Toronto Metropolitan University is currently recognized as a leading institution for research and innovation, being ranked first for research income growth for the second consecutive year and third for research intensity dollars per graduate student, among comprehensive universities in Research Infosource’s Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities List 2021. Within the past decade, the university has launched various research centres and institutes, as well as the Zone Learning option for students and business professionals interested in entrepreneurship.

Our location at the heart of downtown Toronto has motivated numerous strategic partnerships with surrounding businesses and spaces. The most significant recent development is the construction of four buildings: the Mattamy Athletic Centre at Toronto’s historic Maple Leaf Gardens, the award-winning Student Learning Centre on Yonge Street, The Image Centre on campus and the upcoming Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex.

Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing

The Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing at Toronto Metropolitan University is a dynamic learning space that promotes socially responsive, evidence-informed nursing. Graduates are prepared to lead anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and socially responsive practice to advance inclusive care and equitable outcomes for all.

Collaborative Nursing Degree Program (BScN)

Toronto Metropolitan University’s Collaborative Nursing Degree Program — offered in partnership with Centennial College and George Brown College — is a leading-edge learning and clinical environment committed to preparing nursing leaders who are highly competent, knowledgeable and committed to playing an integral role in shaping our health care future. Your studies can begin at any one of three sites: Toronto Met, Centennial or George Brown. In the first two years, each school offers the same curriculum. You then move to Toronto Met for your third and fourth years, and graduate with a degree from Toronto Met. With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, you will be eligible to write the College of Nurses of Ontario registration examination and accept entry-level positions in a variety of settings where nursing is practiced.

Starting at each of our three program sites (Toronto Metropolitan University, George Brown College and Centennial College) you will be provided with opportunities to experience high-tech simulation, and take part in comprehensive clinical scenarios and situations within the safety of a supportive teaching and learning environment. These experiences in our labs will help you develop the competence and confidence to provide skilled and thoughtful care.

A significant part of your nursing education will involve working with patients and communities across a wide range of nursing practice placements, in a variety of settings. Your experiences in placements will allow you to develop and apply your evolving knowledge, step by step, in supervised practice settings.

School of Nursing Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation

The Faculty of Community Service (home faculty for the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing) has a designated leadership role that has been informing and advising all schools of the Faculty on Indigenous matters.  

During the development of the Nursing curriculum, we consulted with Indigenous leaders on campus who encouraged us to thread content related to Indigenous health & well-being throughout the courses in the program to ensure that the needs of Indigenous individuals are considered in all aspects of nursing practice.

These consultations helped us identify how we could comprehensively infuse Indigenous perspectives across all courses. As a result of our discussions, relevant required readings, content and e-learning courses (https://elearning.ontariohealth.ca/?redirect=0) from a variety of sources have now been integrated into each course that has been developed and delivered, as well as those that are to be developed shortly. Ultimately, we plan to integrate a dedicated Indigenous course for all Post Diploma Degree Programs (PDDP) students. as we explore current Indigenous course offerings at TMU. With the integration of the content, and in-class discussions, we are hopeful that our students will have increased knowledge of Indigenous People’s past and present, increased awareness and understanding of Indigenous issues including health and well-being, and a greater appreciation and respect for Indigenous perspectives and ways of knowing. We are committed to ensuring that our graduates can and will provide nursing care with Indigenous People that is both culturally respectful and culturally safe, and as such, we will continue to assess our curriculum as it is being developed and delivered to ensure that these desired outcomes are achieved. 

The School has hired their first full tenure-track time indigenous faculty member in 2024. This is in addition to at least one part time instructor who has been with the school for many years.  

Toronto Metropolitan University

Strategic Plan 2021 – 2026

The 2021-2026 Strategic Plan was intentional in its vision to create an anti-oppressive and anti-racist School culture with a special emphasis on combating Indigenous and black racism.

Update on TMU’s path toward truth and reconciliation: Nov, 30, 2023

TRC Strategic Working Group: Update on Progress

Progress on how the university is responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Community Consultation Report is catalogued against six themes, as identified in the report. This list is not exhaustive and is meant to highlight new, or not previously shared, initiatives.

Theme 1: Develop and Implement a Strategic Vision to Indigenize the University

Theme 2: Improve and Expand Support for Indigenous Learners

Theme 3: Indigenize Teaching and Learning Practices

Theme 4: Increase Indigenous Staff and Faculty and Recognize Other Ways of Knowing

Theme 5: Deepen Community Engagement and Establish Partnerships

Theme 6: Increase Indigenous Visibility and Honour Indigenous History and Cultures

Call to Action # 24

We call upon medical and nursing schools in Canada to require all students to take a course dealing with Aboriginal health issues, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, and Indigenous teachings and practices. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.

