Anishnawbe Health Toronto (“AHT”) has released a watershed study, Early Death Among Members of Toronto’s Aboriginal Community: Walking in Their Shoes. The study shows that a large number of Aboriginal individuals in Toronto are dying prematurely – meaning they are passing away long before would be expected for the non-Aboriginal Torontonian. The study documents AHT’s clinical observations at AHT and three other Aboriginal health and social service centres. The study asks, “How much earlier?”  The average person in Toronto has a life expectancy of 75 years. The report found the average Aboriginal person who attended one of the health and social service clinics studied has an average lifespan of 37 years, and 34 years for Aboriginal men or about half the life expectancy of a non-Aboriginal male Torontonian. This report was presented to Toronto City Council several weeks ago. AHT is a community health centre that operates to improve the health and well-being of Aboriginal people in Toronto, providing access to traditional Aboriginal and modern health services. Donnelly Law is proud to be part of the AHT Project Team working on AHT’s new facility in Toronto’s West Don Lands. 

On March 31, 2014 the Government of Ontario and AHT announced the transfer of land in the West Don Lands from the Province to AHT to build a dynamic, world-class Aboriginal community health and cultural centres after the Pan Am and Parapan Games. This ends AHT’s long journey, assisted by David Donnelly, to find land for its new facility.

Please find the Government of Ontario’s press release about the land transfer here:  http://news.ontario.ca/moi/en/2014/03/supporting-urban-aboriginal-health-culture-and-economic-growth.html

 Read more on AHT’s Report here: http://knlive.ctvnews.ca/life-expectancy-for-aboriginal-users-of-community-health-clinics-in-toronto-is-37-report-1.1781398