Derived from a Mohawk word meaning "where there is limestone", Katarokwi refers to the region surrounding Kingston, in and around the north shore of Lake Ontario. Situated on the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, the region is home to individuals of diverse First Nations, Metis, and Inuit identities and heritage.   

In 2020, academic-community partnerships were formed between researchers at Queen's University and multiple Indigenous-focussed, Indigenous-led, and/or Indigenous-serving organizations in the Katarokwi region, to pursue research on the experiences of Indigenous peoples and organizations during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic (KIRC-19 Project).  The partnerships forged during the KIRC-19 Project have continued in multiple subsequent community-based, OCAP-centered Indigenous health research projects in the Katarokwi region. 

Responding to research needs identified by Indigenous partners, we move forward together to generate the data required to advance Indigenous health in the region.