Telemedicine in Canada: Health Gaps in Indigenous Communities

Authored by: Julianna Morris

Art by: Kendall Eddington

Think for a moment about the accessibility of healthcare in our community, as well as the United States as a whole. When we picture healthcare here, we often imagine modern hospitals, advanced technology, and teams of trained professionals ready to help at a moment’s notice. The technology, resources, and personnel readily available are miles ahead of members of the Nunavik Indigenous community, a region in Northern Canada. In remote regions like this, medical innovation and efficiency are slim, making life extremely difficult in already harsh conditions. However, the emergence of telemedicine appeared to bring an improvement to this area, but the influence of this practice has had some setbacks. Despite its promise, telemedicine in northern Indigenous communities like Nunavik faces major barriers in connectivity, cultural adaptation, and trust. However, community-led and culturally informed telehealth programs show how virtual care can become both effective and equitable.

Nunavik, located in Northern Quebec, is home to about 14 Inuit communities. The weather in this region can be described as “subarctic” and is very inaccessible to the general public. Because of this isolation, access to consistent healthcare remains a major challenge. There are only two hospitals, in Kuujjuaq and Puvirnituq. Most care, including psychiatry, requires patients to travel hundreds of miles to Montreal [1]. The NRBHSS reports that telehealth equipment has been installed in all villages, allowing for virtual consultations in specialties such as pediatrics, orthopedics, and mental health [1]. These gaps show why virtual care is so essential in Nunavik, but also why it continues to fall short for many residents who depend on it.

One example of this telemedicine in action is the Atautskut Project, which is an organization that helps support youth mental health from wellness workers across Nunavik through online networks [2]. This is a very important project that Indigenous Services Canada has put over $15 million dollars into [3], and is a way to connect wellness workers and social service providers to share resources and coordinate support. Similarly, the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services has expanded telehealth programs to include psychiatry, child psychiatry, and real-time consultations, showing how virtual care is becoming a cornerstone in northern communities [1]. These resources, along with the Kuujjuaq teleclinic for allergy care and pediatric teleconsultations, are important as mental health is often overlooked, and the Nunavik are actively trying to find solutions, especially for children. This connectivity is helping to bridge the gap between residents and successful telehealth, and continues to this day.

Despite these advancements, there are still multiple barriers that inhibit telemedicine in this region from reaching its full potential. As previously mentioned, the worse-for-wear technology includes unreliable internet, a lack of private spaces for video calls, and limited digital literacy. However, many smaller health centers still struggle with unstable internet connection, which limits how well telemedicine can function. A 2023 study on pediatric telemedicine in Nunavik found that while two regional hospitals were well-equipped for video consultations, several local health centers still relied on low-speed or inconsistent service [4]. For example, many mental health workers reported difficulty maintaining long-term relationships with patients through virtual platforms. There are also a few systemic issues that hold the sustainability of these methods back. For example, high staff turnover, limited local training, and dependence on outside specialists. Most of these issues are brought about by the isolation of northern Canada and do not have a clear solution. However, support from outside resources and countries could bring this area up to speed. 

A huge aspect that needs to be considered is cultural impact. In Nunavik, programs need to reflect the culture, language, and values of the Inuit communities that need healthcare. Tools like the Tukisiutik app, launched by the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, help bridge this gap by providing a multilingual glossary of medical terms and audio translations in Inuktitut [5]. Beyond language, care also needs to feel culturally safe. For example, traditions, local knowledge, and community and family healing. Studies emphasize that health programs are most successful when Indigenous communities help design and lead them, ensuring that modern care and traditional practices work together instead of apart [6]. In Nunavik, local wellness workers already play a key role in connecting residents to mental health services while keeping the process supported by community trust. 

Telemedicine has opened new possibilities for healthcare in northern Canada, but it still depends on human empathy and trust. Nunavik’s growing network of telehealth programs proves that remote care can reach even the most isolated regions when it is guided by the communities themselves. With continued research, funding, language inclusion, and culturally rooted care, telemedicine could become more than a substitute for in-person visits. It could be a lasting bridge between technology and tradition.

References

1. Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services. (2024). Annual report 2023–2024. https://nrbhss.ca/sites/default/files/Annual_Report_2023-2024_NRBHSS_EN.pdf

2. Atautsikut Project. (n.d.). About the project. Retrieved October 6, 2025, from https://atautsikut.com/the-project/

3. Indigenous Services Canada. (2019, June 21). Attawapiskat celebrates groundbreaking for their new youth centre. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/indigenous-services-canada/news/2019/06/attawapiskat-celebrates-groundbreaking-for-their-new-youth-centre.html

4. Gagnon, E., Bussières, A., & Bérubé, A. (2023). Evaluating the feasibility of pediatric post-operative telemedicine in Nunavik: A qualitative study. Paediatrics & Child Health. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxaf074

5. Nunatsiaq News. (2024, February 28). Nunavik health board launches new app in Inuktitut. https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/nunavik-health-board-launches-new-app-in-inuktitut/

6. Inuit Qaujisarvingat: The Inuit Knowledge Centre. (2021). Towards self-determination of an Inuit health system. https://inq.ulaval.ca/en/Towards-self-determination-of-an-Inuit-health-system