Liberda, Eric NAhmed, FatimaSpence, Nicholas DPlain, SarahMoriarity, Robert JTsuji, Leonard JSCharania, Nadia AOkpalauwaekwe, Udoka2025-10-282025-10-282025-10-27PLOS One, ISSN: 1932-6203 (Online), Public Library of Science (PLoS), 20(10), e0335020-e0335020. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.03350201932-6203http://hdl.handle.net/10292/20012The COVID-19 pandemic has had wide-ranging impacts on communities worldwide, with Indigenous communities in southern Ontario, Canada, being no exception. Partnering with Aamjiwnaang First Nation, we explored the multifaceted impacts of the pandemic and learnings for the future. This study utilized semi-structured interviews with the community’s pandemic committee and other front line essential services (N = 12) to explore the nuanced dimensions of the pandemic’s effects. Data were analysed using a template approach to codebook thematic analysis to examine various aspects of the pandemic response. Five main themes were identified, including: (i) Wellbeing and mental health, (ii) Work-life balance, (iii) Community and social factors, (iv) Organizational dynamics, and (v) Lessons learned and future planning. Our findings unveiled a multifaceted spectrum of challenges, encompassing socioeconomic, psychological, and organizational aspects, which the First Nations community encountered amidst the pandemic. Despite these challenges, the commitment to community adaptation and collaboration highlighted the resilience cultivated through strong Indigenous leadership, trusting partnerships, and transparent communication, contributing to an effective response. This research stresses the need for future pandemic preparedness efforts to prioritize Indigenous leadership and address the social and cultural determinants of Indigenous health. Additionally, to effectively address future environmental and health emergencies, there is a pressing need to adopt an all-hazards approach and develop comprehensive, yet adaptable plans tailored to meet the diverse needs of communities.© 2025 Liberda et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.General Science & TechnologyPandemicsMental health and psychiatryIndigenous populationsCOVID 19Public and occupational healthVaccinesSocial communicationVaccination and immunizationJournal ArticleOpenAccess10.1371/journal.pone.0335020