While Canada’s Indigenous peoples confront some of the same health issues as the wider population, there is a growing gap in health and well-being between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.

In 2014, Michael and Amira Dan donated $10-million to establish the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health. The Institute which aims to create thriving health in Indigenous communities by providing opportunities for new and innovative work in this area by working respectfully with Canada’s Indigenous peoples, aligning research with community priorities and using evidence to inform innovative programs to improve health.

The Institute is developing collaborative education programs to train the next generation of researchers, and attract additional scholars to the existing team to combine the pursuit of scientific excellence with community relevance.