Board of Health Meeting for the Porcupine Health Unit
Held on October 24, 2024 Porcupine Health Unit Boardroom and Online Meeting - Microsoft Teams (MS Teams)
Municipal Members:
- Michelle Boileau, City of Timmins (MS Teams)
- John Curley, City of Timmins (In-Person)
- Bill Gvozdanovic, City of Timmins (MS Teams left 5:55 p.m.)
- Tory Delaurier, Town of Iroquois Falls (In-Person)
- Marc Dupuis, Township of Mattice Val-Cote, Opasatika and Val-Rita-Harty (In-Person)
- Josee Vachon, Town of Hearst (MS Teams left 4:57 p.m.)
- Cindy Campbell, Provincial Appointee (MS Teams left 6:00 p.m.)
- Andrew Marks, City of Timmins (MS Teams)
- Angele Rochon, Town of Smooth Rock Falls (MS Teams)
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
Regrets:
- Member, Township of Black River-Matheson
- Sue Perras, Provincial Appointee
- Gary Fortin, Town of Kapuskasing, Townships of Moonbeam, Fauquier and Strickland
1.0 CALL TO ORDER
Drago Stefanic, Board of Health Vice Chair, called the Board of Health meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.
2.0 LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Drago Stefanic, Board of Health Vice Chair, read the land acknowledgement.
3.0 APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The agenda for the October 24, 2024 Board of Health meeting was reviewed.
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Tory Delaurier
SECONDED BY: Marc Dupuis
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-10-82
That the Board of Health agenda, dated October 24, 2024, be approved.
Carried
4.0 CONFLICT OF INTEREST
There were no conflicts of interest declared.
5.0 APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
5.1 Board of Health Minutes – September 12, 2024
The minutes from the Board of Health meeting held September 12, 2024 were reviewed.
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: John Curley
SECONDED BY: Peter Politis
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-10-83
That the minutes from the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit meeting held September 12, 2024 be approved.
Carried
6.0 BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
There was no business arising from the minutes.
7.0 PORCUPINE-TIMISKAMING VOLUNTARY MERGER
7.1 Merger Update – L. Catton
The Board of Health was advised that while awaiting a formal approval from the Province, work continues to meet the timeline of January 1, 2025. Positive feedback and reassurance have been received from the Ministry. Dr. Catton provided a merger update with a high-level overview of the work underway, including corporate services, and human resources integration. The environmental health teams are meeting to review and align programs and protocols. The IT team is reviewing and strengthening systems and completing upgrades to server networks. This integration work continues to highlight opportunities to create efficiencies and increase staff capacity to strengthen public health programs and services in each community. Human Resources is supporting both entities during the merger work. The Board of Health Merger Working Group will meet November 5th. The PHU-THU teams continue to work closely with Leaders for Leaders, who support with leadership and change management training. In anticipation of approval of the voluntary merger between Porcupine and Timiskaming Health Units, and to afford municipalities time to begin discussions around representation for the new Board of Health for the Northeastern Health Unit, the Board agreed that the Board of Health Merger Working Group will review a draft municipal appointee letter. The PHU and THU will then issue letters to municipalities, in anticipation of approvals, advising of the first meeting for the new organization and requesting identification of representation as per the outlined Board of Health composition.
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Marc Dupuis
SECONDED BY: John Curley
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-10-84
That the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit receive the merger update for information purposes.
Carried
8.0 BOARD OF HEALTH FINANCE COMMITTEE UPDATE
8.1 Finance Committee Meeting Report – September 26, 2024 – M. Dupuis Finance Committee Chair
8.2 Finance Committee Minutes – May 30, 2024 – M. Dupuis Finance Committee Chair
A Finance Committee meeting was held May 30, 2024 the minutes were received for information.
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Andrew Marks
SECONDED BY: Angele Rochon
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-10-85
That the minutes for the Finance Committee meeting held May 30, 2024 be received for information purposes.
Carried
8.3 Ministry Funded Programs and Infrastructure/Unanticipated Expenditures Update – L. Catton
Dr. Catton provided an update around the Ministry Funded programs. The Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) program is funded by the Ministry of Children and Community Services and has received an increase of just over $69,000. The IPAC Hub program will now receive permanent annualized funding, the exact amount has yet to be determined. The Seniors Dental Care Program is fully funded by the Ministry and continues to be successful. Dr. Catton provided an overview of the Ministry funded Hepatitis C program. With many meetings initiated by the PHU reflecting the need for the program look different in the North, the PHU received an increase of approximately $200,000 to hire additional staff to support the outreach work, testing and referral for treatment. The PHU was also able to connect the Ministry with a local partner to provide the treatment component of hepatitis C programs.
A previous report had been shared in Q1 around unanticipated costs including generator and two vaccine fridge replacements, security system upgrade, IT updates, and consulting fees. In Q2 the following unanticipated infrastructure expense were received. Additional vaccine fridges, consultant fees to create an RFP, HVAC, boiler upgrade and project management, as well as consulting fees for site selection study. Legal fees associated with the required response to address ISPA and the Coroner’s Inquest also continue to increase.
