Our Community
Rooted in Southern Treaty #3 territory. Here for every Indigenous person in the Rainy River District.
Gizhewaadiziwin was created by this community, for this community. We are here for every Indigenous person in the Rainy River District — First Nation, Metis, and Inuit — offering care that honours where you come from and who you are.
Southern Treaty #3 Territory
Gizhewaadiziwin Health Access Centre is located in Fort Frances, Ontario, in the heart of Southern Treaty #3 territory. This land has been home to the Anishinaabe people since time immemorial, and it is this land — and these peoples — that give our work its meaning and its direction.
Treaty #3, signed in 1873, covers a vast area of Northwestern Ontario and into Manitoba. The communities of Southern Treaty #3 are the foundation of who we are and who we serve, and we are deeply honoured to carry out our work on this territory.
Who We Serve
Gizhewaadiziwin is an Indigenous-controlled health centre with a mandate to serve all Indigenous people living within the Rainy River District. No referral is required to access our programs and services — simply call us at (807) 274-3131 to book.
The Communities We Serve
Our mandate covers the Rainy River District, a region that is home to a number of First Nations communities as well as urban and rural Indigenous residents across the area.
Couchiching First Nation
Seine River First Nation
Mitaanjigamiing First Nation
Onigaming First Nation
Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation
Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation
Naicatchewenin First Nation
Big Island First Nation
Rainy River First Nations
Mishkosiminiziibiing First Nation
Built on Partnership
Gizhewaadiziwin was not built by one group alone. It was brought into being through a partnership between area First Nations, the United Native Friendship Centre, and Sunset Country Metis — three distinct parts of the Indigenous community coming together around a shared belief that Indigenous people deserve healthcare that is their own.
That founding spirit of partnership continues to shape how we operate today. We are accountable to the communities that created us, and we are committed to serving them with the same care and intention that went into building this place.
Serving On and Off Community Members
Not all Indigenous people in the Rainy River District live on-reserve. Gizhewaadiziwin is here for Indigenous people wherever they are — whether living in Fort Frances, in surrounding rural areas, or temporarily in the region. Our mandate is to serve the person, not the postal code.
If you are unsure whether you are eligible to access our services, please give us a call. We are always happy to talk it through with you.
Explore Our Community Connections
Southern Treaty #3
Learn more about the territory and the peoples at the heart of our work.
Learn More
Elder's Council
Our Elders Council brings the wisdom and guidance of the community into everything we do.
Our Network
As a founding member of the Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre network, Gizhewaadiziwin has been part of shaping Indigenous-led healthcare in this province since 1998. Learn more about the network we are proud to be part of.
You Are Welcome Here
Gizhewaadiziwin is a place for you. Whether you are looking for clinical care, cultural support, or just someone who understands — our door is open. No referral needed. No judgment. Just care that honours who you are.
Call us at (807) 274-3131 or email info@gizhac.com to get started.