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Board of Health Meeting for the Porcupine Health Unit

Held on March 26, 2024 Porcupine Health Unit Boardroom and Online Meeting - Microsoft Teams (MS Teams)

Municipal Members:

  • John Curley, City of Timmins
  • Gary Fortin, Town of Kapuskasing,Townships of Moonbeam, Fauquier and Strickland
  • Bill Gvozdanovic, City of Timmins (left at 6:11 p.m.)
  • Andrew Marks, City of Timmins
  • Tory Delaurier, Town of Iroquois Falls
  • Marc Dupuis, Township of Mattice Val-Cote, Opasatika and Val-Rita-Harty
  • Angele Rochon, Town of Smooth Rock Falls (left at 6:11 p.m.)
  • Louise Gadoury, Township of Black River-Matheson
  • Cindy Campbell, Provincial Appointee

PHU Members:

  • Lianne Catton, Medical Officer of Health/Chief Executive Officer (MOH/CEO)
  • Rosa Montico-Reimer, Manager Corporate Services 

Recorder:

  • Lori McCord, Executive Assistant to the MOH/CEO, Secretary to the Board of Health 

Attending by Invitation:

  • Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health and Assistant Deputy Minister
  • Brent Feeney, Director Accountability and Liaison Branch Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Public Health, Ministry of Health

Regrets:

  • Peter Politis, Town of Cochrane, Town of Moosonee
  • Drago Stefanic, Vice Chair, Township of Hornepayne
  • Josee Vachon, Town of Hearst
  • Sue Perras, Provincial Appointee

1.0 CALL TO ORDER

Michelle Boileau, Board of Health Chair, called the Board of Health meeting to order at 4:06 p.m.

2.0 APPROVAL OF AGENDA

The agenda for the March 26, 2024 Board of Health meeting was reviewed.

The following motion was read:

MOVED BY: Cindy Campbell
SECONDED BY: Marc Dupuis

Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-02-25 

THAT the Board of Health agenda, dated March 26, 2024, be approved.

Carried      

3.0 DISCUSSION WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH (OCMOH)

Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health and Assistant Deputy Minister, and Brent Feeney, Director Accountability and Liaison Branch Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health

Mr. Feeney and Dr. Moore were in attendance to provide insight around the Ministry’s strengthening public health strategy and address questions the Board may have regarding the voluntary merger. They reiterated several key components of this initiative and answered several questions:

  • The Ministry support for voluntary mergers is not a cost savings exercise. This process is very different from the 2019 initiative which was provincially directed and a provincial cost saving exercise.
  • This strategy is an opportunity to merge to address long-standing capacity concerns, greater ability to recruit and retain specialized public health expertise, and to ensure emergency response and surge capacity. They reiterated that the mergers are intended to result in increased local public health programs and enhance service delivery.
  • All merger expenses will be covered by the Ministry for the next three years; in addition to business continuity pressures to continue the work of public health. There is a commitment to ensure the mergers will not impact municipalities.
  • It was reiterated that this merger between PHU and THU is a major opportunity and has been recommended and discussed for 20 years as an important step to improving public health in the combined region. Reconfirmed this decision of intent to merge lies with the Board of Health.
  • Feeney advised that the Ministry has great appreciation of the work that PHU and THU have done to this point. Dr. Moore thanked the Board for the invitation and expressed appreciation to Dr. Catton for her leadership and the Board’s efforts to protect and promote health in their communities.

Chair Boileau thanked Brent Feeney and Dr. Moore for attending and the opportunity for discussion.

4.0 CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

5.0 APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

5.1 Board of Health Minutes – February 29, 2024

The minutes from the Board of Health meeting held February 29, 2024 were reviewed.

The following motion was read:

MOVED BY: Tory Delaurier
SECONDED BY: Andrew Marks   

Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-02-26

That the minutes from the Board of Health meeting held February 29, 2024 be approved.

Carried  

6.0 BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE 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 March 26, 2024 was prepared by Dr. Catton for the Board of Health for information purposes. Dr. Catton presented Let’s Talk about Harm Reduction.

Chair Boileau thanked Dr. Catton for the reports.

The following motion was read:

MOVED BY: Louise Gadoury
SECONDED BY: Marc Dupuis

Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-02-27

That the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit accepts the MOH/CEO report for March 26, 2024.

Carried

8.0 BOARD OF HEALTH FINANCE COMMITTEE

No meeting to report.

9.0  IN-CAMERA

There was no in-camera.

10.0  NEW BUSINESS

10.1 City of Timmins Correspondence – Agency, Board and Commission 2024 Budget

Correspondence from the City of Timmins was received. A request to review and reassess the PHU’s 2024 cost shared operational budget. The budget was passed at the January 25th meeting of the Board of Health after extensive discussion and recommendations to approve by the Finance Committee. The extensive budget development process and due diligence performed prior to presenting the budget to both the Finance Committee and the Board of Health; followed by the due diligence of the Board in reviewing and approving the budget, was reviewed. The Board determined that no further review of the 2024 Budget would occur and directed Dr. Catton, MOH/CEO to issue a response to the City of Timmins.

The following motion was read:

MOVED BY: Tory Delaurier  
SECONDED BY: Marc Dupuis

Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-02-28

That the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit reconfirm the already approved budget for 2024.