Mandatory Course: Yes. Multiple courses.

The Faculty of Community Service has developed an indigenous course (FCS 200: Indigenous Relations in Practice) that will be introduced to all schools in the Faculty. The School of Nursing is currently working on the incorporation of this course in its programs.

NSE 103 Introduction to Health Assessment

Establish the foundation of theoretical and practical assessment of individuals’ health and wellness across the lifespan. Health assessment skills are practiced using relational, ethical, and trauma-informed approaches. Knowledge of Indigenous peoples and other culturally-diverse groups are integrated into health assessment practice.

NSE 203 Advanced Health Assessment

Advanced understanding of theoretical and practical health assessment across the lifespan. Critical thinking and clinical decision-making in the assessment of multiple body systems related to complex clients. Nursing interventions planned and individualized to clients based on systematic assessments. Assessment skills are practiced using relational, ethical, and trauma-informed approaches. Integrate knowledge of Indigenous peoples and other culturally-diverse groups into health assessment practices.

PPN 302 Promoting Community Health

A critical social theoretical perspective underlies the exploration of current and emerging issues affecting individuals, communities, and populations where they live, work and play. Using a social justice and equity lens and principles of primary health care, students critically and reflexively examine and apply community-nursing concepts to diverse populations, contexts and settings. Indigenous health is threaded throughout.

Course description: Course Curriculum shows the course descriptions.

School of Nursing Commitment to Call to Action # 24: 4 out of 5 = 80%

1. Aboriginal health issues
Yes. See mandatory course descriptions.
2. The history and legacy of residential schools
Yes. See mandatory course descriptions.
3. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
No. No explicit reference.
4. Treaties and Aboriginal rights
Yes. See mandatory course descriptions.
5. Indigenous teachings and Practice
Yes. See mandatory course descriptions.

Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing’s “Statement” of apology for colonial harms resulting from nursing education

Dec.11, 2023: CASN apologizes to Indigenous Peoples of Canada for Colonial harms resulting from nursing education…CASN is committed to a process of self-reflection, learning, and transformation. We will take the following steps to address the harms:

1. Anti-Racism, Cultural Safety, and Humility: Promote education, resources, and practices that address anti-Indigenous racism, supporting decolonization, cultural humility, and cultural safety for nursing faculty, staff, and students. Promote institutional policies and processes that address systemic racism to foster an inclusive and equitable learning environment.
2. Curriculum Revision: Promote a review of nursing education curricula to ensure a strengths-based focus and trauma-informed approach, the inclusion of content on the continued impact of colonialism and racism on Indigenous health, as well as Indigenous perspectives on health and well-being.
3. Community Engagement: Establish meaningful partnerships with Indigenous organizations and communities to ensure their voices are heard in shaping nursing education policies and practices.
4. Recruitment and Retention: Promote strategies that create culturally safe and supportive learning environments including pre-admission supports, in-program supports, and services that are developed in partnership with Indigenous communities
5. Ongoing Accountability: In collaboration with Indigenous partners, establish mechanisms to monitor progress and address concerns raised by partners, Indigenous nursing students, and faculty.

Land Acknowledgement:

Located on Acknowledging the Land under “Resources” at Indigenous TMU (About)

Toronto is in the ‘Dish With One Spoon Territory’. The Dish With One Spoon is a treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee that bound them to share the territory and protect the land. Subsequent Indigenous Nations and peoples, Europeans and all newcomers have been invited into this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship and respect.” 

This was a treaty made between the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee after the French and Indian War. Newcomers were then incorporated into it over the years, notably in 1764 with The Royal Proclamation/The Treaty of Niagara.

The “Dish”, or sometimes it is called the “Bowl”, represents what is now southern Ontario, from the Great Lakes to Quebec and from Lake Simcoe into the United States. 

*We all eat out of the Dish, all of us that share this territory, with only one spoon. That means we have to share the responsibility of ensuring the dish is never empty, which includes taking care of the land and the creatures we share it with. Importantly, there are no knives at the table, representing that we must keep the peace. The dish is graphically represented by the wampum pictured above. 

NOTE: All content has been submitted to the respective faculty for validation to ensure accuracy and currency as of the time of posting. The Toronto Metropolitan University Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing reviewed and approved the document. Managing Editor: Douglas Sinclair: Publisher, Indigenous Watchdog Research Assistant:  Timothy Maton