April 23, 2025
Board of Health Update for April 2025
The South East Health Unit (SEHU) Board of Health met today in Kingston for their regular monthly meeting. The agenda package is available online.
Public health funding
Following a presentation by John Wickson, Manager of Finance, illustrating the need for sustainable public health funding to keep pace with inflation, population growth, and the growing scope and complexity of public health work, the Board passed a motion to request participation in the Ministry of Health’s review of the public health funding methodology.
The public health funding review is one part of the province’s three-prong initiative to strengthen public health that also includes a review of the Ontario Public Health Standards to clarify roles and responsibilities, and dedicated funding to support implementation of voluntary mergers between public health units. SEHU, like all public health units in Ontario, will be seeking efficiencies and creative solutions to address financial challenges in the coming years if the existing funding model does not change. Currently, the Ministry has committed to a one percent funding increase per year until 2026.
Annual Service Plan
The Board received the Annual Service Plan (ASP) which was submitted to the Ministry of Health on April 2, 2025. The ASP provides details about planned expenditures and local public health programming for 2025, including requests for mandatory programs base funding per approved budget of $48,789,698; an additional $268,000 to the approved $3,312,800 program base funding for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program to help support increased demand for services; and one-time funding of $124,000 for Public Health Inspector practicum training.
Merger update
Progress of merger activities was provided to the Board and can be reviewed in the agenda package. Activities outlined include, but are not limited to, completion of a baseline change readiness assessment; an inaugural town hall for all staff; establishment of a Staff Engagement Project Team that will help to plan future staff events; creation of an online platform that is the central repository for merger-related information for all staff to access; work to deliver a consolidated Microsoft 365 environment with a new email domain; and compensation harmonization for non-union positions.
Board members’ remuneration and expenses
The Board approved the Governance Committee’s recommended stipend of $150 for the Board Chair and provincial representatives to attend regular or special meetings of the Board, committee meetings, and business meetings on behalf of the Board. It also approved the Remuneration and Expenses Policy, which outlines how members are compensated for their work on behalf of the Board of Health, including that municipal members on the Board will be reimbursed for mileage and reasonable conference expenses related to Board work if they are not reimbursed by their municipality.
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Media contact
Maureen Hyland, Communications Specialist
hyland.maureen@hpeph.ca