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Tory Delaurier
SECONDED BY: Marc Dupuis
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-10-86
That the Ministry funded programs and infrastructure/unanticipated expenditures update be received for information purposes.
8.4 June 30, 2024 Financial Statements – R. Montico-Reimer
A Finance Committee meeting was held September 26, 2024. Rosa Montico-Reimer provided an overview of the Financial Statements ending June 30, 2024.
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Tory Delaurier
SECONDED BY: John Curley
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-10-87
That the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit approve the June 30, 2024 financial statements as recommended by the Finance Committee.
Carried
9.0 REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (MOH/CEO)
The Report of the Medical Officer of Health for October 24, 2024 was prepared by Dr. Catton for the Board of Health meeting for information purposes. Chair Stefanic thanked Dr. Catton for this report.
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Tory Delaurier
SECONDED BY: Michelle Boileau
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-10-88
That the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit receive the MOH/CEO report for October 24, 2024.
Carried
10.0 IN-CAMERA
There was no in-camera.
11.0 NEW BUSINESS
11.1 Early Childhood Food Insecurity
At the September 26th Board meeting alPHa’s Resolution A24-05 Early Childhood Food Insecurity: An Emerging Public Health Problem Requiring Urgent Action was received in correspondence. Dr. Catton advised that this item had been put forth for endorsement by the Board at the request of Chair Boileau as this issue resonates throughout the Board membership region.
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: John Curley
SECONDED BY: Andrew Marks
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-10-89
Whereas, nutrition is critical for healthy growth and development and provincial action is urgently needed to protect young children 0-24 months of age from the harmful effects of household food insecurity; and
Whereas, the Porcupine Health Unit area has higher proportion of children (0-17) living in low income (16.4%) compared to those living in the rest of Ontario (11.5%), and has a higher proportion of infants with families who have concerns about money to pay for housing/rent and family’s food, clothing, utilities and other basic necessities (9.6%) compared to the province (4.4%); and
Whereas, a single parent with two kids on Ontario Works in the Porcupine Health Unit area has a monthly income of $2587, after paying $2477 per month on rent and food, has only $111 left to pay for other expenses; and
Whereas, the proportion of mothers living in the Porcupine Health Unit area who intend to exclusively breastfeed is lower than the province (66.8% compared to 74.7%), and the proportion of infants fed breast milk substitute (formula) is higher than the province (16.8% compared to 7.4%)
And further, the Porcupine Health Unit is actively working with the Ontario Dietitians in Public Health (ODPH) to develop a data collection tool for infant formula costing in Ontario to be able to expand the annual Monitoring Food Affordability in Ontario (MFAO) to include a family scenario that includes an infant. Infant formula cost data will inform action on early childhood food insecurity and ODPH advocacy on enhancing access to specialized infant formula.
Therefore, be it resolved that the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit endorses the alpha Resolution A24-05 Early Childhood Food Insecurity: An Emerging Public Health Problem Requiring Urgent Action;
And further that, this resolution be shared with PHU member municipalities, alPHa, Hon. George Pirie, Minister of Mines, Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance, Hon. Michael Parsa, Minister of Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) Dr. Kieran Moore, and Elizabeth Walker, Executive Lead, Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (OCMOH).
Carried
11.2 Risk Assessment
Dr. Catton provided an overview of Risk Assessment Process and Management mitigation plan that identifies the high risks and is reported in the third quarter reporting to the Ministry.
In 2024, the high risks that will be reported to the Ministry are Human Resources, Financial, Political and Information Technology (I.T). These risks were reviewed in terms of current concerns, future considerations, and mitigation strategies in place and ongoing.
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Angele Rochon
SECONDED BY: Michelle Boileau
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-10-90
That the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit approves the Risk Assessment and Management Report as presented.
Carried
11.3 Board of Health Attendance Report
For information purposes the attendance report was shared.
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Tory Delaurier
SECONDED BY: Andrew Marks
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-10-91
That the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit receive the Board of Health Attendance Report for information purposes.
Carried
11.4 Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) 2024 Fall Symposium
Dr. Catton shared that the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) 2024 Fall symposium is being held November 8th. The symposium provides an opportunity to learn about a variety of issues of key importance to public health. Details of the online symposium were previously shared with Board members. Board Members who are interested in attending are requested to inform the Board Secretary prior to October 30th.
12.0 CORRESPONDENCE
Correspondence was received for information purposes. Drago Stefanic highlighted letters from the municipalities of Hearst and Mattice Val-Cote resolutions in support of the PHU’s motion supporting the letter from the seven Northern Medical Officers of Health, Perspectives from Northern Ontario for the Public Health Funding Review, as well as the letter from the Township of Hornepayne regarding its representation of the seven municipalities in the Rural North cluster for the new merged Board of Health for Northeastern Public Health.
13.0 DATE OF NEXT MEETING AND ADJOURNMENT
The following motion was read:
MOVED BY: Andrew Marks
SECONDED BY: John Curley
Board of Health Resolution #BOH-2024-10-92
Be it Resolved the next meeting of the Board of Health for the Porcupine Health Unit be held November 28, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. and that this meeting be adjourned.
Carried