The Tzu Chi Canada branch office joined with the Vancouver General Hospital to establish the Tzu Chi Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The opening ceremony was held on October 21. Prof. Hu Ching-feng from the World Health Organization, Minister McPhil of the British Columbia Ministry of Health, and Shen Ssu-tsun from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of Vancouver attended. Also present were government officials from both the United States and Canada, medical specialists, and educators. In all, nearly 2,000 people attended the ceremony. It is estimated that the institute will be open in two months.

Professor Hsieh Hua-chen, president of the institute, indicated that it would be a center for information exchange on traditional medicine around the world. It will provide statistics for scientific research on traditional treatments and educate specialists in the field. The institute will also make information on the subject available to the public.

The provincial premier, Mr. Glen Clark, expressed his appreciation for Tzu Chi's compassionate service. Prof. Hu of WHO said that, due to the efficacy of traditional treatments, WHO currently has 19 similar institutes in ten nations. He felt that the Tzu Chi institute could combine both Eastern and Western cultures and medical technologies to promote further traditional medical research in North America.

"This is not only to share our traditional treasures, but also to repay Canadian society," said Gary K.C. Ho, CEO of the Tzu Chi Canada Liaison Office. Ho thanked the local Chinese community and the Tzu Chi members for their support. He indicated that local Tzu Chi members were continuing to show their concern for the community by supporting local hospitals, nursing homes, food banks, the Salvation Army, AIDS centres, homeless people, and homes for terminally-ill children. Tzu Chi members not only offer their time and money, they also express their love, because only through love and compassion can loneliness and suffering be soothed.

The Tzu Chi Institute held a two-day open house, which displayed a variety of treatments, explained the function of the institute to the public, and also provided free treatments.

So-called "traditional" or "alternative" treatments differ from Western medical treatments that utilize scientific findings in that they include methods that are not scientifically proven, such as Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, herbal treatments from Europe, and practices from Native American cultures.

In the last ten years, Western medicine has often been ineffective in treating many chronic diseases and cancers, but traditional Chinese medicine and other ancient, natural ways of healing have yielded good results. Consequently, there are now many people around the world who request other types of medical treatment, especially traditional Chinese treatment.

The institute was founded with the support of the British Columbia Institute of Technology, the Cancer Research Centers, Vancouver Children's Hospital, the Acupuncture Association, the Canadian Cancer Society, and several other associations. They hope that the institute will combine alternative medicine and Western medical treatment to provide the best medical service.