAVYC, and a proud member of the shíshálh (Sechelt) Nation. Dr. Bingham's research centers Indigenous community-driven approaches to health equity, and this Team Grant STEPS support will help strengthen that commitment.
June 23, 2026
"Decolonizing Approaches to the Governance and Leadership of Public Health Crises in the Context of Climate Change
Climate-related emergencies are increasing in frequency and severity across British Columbia (BC), disproportionately impacting First Nations and rural communities and placing growing strain on public health systems (PHS). Events such as wildfires, floods, heat events, landslides, and water insecurity intersect with ongoing public health challenges, affecting food systems, land- and water-based wellness, and population health. While First Nations across BC have demonstrated strong leadership, governance, and stewardship in responding to these emergencies, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, public health systems have not consistently supported or learned from Indigenous-led approaches, limiting equitable, coordinated, and effective responses.
Decolonizing Approaches to the Governance and Leadership of Public Health Crises in the Context of Climate Change is a BC First Nation-led, community-driven research project that aligns directly with the objectives of the STEPS funding opportunity by strengthening equitable and resilient public health systems through Indigenous governance, leadership, and engagement. Grounded in Indigenous laws, knowledge systems, and community priorities, and guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the BC Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (BC DRIPA), this research seeks to decolonize public health emergency management and reposition Indigenous sovereignty as foundational to PHS strengthening.
Led by a BC First Nations decolonized co-leadership model (Bingham, Waters, Behn-Smith) integrating Indigenous scholarship, health system decision-making, and community governance, the research will document and uplift First Nations–led climate and pandemic responses and examine how public health systems have engaged with, supported, or constrained Indigenous governance during emergencies. Using participatory action research and Indigenous methodologies, the study will include a scoping review of Indigenous-led emergency response reports, comparative case studies with multiple First Nations communities across BC, in-depth interviews with community leaders, and regional First Nations gatherings to co-create system-level solutions responsive to diverse geographic, ecological, and governance contexts. Together, these activities will identify governance, jurisdictional, and partnership pathways to embed First Nations leadership within regional and provincial public health emergency planning. The research directly advances Public Health System Building Block 6 (governance, leadership, and engagement) by co-developing the first BC First Nations sovereignty-affirming emergency response framework, alongside practical tools and guidance to support uptake within public health institutions.
Capacity-building and Indigenous-led knowledge mobilization are integral to our intersectional Indigenous research design, supporting researchers, decision-makers, practitioners, and communities to undertake collaborative, equity-focused PHS work. By centering Indigenous governance, ecosystem stewardship, and relational accountability, this research responds to urgent system needs, advances health equity, and contributes a novel, transferable model for strengthening public health systems in the context of climate change and future pandemics in BC and across Canada.
