Research priorities

Systemic racism has created barriers and inequity in government services. To address this, we need to know where it’s happening and who’s affected. The Anti-Racism Data Act is giving us the tools we need to look into these issues.

Under the Anti-Racism Data Act, we’re required to set research priorities every two years. This page outlines the current research priorities and how they were developed. These priorities are meant to help steer government towards research that identifies systemic barriers and requires action to advance racial equity.

We develop research priorities through consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples and in collaboration with the Anti-Racism Data Committee. Setting priorities in this way helps to focus our research on the areas that matter most to Indigenous Peoples and racialized communities.

Some priorities may be in areas where government lacks data or where data collection is limited to avoid community harm. By naming them as priorities we’re able to investigate gaps in information and barriers to accessing information, and support program areas to fill those gaps safely.

Our work on research priorities builds upon existing research and recommendations (for example, the In Plain Sight report, which focuses on anti-Indigenous racism in health care), and helps us understand the legacy of colonial policies in B.C. Research is guided by a distinctions-based approach to Indigenous data sovereignty and self-determination and other important process commitments.

Related topics

Research Priorities 2025-2027

On May 30, 2025, we published research priorities for 2025-2027.

To create these priorities, Indigenous Peoples and the Anti-Racism Data Committee reflected on feedback, reports and recommendations gathered from partners, community members and advocates over the last few years.

Many research priorities for 2025-2027 build upon previous priorities and calls to action. This reflects the persistent and pressing nature of these issues and their historical and continued impact on racialized communities and the rights and interests of Indigenous Peoples in B.C.

Research Priorities from Indigenous Peoples

The 2025-2027 research priorities reflect the common themes we heard from Indigenous Peoples who participated in the consultation and cooperation process. They do not reflect all of the distinct and unique issues of systemic racism facing First Nations, Métis and Inuit people across B.C.

This priority focuses on understanding systemic racism related to health and well-being for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples as well as access to and experiences in health care. Possible research topics include:

  • Understanding how experiences of racism, discrimination and profiling in the health care system impact care
  • Assessing how intersecting factors such as income, education and housing impact Indigenous people’s health and well-being
  • Examining the unique health challenges faced by Indigenous women, LGBTQ2S+ individuals and other equity-deserving groups within Indigenous communities
  • Understanding how traditional Indigenous knowledge and practices can be integrated to create culturally safe health care and assessing its impact on Indigenous people’s health and well-being
  • Looking at access to health services, particularly for those in rural and remote areas
  • Examining how well current programs are supporting Indigenous people who are affected by mental health challenges and/or the toxic drug supply
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This priority focuses on understanding education outcomes and systemic barriers for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students from early childhood to post-secondary. Possible research topics include:

  • Looking at barriers to post-secondary transitions, including required credentials and the availability of culturally safe supports
  • Assessing the impact of Indigenous cultural and language services and curriculum on students’ educational success
  • Looking at availability of cultural safety training and accountability among teachers in K-12
  • Examining impact of, and access to, inclusive extra-curricular activities such as sport
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Many factors affect someone’s health and well-being, from access to safe housing, justice and food security. Taken together, these factors may be known as the social determinants of safety.

This priority builds upon the recommendations in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls final report for government to ensure that Indigenous Peoples have access to safe services and infrastructure. It provides government with an opportunity to focus on more positive outcomes in the areas of safety, well-being and understanding systemic racism more holistically.

This priority overlaps with other priority areas, highlighting the interconnected nature of systemic barriers. Possible research topics include:

  • Access to housing, including:
    • Assessing the availability of safe affordable housing, including on reserve
  • Environment, including:
    • Understanding the impact of climate change and living in close proximity to infrastructure and land development projects (e.g. processing plants, train tracks) has on health and well-being
    • Understanding how environmental and resource management practices, as well as management of natural disasters, support Indigenous communities
    • Examining how Indigenous knowledge and practices can strengthen environmental protections
  • Access to safe public transportation, including:
    • Assessing the availability of public transportation routes to school, shopping and government social services such as income assistance, for rural and remote communities
  • Justice and community safety including:
    • Looking at the effectiveness of community justice and community safety programs and other supports in reducing the overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in the criminal justice system
    • Examining the impact of cultural safety training programs in the justice system, including for police
    • Understanding how experiences of racism, discrimination, and profiling in the justice system impact safety
  • Economic inclusion and employment, including:
    • Assessing inequity in hiring practices and racism in the workplace
    • Examining what training and resources are available to support Indigenous people participating in the workforce
    • Examination of on- and off-reserve employment opportunities and income
  • Food security, including:
    • Looking at food deserts and food sovereignty to see how access to traditional food sources and clean drinking water impact health and well-being
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This priority supports the commitment under Action 3.14 of B.C.’s Declaration Act Action Plan to advance Indigenous data sovereignty and self-determination. This includes supporting the First Nations Leadership Council to create a First Nations-led regional information governance centre.

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Indigenous Peoples were clear that we need to take a distinctions-based approach to this work. This will ensure that we acknowledge, respect and uphold the distinct rights of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples.

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Research Priorities from the Anti-Racism Data Committee

The Anti-Racism Data Committee recommended nine priorities for 2025-2027. Seven of these build upon the previous priorities while two are new areas of research.

