Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/Feb. 26, 2025
The South East Health Unit (SEHU) Board of Health met today in Brockville for their regular monthly meeting. The agenda package is available online.
Board approves 2025 budget
Today the SEHU Board of Health approved its first operating budget as a merged entity comprised of the former Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH), Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health (KFLAPH), and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit (LGLDHU).
The 2025 budget of $60,277,410 was prepared using the financial information and 2025 budgets from the three legacy health units, as well as a transfer of $1,490,000 in voluntary merger funding from the Ministry of Health to support the hiring of term staff and consultants to assist with the merger process.
The budget includes municipal funding increases of six per cent for HPE, one per cent for KFLA, and five per cent for LGL municipalities to address rising operational costs and needs in the community. These increases were previously approved in the legacy agencies individual 2025 budgets.
Throughout 2025, SEHU will be working towards functioning as one entity, while determining a base budget for future years.
Merger progress report
The Board received a report from the SEHU Merger Office. Its four-member team, which has representatives from the three legacy public health units, serves as a single point of accountability for managing the merger implementation and ensuring the transition is as smooth as possible. Work is underway to harmonize policies, systems, and programs, such as human resources, information technology and communications. The merger process is expected to take up to three years to complete and the Merger Office will be providing regular updates to the SEHU staff and the Board.
Progress of merger activities from Jan. 1 to Feb. 19, 2025 was provided to the Board and can be reviewed in the agenda package. It includes, but is not limited to, harmonizing the legacy accounting structures in preparation for a single agency budget; establishing the Executive and Director levels of the organizational design; completing an IT assessment which identified moving all legacy agencies to the same IT system to enhance communication and coordination; engaging a branding and marketing agency to develop the SEHU brand; creating a roadmap of the merger journey so staff and Board members have a shared understanding of how the merger is progressing; and developing a standardized accountability framework for reporting on merger progress.
Finance Committee
The Board approved a motion to appoint Dr. Jeffrey Allin to the Finance Committee. Dr. Allin is one of six provincial representatives on the SEHU Board of Health and previously served as a provincial representative on the HPEPH Board.
Board meeting schedule
The dates and times of SEHU Board of Health meetings were approved, with more discussion on the length and frequency of meetings to occur in March. All meetings, including committee meetings, will have the option of in-person or virtual attendance. Please refer to the agenda package for the meeting dates and locations.
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Media contact
Maureen Hyland, Communications Specialist
hyland.maureen@hpeph.ca
The South East Health Unit (formerly Hastings Prince Edward Public Health) is situated and provides services on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee people.
