Board of Health

Dudas Confirmation of minutes of the meeting of December 4, 2023

Dudas BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Confirmation of the Chair and Vice-Chair for 2024, the Chair of the Board of Health Verbal Report, the Medical Officer of Health Verbal Report, the Verbal Report on the Education Session Regarding Voluntary Mergers and the reports titled: Indigenous Health, Rights and Reconciliation: Annual Update and Attendance at the Association of Local Public Health Agencies’ (alPHa) Winter Symposium, be received and considered.

Dudas THAT the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit: Confirm the election of Councillor Catherine Kitts as Chair for 2024, to be confirmed at the first meeting of each year of its term as required by the Health Protection and Promotion Act; and Confirm the election of Member Tammy DeGiovanni as Vice-Chair for 2024, to be confirmed at the first meeting of each year of its term as required by the Health Protection and Promotion Act.

Dudas That the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit receive this verbal report for information. Received 7.3.a MOH Verbal 12Feb2024 7.4 Verbal Report on the Board of Health Education Session Regarding Voluntary Mergers File ACS2024-OPH-BOH-0003 – City-wide Chair Kitts discussed the Government of Ontario’s announcement of one-time funding for local public health agencies to explore opportunities for voluntary mergers. She noted that while this initiative is primarily aimed at boards in smaller communities and rural regions, the goal of the province is to make better use of existing assets and reinvest any savings from mergers back into improving programs to better serve people. The Chair brought forward merger-related options assessed by OPH staff and encouraged discussion. The discussion on this item lasted approximately 15 minutes. The report was then

DeGiovanni BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Ottawa Board of Health receive the verbal update regarding the Ottawa Board of Health Education Session, which was held on January 26, 2024 as information; AND THAT the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Ottawa Board of Health and Medical Officer of Health continue to engage with representatives from the Ministry of Health, neighbouring boards of health and the Association of Municipalities Ontario with respect to voluntary mergers and explore opportunities for alternative service delivery models with neighbouring health units to strengthen local public health practice; AND THAT the Chair of the Ottawa Board of Health direct the Medical Officer of Health to provide an update to the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the office of the Minister of Health on the due diligence conducted to explore possible merger scenarios by the deadline of April 2, 2024, reflecting the Board’s preferred approach to maintain its existing boundaries and governance structure with the City of Ottawa; AND THAT the Chair send a letter with a copy of this motion to the offices of the Minister of Health and the Chief Medical Officer of Health and copy the Mayor of the City of Ottawa and City Councillors, the City Manager and the Chairs of the Boards of Health of neighboring health units, advising of the Ottawa Board of Health’s preferred approach to maintain its existing boundaries and governance structure within the City of Ottawa; AND FURTHERMORE THAT, the Chair of the Ot

Dudas THAT the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit receive, for information, this update on Ottawa Public Health’s continuing efforts to become a culturally safe and humble organization, as outlined in the OPH Reconcili-ACTION Plan.

Dudas THAT the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit approve the participation of Chair Kitts, Vice-Chair DeGiovanni and Member Bauer at the Association of Local Public Health Agencies’ (alPHa) Winter Symposium, to be held February 16, 2024.

Dudas BE IT RESOLVED THAT Confirmation By-law no. 2024-1, a by-law of the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit to confirm the proceedings of the Ottawa Board of Health at its meeting of February 12, 2024, be read and passed.