Who we are

The Canadian Grief Alliance (CGA), is a group of leading grief specialists and more than 150 national and provincial organizations that are encouraging the Government to adopt a proposal to address national gaps in grief services that are leaving hurting Canadians unsupported in their grief.  

The Alliance includes psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and therapists, academics and organizations providing grief services.

It is convened by the Canadian Virtual Hospice, an internationally recognized charitable organization with a track record of developing award-winning online resources that serves 2.4 million users annually.

Original 36 members

Paul Adams
Writer, journalist, academic

Marianne Arab, MSW/RSW
Nova Scotia Health Authority
Provincial Manager of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care
Cancer Care Program

Bev Berg, MSW, RSW
Calgary

Dr. Susan Cadell, MSW, PhD, RSW
Professor, School of Social Work, Renison University College, University of Waterloo

Hon. Sharon Carstairs, PC CM
Chair, International Centre for Dignity and Palliative Care

Philip A. Carverhill, PhD
Registered Doctoral Psychologist Past Chair – International
Work Group on Death, Dying & Bereavement
Clinical Instructor – Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan
Adjunct Faculty – Psychotherapy & Spirituality Graduate Counselling Program, University of Alberta

Dr. Harvey Chochinov, OM, OC, MD, PhD, FRCRC, FRSC, FCAHS, FAPM
Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba

Shelly Cory, MA
Executive Director, Canadian Virtual Hospice

Ceilidh Eaton-Russell, Ph.D. (c), CCLS
Certified Child Life Specialist
Adjunct Lecturer, Child Life and Pediatric Psychosocial Care, Department of Pediatrics
Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University

Pierre R. Gagnon, MD, FRCPC
Directeur, Réseau québécois de recherche en soins palliatifs et de fin de vie FRQS
Psychiatre spécialisé en psycho-oncologie
Directeur et Professeur titulaire, Département de psychiatrie et de neurosciences
Directeur, équipe de recherche Michel-Sarrazin en oncologie psychosociale et en soins palliatifs
Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, axe Oncologie, Centre de recherche sur le cancer, Université Laval

Eunice Gorman, RN, BSW, MSW, PhD, RSW
Associate Professor, Dept of Interdisciplinary Programs, Thanatology
King’s University College at Western University

Tory Hagerman, BA, CCLS, RECE
Communications Coordinator, Children and Youth Grief Network
Family Coordinator, Gilda’s Club of Greater Toronto

Lana Holinaty
All Nations Hope Network

Darcy Harris, PhD, FT
Associate Professor/Thanatology Coordinator
King’s University College at Western University

Glen Horst, MDiv, DMin, BA
Spiritual Care Advisor, Canadian Virtual Hospice

Margaret Kisikaw Piyesis
CEO, Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network

Katherine Kortes-Miller, PhD, MSW
Assistant Professor School of Social Work
Associate Director Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health, Lakehead University

Dr. Mireille Lecours, MD, CCFP(PC), FCFP
Provincial Palliative Care Medical Consultant
Health PEI

Serena Lewis, BSW, MSW, RSW
Nova Scotia

Alain-Philippe Lemieux, MD
Directeur général, Maison Michel-Sarrazin

Mary Ellen Macdonald, PhD, (Medical Anthropology)
Associate Professor, Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University
Program Head, Pediatric Palliative Care Research, Montreal Children’s Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre
Associate Member, Institute for Health Sciences Education, McGill University

Dr. Christopher MacKinnon, PhD, Psychologist
Faculty of Medicine, McGill University
Portland Institute for Loss and Life Transition

Heather Mohan, PhD, RCC, MTA
Founder and Executive Director, Camp Kerry

Monica Do Coutto Monni, BA, M. Psych.
Executive Director, Near North Palliative Care Network

Fred Nelson, MSW, RSW
Canadian Virtual Hospice Psychosocial Specialist

Holly Prince, MSW
Centre for Education and Research on Aging & Health,
Lakehead University

Rowley Ramey
Managing Director, the Seasons Centre for Grieving Children

Maxxine Rattner, MSW, RSW
Hospice/Palliative Care Social Worker Psychosocial Consultant,
Canadian Virtual Hospice

Shane Sinclair, PhD
Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing
Director, Compassion Research Lab, Faculty of Nursing,
University of Calgary

Jill Taylor-Brown, MSW, RSW
Canadian Virtual Hospice Psychosocial Specialist

Deirdre Thomas, BSS
Executive Director, The Lighthouse for Grieving Children

Marney Thompson, MA RCC
Director Psychosocial Services, Victoria Hospice

Deborah Ummel, PhD, Psychologue
Professeure adjointe, Département de psychoéducation
Faculté d’éducation, Université de Sherbrooke

Wendy Wainright, BSW, MEd
British Columbia

Blanche Ward, BA, BSW, MSW
Provincial palliative care social worker, PEI Health
Project lead for the provincial palliative care drug program