Carried

11.0  PORCUPINE TIMISKAMING VOLUNTARY MERGER

11.1 Merger Update

Dr. Catton provided a merger update. The merger working group consisting of members of PHU and THU leadership teams continues to meet weekly and has done tremendous work to address the items in the Ministry application. The submitted template is preliminary and high-level. There will be opportunities for future further refinement and discussion with the Board as the Ministry reviews the application and provides feedback. The application proposal is in its final stage. Capital, business continuity, merger transition which includes and is not limited to change management, branding, IT and website development, legal support, wage and levy harmonization are all included.

Meetings with the Ministry’s team continue to occur regularly to review the plan, needs and expectations that will further facilitate a successful merger between these two agencies.

While all Boards of Health will see a funding increase of 1% over the next 3 years, only those working on a merger have the opportunity to apply for funding support for ongoing business continuity needs. This can include, for example, staffing challenges, urgent infrastructure needs such as IT requirements.

Regular updates are shared with staff, and monthly communication template has been started for staff; and a quarterly one for community partners, municipalities, and First Nation communities. Further engagement opportunities will be planned as the process continues, with municipalities, Indigenous and other community partners. As reconfirmed by Ministry guests, it is a Board of Health decision, and as such, the engagement will be framed around sharing updates, and how we will ensure we are strengthening public health programs and services and maintaining strong local connections in each community across the new combined region.

Dr. Catton reiterated the merger will; strengthen public health, increase capacity across programs and services, to respond to public health emergencies and is not a cost saving measure. The strengths of the THU and PHU teams compliment one another, will reduce duplication, with enhanced programs and services provided in communities. The opportunity to merge with financial support from the Ministry is extraordinary and the team has worked incredibly well together to complete the application, as per the direction of the BOH and importance to continue moving forward.

The following motion was read:

MOVED BY: Andrew Marks 
SECONDED BY: Angele Rochon

Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-02-28

That the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit accept the merger update as presented by Dr. Catton.

Carried

11.2  Board of Health Merger Group Update

i)  Board of Health Merger Working Group Minutes – February 27, 2024

The Board of Health Merger Working Group Minutes were deferred.

ii)  Board of Health Intent to Merge

Chair Boileau advised that the Board of Health Merger Working Group reviewed governance elements for consideration for the new public health agency Board of Health.

MOVED BY: Gary Fortin
SECONDED BY: Angele Rochon   

Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-02-29

WHEREAS the Boards of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit and the Timiskaming Health Unit have long recognized the opportunity to strengthen local public health across the combined region through a voluntary merger with funding from the Ministry of Health and direction from the Boards of Health to move forward exploring this since 2020; and,

WHEREAS the Boards of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit and the Timiskaming Health Unit, each passed a resolution in October-November 2023 to direct their Medical Officers of Health/Chief Executive Officers (MOH/CEOs) to work towards a voluntary merger between the Porcupine and Timiskaming Health Units; and, 

WHEREAS the Boards of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit and the Timiskaming Health Unit do not support discussions nor work towards mergers beyond these two health units; and, 

WHEREAS the MOH/CEOs for the Porcupine Health Unit and the Timiskaming Health Unit have since undertaken a process of collaboration, negotiation, and joint engagement, along with the Porcupine Health Unit and the Timiskaming Health Unit Boards of Health and senior management teams to pursue this merger with the development of the required Ministry of Health Voluntary Merger Business Case; and, 

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit and the Timiskaming Health Unit agrees to voluntarily merge to strengthen public health across their combined region, subject to the following conditions: 

  1. The Government approves the intended merger; and,
  2. The Government commits to providing adequate and appropriate funding to the Porcupine Health Unit and the Timiskaming Health Unit to support the intended merger, including transition costs and business continuity funding; and,
  3. The Board of Health is satisfied that all necessary conditions for a successful merger to strengthen public health have been met.

FURTHERMORE, that the Boards of Health authorize the MOH/CEO to forward a copy of this resolution to the Ministry of Health; 

AND FURTHER, that the Boards of Health authorize the MOH/CEO to forward the Voluntary Merger Business Case to the Ministry no later than April 2, 2024, fully signed by the MOH/CEOs and Board Chairs for the Porcupine Health Unit and the Timiskaming Health Unit, confirming agreement on intent to merge Porcupine Health Unit and Timiskaming Health Unit, pending government approval.

The recorded vote was as follows:

Recorded Vote:

Board Member

For

Against

Abstain

Boileau, Michelle

X

  

 

Campbell, Cindy

X

 

 

Curley, John

 

X

 

Dupuis, Marc

X

 

 

Fortin, Gary

X

 

 

Gadoury, Louise

X

 

 

Gvozdanovic, Bill

 

X

 

Marks, Andrew

X

 

 

Rochon, Angele

X

 

 

 Carried

Loss of quorum occurred at 6:11 p.m., the remaining agenda items and discussion will occur at the next Board of Health meeting.

12.0  DATE OF NEXT MEETING AND ADJOURNMENT

The following motion was read: 

MOVED BY: Andrew Marks
SECONDED BY: Cindy Campbell

Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-02-30

Be it Resolved the next meeting of the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit be held April 25, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. and that this meeting be adjourned.

Carried