Meeting of the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit
Held on January 26, 2023, Timmins Office, Online via Microsoft Teams (MS Teams)
Municipal Members:
- Drago Stefanic, Vice Chair, Township of Hornepayne
- Tory Delaurier, Town of Iroquois Falls
- Marc Dupuis, Township of Mattice Val-Cote, Opasatika and Val-Rita-Harty
- Gary Fortin, Town of Kapuskasing,Townships of Moonbeam, Fauquier and Strickland
- Louise Gadoury, Township of Black River-Matheson
- Bill Gvozdanovic, City of Timmins
- Andrew Marks, City of Timmins
- Peter Politis, Town of Cochrane, Town of Moosonee
Staff:
- Lianne Catton, Medical Officer of Health (MOH)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
- Rosa Montico-Reimer, Manager Corporate Services
Recorder:
- Lori McCord, Executive Assistant to the MOH/CEO, Secretary to the Board of Health
Regrets:
- John Curley, Vice-Chair, City of Timmins
- Angele Rochon, Town of Smooth Rock Falls
1.0 CALL TO ORDER
Lianne Catton, Medical Officer of Health/Chief Executive Officer (MOH/CEO), called the Board of Health meeting to order at 4:10 p.m.
2.0 ELECTIONS
2.1 Election of Chair
Dr. Catton opened the floor for nominations for the position of Chair of the Board of Health for the year 2023. Andrew Marks nominated Michelle Boileau. The nomination was seconded by Tory Delaurier. Michelle Boileau accepted the nomination. Bill Gvozdanovic nominated Peter Politis. The nomination was seconded by Louise Gadoury. Peter Politis declined the nomination. Having no further nominations, the following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Andrew Marks
SECONDED BY: Tory Delaurier
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2023-01-01
Be it Resolved that the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit appoints Michelle Boileau as the Board of Health Chair for the year 2023.
Carried
2.2 Election of Vice-Chair
Michelle Boileau opened the floor for nominations for the position of Vice-Chair of the Board of Health for the year 2023. Andrew Marks nominated Drago Stefanic. The nomination was seconded by Marc Dupuis. Drago Stefanic accepted the nomination. Having no further nominations, the following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Andrew Marks
SECONDED BY: Marc Dupuis
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2023-01-02
Be it Resolved that the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit appoints Drago Stefanic as the Board of Health Vice-Chair for the year 2023.
Carried
3.0 APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The agenda for the January 26, 2023, Board of Health meeting was reviewed. The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Peter Politis
SECONDED BY: Louise Gadoury
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2023-01-03
Be It Resolved, that the Board of Health agenda, dated January 26, 2023, be approved.
Carried
4.0 CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION
There were no conflicts of interest declared.
5.0 APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
The minutes from the Board of Health meeting held on October 27, 2022, were reviewed and the following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Drago Stefanic
SECONDED BY: Marc Dupuis
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2023-01-04
Be It Resolved, that the minutes from the Board of Health meeting held on October 27, 2022 be approved.
Carried
6.0 BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES
There was no business arising from the minutes.
7.0 REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (MOH/CEO)
The Report of the Medical Officer of Health for January 26, 2023, was presented by Dr. Catton to the Board of Health for information purposes. On behalf of the Board, Chair Boileau thanked Dr. Catton for the report. The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Andrew Marks
SECONDED BY: Peter Politis
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2023-01-05
Be It Resolved, that the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit accepts the MOH/CEO report for January 26, 2023.
Carried
8.0 BOARD OF HEALTH FINANCE COMMITTEE
There was no report from the Finance Committee.
9.0 CORRESPONDENCE
Correspondence was received for information purposes. Dr. Catton drew attention to the letter from the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) to the Honourable Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health and Partners in Public Health advising of the new Public Health Matters infographic. The infographic highlights important public health programs and services that promote well-being, prevent disease, and protect population health in Ontario. Dr. Catton encouraged Board Members to share the infographic with their respective councils.