Andrea Warnick, RN, MA (Thanatology)
Registered Psychotherapist

Organizations Supporting the Canadian Grief Alliance Proposal

National 

Canadian Medical Association 
Canadian Nurses Association
Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians 
Canadian Association of Social Workers 
Canadian Association for Spiritual Care
Canadian Psychiatric Association
The Enchanté Network 
Young Adult Cancer Canada 
Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology 
Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada
Canadian Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Network
All Nations Hope Network 
Dying With Dignity Canada 
Canadian Association for Marriage & Family Therapy 
End of Life Doula Association of Canada 
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada 
Canadian Alliance for Grieving Children and Youth 
Canada Bereavement Registry 
Canadian Integrative Network for Death Education and Alternatives
Schizophrenia Society of Canada
Melanoma Network of Canada 
Canadian Health Advocates Inc.
Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology 
Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association

Provincial

Alberta 
Alberta Hospice Palliative Care Association 
Covenant Health Palliative Institute 
Caregivers Alberta 
Hospice Calgary 
Red Deer Hospice 
Hospice Society of Camrose and District 
Children’s Grief Centre
Healthy Directions 
Transitions Music Therapy 
Oliver's Funeral Home

British Columbia
BC Hospice Palliative Care Association 
BC Centre for Palliative Care 
Family Caregivers of BC 
Island Health 
Vancouver Island Health Authority 
BC Bereavement Helpline 
Camp Kerry 
Kilala Lelum (Urban Indigenous Health & Healing Cooperative)
Abbotsford Hospice Society 
Vancouver Hospice Society 
Delta Hospice Society 
Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley 
Prince Rupert and District Hospice Society
Victoria Hospice Society 
Peace Arch Hospice Society
Burnaby Hospice Society 
Crossroads Hospice Society 
100 Mile District Hospice Palliative Care Society 
Sea to Sky Hospice Society 
Desert Valley Hospice Society
West End Seniors' Network 
Moving Forward Family Services 
Life and Death Matters 
Honour End of Life Care 
Pacific Well-Being

Manitoba
Palliative Manitoba
Rainbow Resource Centre 
Two-Spirited People of Manitoba Inc. 
Cancer Care Navigation Services - Northern Regional Health Authority 
Rock Lake Palliative Care 
Peguis Home & Community Care
Robert Smith School

New Brunswick
NB COPES Child and Family Grief Center 

Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador Palliative Care Association 

Nova Scotia
NS Hospice Palliative Care Association 
Doctors Nova Scotia 
Caregivers Nova Scotia
Hospice Halifax 
Colchester East Hants Hospice Society 
Good Grief Halifax
 
Ontario
Hospice Palliative Care Ontario
Global Institute of Psychosocial and Palliative and End-of-life Care, University of Toronto
Ontario Association of Social Workers
RNAO Palliative Care Nurses Interest Group 
Centre for Education and Research on Aging & Health at Lakehead University
de Souza Institute
Hope House Community Hospice
Dundas County Hospice 
Hospice Outreach Programs of Elgin
Hospice Muskoka
McNally House Hospice
Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care
Hazel Burns Hospice
Hospice Wellington 
Dr Bob Kemp Hospice and Bereavement Services 
Heart House Hospice 
St. Joseph's Hospice Sarnia Lambton 
St Joseph's Hospice London
Hospice Northwest 
Roger Neilson House 
Evergreen Hospice 
Hospice Peterborough 
Matthews House Hospice 
Doane House Hospice 
Kensington Health
Near North Palliative Care Network 
Bereavement Ontario Network 
Bereaved Families of Ontario - South Central Region
Bereaved Families of Ontario – Ottawa
Bereaved Families of Ontario – Kingston
Bereaved Families of Ontario -  Midwestern Region 
Healing Broken Hearts 
Good Grief! Bereavement Healing Services 
Gilda's Club of Greater Toronto 
The Hummingbird Centre for Hope 
Grief Recovery Ontario
Dr. Jay Children's Grief Centre 
Children and Youth Grief Network 
The Lighthouse Program for Grieving Children 
Seasons Centre for Grieving Children 
Jewish Family and Child Service of Greater Toronto 
Victorian Order of Nurses - Oxford 
Unity Health Toronto 
Selah Resources 
Hulse, Playfair & McGarry 

Prince Edward Island
Hospice PEI 

Quebec
Association québécoise de soins palliatifs 
McGill Council on Palliative Care 
Maison Michel Sarrazin 
Réseau Québécois de recherche en soins palliatifs et de fin de vie
Regroupement des Infirmiers-Infirmières Ressources  en don d’organes et de tissus du Québec 
Palli-aide accompagnement en soins palliatifs Saguenay inc. 
Parents Orphelins, l'Association des parents qui vivent un deuil périnatal  
Albatros Montréal 
Groupe des Aidants du Sud-Ouest Myra's Kids Foundation
West Island Cancer Wellness Center 
Hope & Cope
ORA Loss & Living Program, Ste. Genevieve United Church 
Unitarian Church of Montreal 
ADATH Congregation
Connexions Resource Centre 

Saskatchewan
Prairie Hospice Society 
Morning Star Lodge, University of Saskatchewan
Augustana Lutheran Church
The Good Foundation Inc. 

Territories
Hospice Yukon 

plus 18 private enterprises.