This priority focuses on assessing diversity and equity in recruitment, retention and career advancement across the B.C. government and broader public service. Possible research topics include:

  • Understanding barriers to recruitment, retention and career progression for Indigenous and racialized employees in the BC Public Service
  • Understanding representation on B.C.’s agencies, boards and commissions and the barriers to appointment faced by Indigenous and racialized people
  • How can we learn from the experiences and expertise of Indigenous and racialized staff in the BC Public Service to drive action
  • Tracking workforce diversity over time in the BC Public Service
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This priority focuses on understanding systemic inequities in B.C.’s justice system, including community safety and law enforcement. Possible research topics include:

  • Interactions with police, incarceration rates and complaints by people who are incarcerated
  • Access to justice, including use and availability of legal assistance services
  • Understanding the systemic causes and impact of violence, including assessing whether relevant community safety supports are accessible
  • Evaluation of restorative justice programs
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This priority focuses on understanding the health and well-being of Indigenous and racialized people and their experiences using the health care system. Possible research topics include:

  • Understanding patient experiences in health care settings, including racism, and barriers to accessing services
  • Assessing the effectiveness of anti-racism and cultural safety training, initiatives, policies and other accountability measures for health care workers
  • Further analysis of health and well-being, including chronic conditions and maternal and infant health
  • Examining the impact of the toxic drug supply on racialized and Indigenous people, including research related to harm reduction services.
  • Understanding the impact of racism on mental health and assessing barriers to accessing mental health services, particularly for youth
  • Diversity in the health care system, including health-care professionals and administrators
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This priority focuses on understanding the impact of systemic racism on students’ experiences and education outcomes from early childhood to post-secondary. Possible research topics include:

  • Examining racism and bullying in school
  • Evaluating anti-racism initiatives in the education system
  • Diversity in the education system, particularly in leadership roles
  • Understanding the impact of disparities in discipline, education pathways and supports for racialized and Indigenous students in K-12
  • Examining differences in academic performance, graduation rates and transitions to post-secondary
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This priority focuses on understanding the well-being of Indigenous and racialized children, youth and families, specifically those in care. This includes an examination of systemic racism in the child welfare system. Possible research topics include:

  • Family reunification for children in care, specifically looking at the overrepresentation of Indigenous children and youth in care
  • Representation of Indigenous and racialized individuals in the child welfare system, including children, youth and those who work in the system
  • Exploring the impact of the child welfare system on health and wellness outcomes for children and youth in care
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This priority focuses on understanding systemic inequities Indigenous and racialized people face in employment and income. Possible research topics include:

  • Income, wealth and employment disparities, including any intergenerational trends
  • Employment and wage data in different job sectors, types and levels (e.g. entry level, management, leadership)
  • Examining systemic racism in employment, including analysis related to recognizing foreign credentials and the impact of level of education on employment
  • Understanding inequities experienced by self-employed workers, including access to capital and whether systemic racism in employment led them to be self-employed
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This priority focuses on understanding systemic inequities in access to housing, precarious and inadequate housing, and homelessness. Possible research topics include:

  • Rates, causes and impact of homelessness across demographic groups, with a particular focus on youth and regional differences
  • Understanding tenant experiences related to racism
  • Evaluating housing support programs, including regional availability
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This priority focuses on understanding systemic racism in access to sports and the impact on youth well-being. Possible research topics include:

  • Barriers to accessing inclusive sports and equity in funding
  • Diversity in leadership and other roles within sports organizations
  • Exploring racism in organized sports
  • Sport as a mechanism for youth development and inclusion
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This priority focuses on identifying and assessing what data exists, what data is lacking across government and what barriers exist in accessing this data. This is a first step in helping ministries to close existing data gaps and share existing data across government and broader public sector to advance research into systemic racism. This work includes:

  • Creating a data inventory of the information government holds
  • Understanding the usability of existing data and identifying gaps in data needed for research into systemic racism
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Thank you

Setting research priorities takes considerable time and effort. Reflecting on experiences of racism can be challenging and this work takes an emotional toll. We’re grateful to the partners and individuals who contributed and for their willingness to share and trust us with their recommendations.

With their thoughtful input, we’ve created a list of priorities that reflects the interests of Indigenous and racialized communities and will help to drive research across government. This list is a key part of our ongoing efforts to identify and address systemic racism and advance racial equity over the coming years.

How will research be conducted?

Under the Anti-Racism Data Act, we aim to increase trust, transparency and accountability. At the same time, it’s important to prevent and reduce harms to Indigenous Peoples and racialized communities.

We collaborated with the Anti-Racism Data Committee and Indigenous Peoples to develop five process commitments. These commitments will apply to each research project conducted under the Act.

Indigenous data sovereignty

Guided by a distinctions-based approach to Indigenous data sovereignty and self-determination.

Data justice 

Data justice recognizes both the harm that data has caused communities, as well as the power of data to advance equity and social justice.

Intersectionality

An individual may experience more than one form of discrimination and/or marginalization.

Research must consider a person’s whole identity while maintaining an anti-racism and gender-based lens.

Transparency

To build trust, we must be clear about the purpose and benefit of data collection. 

This means working with communities to understand how and when to share data, methodologies, and findings.

Continuing involvement

We’ll continue to build and strengthen relationships with communities and partners.

This will ensure that the needs, experience and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and other racialized individuals guide data collection and research.