Wellbeing Matters

An Okanagan Charter Implementation Toolkit

Wellbeing Matters

An Okanagan Charter Implementation Toolkit

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About This Publication

Wellbeing Matters: An Okanagan Charter Implementation Toolkit was developed through the Culture of Academic Medicine Initiative – Towards Improved Provider Safety (CAMI-TIPS) to support Canadian academic medicine institutions in advancing Physical, Psychological, and Cultural (PPC) Safety and creating respectful, inclusive, and health-promoting learning and working environments.

Canadian academic medicine encompasses the environments where learners, faculty, researchers, educators, clinicians, and administrative staff learn, train, and work.

Authors

Victor Do, MD, FRCPC, MSc
University of Alberta, Department of Pediatrics
Co-Chair, Culture of Academic Medicine Initiative (CAMI), Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada

Hillary Ferguson, PhD
Dalhousie University
Subject Matter Expert and Toolkit Development Consultant

Alison Donnelly
Project Specialist, Culture of Academic Medicine Initiative (CAMI), Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada

With important contributions from:

Adriana Cull
Project Manager, Culture of Academic Medicine Initiative (CAMI), Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada

Suggested Citation

Do V, Ferguson H, Donnelly A. Wellbeing Matters: An Okanagan Charter Implementation Toolkit. Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, Culture of Academic Medicine Initiative – Towards Improved Provider Safety (CAMI-TIPS); 2026. Available online at: [URL/DOI]

Guidelines for Use

Wellbeing Matters: An Okanagan Charter Implementation Toolkit is available for non-commercial educational, professional development, research, and institutional planning purposes. Users are encouraged to adapt the Toolkit to their local context, provided that the source is appropriately acknowledged and the original intent and meaning are maintained.

The AFMC, CAMI, Okanagan Charter Collaborative, and contributing organizations may not be represented as endorsing any adapted or modified materials. AFMC, CAMI, and partner logos may not be used without written authorization.

For permissions relating to commercial use, substantial reproduction, or other uses not addressed above, please contact the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada at info@afmc.ca.

Acknowledgements

The development of Wellbeing Matters: An Okanagan Charter Implementation Toolkit was a collaborative effort involving colleagues and partners across Canadian academic medicine. The authors gratefully acknowledge the individuals and teams who contributed their expertise, perspectives, review, feedback, and support throughout the development and refinement of the Toolkit.

Okanagan Charter Collaborative

Constance LeBlanc, Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada
Sussan Askari, Queen’s University
Glenn Bauman, Western University
Tracey Bridger, Memorial University
Mandy Buss, Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada
Ming-Ka Chan, Canadian Association of Medical Education
Quinten Clarke, Canadian Association of Physicians with Disabilities
Beth-Ann Cummings, McGill University
Patrick Daigneault, Université Laval
Enas El Gouhary, McMaster University
Marie-Hélène Girouard, Université de Montréal
Katrina Hurley, Dalhousie University
Elke Hutton, Patient Partner Advocate
Rabiya Jalil, University of Calgary
Sonia Jalbert, Université Laval
Jess Klaassen-Wright, Canadian Queer Medical Students Association
Karah Koleszar, University of British Columbia
Eric Lachance, Université de Sherbrooke
Mel Lewis, University of Alberta
Laura MacDonald, University of Manitoba
Stephanie Milone, Toronto Metropolitan University
Heather Flett, University of Toronto
Samir Malhorta, SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine
Nnamdi Ndubuka, Black Physicians of Canada
Lesly Joyce Nkuindja, Canadian Federation of Medical Students
Franco Rizzuti, Canadian Association of Physicians with Disabilities
France St-Hilaire, Université de Sherbrooke
Sean Sullivan, NOSM University
Sudhir Sundaresan, University of Ottawa
Wesley Tran, Western University

Canadian Medical Association

Caroline Gérin-Lajoie, Executive Vice-President, Physician Wellness and Medical Culture
Christopher Simon, Director, Physician Wellness and Medical Culture
Sarah Olver, Strategic Advisor, Physician Wellness and Medical Culture
Lauren Walters, Strategic Advisor, Physician Wellness and Medical Culture

References

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3. International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges. Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges. Kelowna (BC): University of British Columbia; 2015. https://wellbeing.ubc.ca/okanagan-charter

4. Do V, Lewis M, Goldstein C, Sonnenberg LK. Fostering a health-promoting learning environment in medical education: adapting the Okanagan Charter for administrators and medical educators. Acad Med. 2023;98(6):672-679. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000005159.

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Download the Full Toolkit (PDF)

The complete Wellbeing Matters: An Okanagan Charter Implementation Toolkit is available as a downloadable PDF for those who prefer to read, print, or reference the Toolkit in its entirety offline.

Click Here to Download the Full Toolkit

PDF · Approximately 370 pages

Developed by the AFMC’s Culture of Academic Medicine Initiative (CAMI)

© 2026 Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada. All rights reserved.

We welcome your feedback to help improve future versions of the toolkit.

Questions, suggestions, and corrections are always appreciated.

Wellbeing Matters: An Okanagan Charter Implementation Toolkit ⋅ Version 1.0 ⋅ September 2026