10.0 NEW BUSINESS
10.1 Supervised Consumption Services Site
Dr. Catton provided an overview of the supervised consumption services site (SCS). The PHU region has seen a dramatic, and tragic increase in opioid related overdoses and deaths. Although tragic outcomes in other communities within the PHU region have occurred, the vast majority have occurred in Timmins. In 2020 the PHU region had the second highest opioid related death rate in the province. In addition to the need to address this urgent public health crisis, the Ontario Public Health Standards requires Boards of Health to collaborate with local partners and other sectors to develop programs and services that address substance use patterns to reduce the burdens associated with substance use. SCS sites are evidence-based, and the local data unequivocally supports the need. This is only one strategy in a comprehensive approach to substance use, which also includes upstream prevention, addressing the social determinants of health, treatment, emergency response, enforcement, and harm reduction. The temporary site has saved lives and provided referrals to other health and social care services in the community. The application has been made to the Province and the Ministry of Health for the permanent supervised consumption services site as well as the application for a Federal exemption from Health Canada for the use of substances on site. Having received the report, the following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Andrew Marks
SECONDED BY: Peter Politis
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2023-01-06
WHEREAS, Timmins continues to have the highest opioid-related death rate in the province compared to other medium population centres; and,
WHEREAS, the Ontario Public Health Standards require boards of health to collaborate with local partners in health and other sectors to develop programs and services that address varying substance use patterns in order to reduce the burdens associated with substance use; and
WHEREAS, under leadership from the Timmins and Area Drug Strategy, the Porcupine Health Unit is working with partners to develop a comprehensive drug strategy to address the harms associated with substance use, which incorporates prevention, treatment, enforcement, emergency response, and harm reduction strategies, including supervised consumption services; and,
WHEREAS, evidence shows that supervised consumption services sites:
- reduce overdose deaths and save lives,
- increase access to treatment services and other health and social services,
- reduce transmission of infectious diseases, including HIV and Hepatitis C,
- reduce public injection of drugs, and
- reduce litter, including hazardous discarded syringes, and,
WHEREAS, the Timmins and Area Drug Strategy (TADS) partners successfully obtained approval for a temporary supervised consumption services site (also referred to as an urgent public health needs site) for Timmins; and,
- volume of client visits,
- lives saved – overdoses have been prevented and intervened,
- number of clients directly accessing treatment,
- number of clients accessing health services on-site,
- number of referrals provided to other health, social and treatment services,
AND WHERAS, the Canadian Mental Health Association Cochrane-Timiskaming is applying for a permanent provincially funded (in Ontario known as Consumption Treatment Services) site in Timmins;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit formally endorses an application to support a permanent Supervised Consumption Services site at 21 Cedar St. North in Timmins;
AND FURTHER THAT this resolution be shared with the Honourable Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Honourable Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister, Mental Health and Addictions, Premier Ford, Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Honourable George Pirie, Minister of Mines, Health Canada, Honourable Jean Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, M.P. Charlie Angus, Association of Local Public Health Agencies and member municipalities of the Porcupine Health Unit and members of the Timmins Area and Drug Strategy.
Carried
10.2 Meeting Schedule
The Board of Health meeting schedule for 2023 was shared. Conflicts have been noted for the February 2nd meeting of the Finance Committee and the February 9th meeting of the Board of Health, and as such they were cancelled. The Finance Committee will meet on February 21st and the meeting of the Board of Health will occur as scheduled on Thursday March 2nd. Further conflicts were noted for the April 27th and October 26th meetings and doodle polls will be sent to determine appropriate dates. The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Andrew Marks
SECONDED BY: Drago Stefanic
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2023-01-07
Be It Resolved, that the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit approve the 2023 schedule of meeting dates as amended.
Carried
10.3 alPHa Winter Symposium
For information purposes, Dr. Catton provided an overview of the alPHa Winter Symposium. A pre-symposium workshop will be held on February 23, and a Board of Health section meeting on February 24th. Dr. Catton recommended Board Members attend and to advise the Board Secretary of their interest.
10.4 Finance Committee
The Terms of Reference for the Finance Committee were shared and a request for membership was made. Board members who are interested in joining the Finance Committee will notify the Board Secretary. The first meeting of the Finance Committee is February 21, 2023.
10.5 Porcupine Health Unit Letterhead
The Porcupine Health Unit Letterhead was shared. The newly designed letterhead has been updated in French and English. The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Peter Politis
SECONDED BY: Marc Dupuis
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2023-01-08
Be It Resolved, that the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit approve the Porcupine Health Unit letterhead as presented.
Carried
10.6 2020 Annual Report
The 2020 Annual Report was shared. The report will be distributed to all municipalities, and online in both French and English. The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Drago Stefanic
SECONDED BY: Andrew Marks
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2023-01-09
Be It Resolved, that the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit approve the Porcupine Health Unit Annual Report as presented.
Carried
11.0 IN-CAMERA
There was no in-camera.
12.0 Date of Next Meeting and Adjournment
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Andrew Marks
SECONDED BY: Peter Politis
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2023-01-10
Be it Resolved, the next meeting of the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit be held March 2, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. and that this meeting adjourns.
Carried