FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association Announces 2026 National Grief and Bereavement Day Theme: “Shine a Light on Grief Support in Canada”
Ottawa, ON – June 29, 2026
The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) is proud to announce the theme for National Grief and Bereavement Day 2026: “Shine a Light on Grief Support in Canada.”
Grief and bereavement are universal human experiences, yet many people continue to face them without the understanding, support, and resources they need. While these experiences touch individuals, families, workplaces, schools, and communities across Canada, access to grief support remains inconsistent, and conversations about loss are often avoided or misunderstood.
The 2026 theme is a call to bring greater visibility to the realities of grief and the importance of compassionate support. It recognizes that grief is a natural part of life and that everyone deserves access to understanding, connection, support, and appropriate resources when navigating loss.
“Grief is something every one of us will experience, yet too many Canadians feel isolated in their loss or struggle to find the support they need,” said Cheryl Spencer, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association. “Through the 2026 theme, Shine a Light on Grief Support in Canada, we are encouraging communities, organizations, workplaces, and policymakers to recognize grief as an important public health and social issue. By increasing awareness, reducing stigma, and strengthening access to support, we can help ensure that no one has to navigate grief alone.”
At the same time, this theme provides an opportunity to highlight promising practices, celebrate the work of organizations, communities, and individuals who support those who are grieving, and raise public awareness of the vital role grief support plays in individual and community well-being.
National Grief and Bereavement Day, taking place November 17th, serves as a reminder that grief affects us all and that building grief-informed communities benefits everyone. Through the 2026 campaign, CHPCA calls on policymakers, health systems, workplaces, educators, community organizations, and individuals to recognize grief as a significant public health and social issue and to invest in the supports needed to address it.
Together, we can reduce stigma, improve understanding, expand access to support services, and build more compassionate communities where no one has to navigate grief alone.
More information about National Grief and Bereavement Day 2026, including campaign resources and opportunities to get involved, can be found on the CHPCA website: https://www.chpca.ca/awareness/national-grief-and-bereavement-day/
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About CHPCA
The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) — the national voice for hospice palliative care in Canada, is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in care for persons approaching death so that the burdens of suffering, loneliness and grief are lessened. CHPCA operates in close partnership with other national organizations and continues to work to ensure that all people in Canada, regardless of where they may live, have equal access to quality hospice palliative care services for themselves and their family. Learn more at https://www.chpca.ca
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