Linkages are fostered through the creation of partnerships, the provision of support functions with UNBC health related partners, liaising with other research institutes at UNBC and elsewhere. The goals and objectives for each partnered initiative can be viewed on the HRI Website.

Partners: 

• Northern Health (NH)
• Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc)
• BC SUPPORT Unit
• Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) 

Northern Health

On June 22, 2010 Northern Health and UNBC signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formally recognize their long-standing and historical partnership. The purpose of this relationship is to stimulate innovation and transformation in both organizations in order to foster innovation in health services and policy, health provider and professional education, and health research; improve the health outcomes of the people living in Northern British Columbia; improve the quality of health care delivery and health provider and professional development; create an environment that is successful in recruiting and retaining skilled personnel; and, create opportunities for collaborative research and attract related funding. The Health Research Institute partners with Northern Health and the Innovation and Development Commons to enact activities that relate to fulfilling the goals set out by the MOU.

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The BC SUPPORT Unit (Support for People and Patient-Oriented Research and Trials) is a multi-partner organization created to support, streamline and increase patient-oriented research throughout BC. The Unit is one of 10 SUPPORT Units established across the country as part of Canada’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) led by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. It is also part of the Michael Smith Health Research BC, with the network’s board providing governance and oversight. A provincial coordinating office (PCO) located in Vancouver coordinates activities across BC. The office works in partnership with regional centres within Vancouver, Fraser, Interior, Northern and Vancouver Island Health authorities.

Leana Garraway 
Co-Lead & HRI Manager, UNBC

Bree Loeffler
Administrative Assistant, Northern Centre & HRI UNBC

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Marcelo Bravo 
Co-Lead & Lead Patient Orientated Research & KT Capacity Building, Northern Health

About the Northern Centre 

The Northern Centre is one of four regional centres of the BC SUPPORT Unit. It’s the go-to resource for patient-oriented research within the geographic area served by Northern Health. The Centre serves the communities of Northern British Columbia from Quesnel north to the Yukon border, and Haida Gwaii east to the Alberta border.

The Northern Centre operates as a partnership between Northern Health and the University of Northern British Columbia through the Innovation and Development Commons.

Phase II 

Thanks to the successes of phase one of SPOR, CIHR is supporting further development of the BC SUPPORT Unit in a phase two which will run for 5 years. Phase two began April 1, 2022, and the objective is to bridge the gap between research evidence and health care practice.

The BC SUPPORT Unit began Phase II (2022-2027) with a focus on:

Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc) 

The Rural Coordination Centre of British Columbia network includes healthcare providers and administrators, community members, policymakers, educators, researchers, and non-profit and business leaders—all working together to enhance rural health equity in British Columbia. Two of the HRI staff are duel HRI & RCCbc employees and are involved with many different projects within RCCbc.

Activities: 

• Rural Site Visits
  • Mackenzie & McLeod Lake Indian Band 
• Dean's Advisory Council Meeting in Port McNeill 

Projects: 

• Bree 
  • Dean's Advisory Council
  • Communications Support 
  • Rural Site Visits Project 
  • Rural Health Awards 
  • Community Engagement Action Plan (CEAP)
    • Community Connector for Sechelt/Gibsons 
• Fatemeh 
  • xxx
  • xxx
  • xxx

Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) 

The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), Northern Health (NH) and University of Northern BC (UNBC) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on November 12, 2013 to collaborate in establishing a mutually beneficial research partnership for northern BC. The UNBC Health Research Institute (HRI) serves as the Secretariat to support PHSA, NH and UNBC in their commitment to enhance research collaboration between the three organizations.

This partnership is guided by the following principles:

• Attends to the needs and realities of northern British Columbia in the overall context of British Columbia, including issues of equity, diversity, and inclusivity.
• Builds sustainable research capacity in the North, for the North.
• Builds capacity for partnered research and leaves a legacy of capacity across all three organizations.
• A research-based collaborative relationship for the purpose of improving the quality of health services and improving population health.
• Attends to the issues of sustainability of each party's contribution to the research partnership.
• Recognizes and respects the intellectual property rights of individual researchers and each Partner.
• Mutual respect and acknowledgement of the skills and expertise each Partner brings to the partnership.
• Open and transparent communication between the Partners.