GUELPH – Mergers proposed by the provincial government could see Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) joining health units from Halton, Waterloo and Peel regions.
“This will be the largest health unit in the province, with the fastest growth rate, due to its proximity to Toronto,” stated WDGPH Medical Officer of Health Dr. Nicola Mercer.
She noted the changes are “subject to further discussion with municipalities and impacted organizations.
“There will be consultation on the proposed geographies and legislation will need to be changed to enable these new geographies to come into existence.”
WDGPH communications manager Chuck Ferguson said on May 13 unit officials learned that day about the proposed merger via an email from the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care.
Hayley Chazan, spokesperson for Minister Christine Elliott, said the government would offer proposals but specific boundaries for the new regional health units would be finalized in consultation with municipalities.
Chazan could not give a date as to when the new boards of health would be in place.
“The boundaries will be finalized through technical working groups in partnership with municipalities and, as such, we cannot provide a specific date,” she said.
“Through this collaboration, we will ensure that all municipalities and public health units are prepared for consolidation, when it occurs.”
The government plans to launch the working groups “shortly.”
Ferguson said he currently doesn’t know anything about the technical aspects of how the merger will proceed.
“The key issue is that there’s still going to be a requirement to deliver services locally,” Ferguson said.
“So there still will be public health services available in Guelph and in Orangeville and in Fergus, but administratively it will be part of a much larger jurisdiction.”
Ferguson said area residents likely won’t see much of a difference in the near future.
“The delivery of front line services isn’t changing,” he said. “It’s the administrative overview of those services that will change.
“But all public health units operate by the same standards and it will just be a question of continuing to deliver the frontline services here in our locations in Wellington and Dufferin County … while being merged with a much larger area.”
Ferguson confirmed all health units across Ontario learned on May 13 about the proposed mergers.
Chazan said the government is in “direct contact with all public health units to provide information about our modernization plan and to answer questions.”
The goal is to “protect and preserve the voice of all municipalities,” she said. “In doing so, we will ensure that public health investments better meet the needs of local communities.”
Mercer said WDGPH “is looking forward to starting conversations with the other health units to ensure the new regional public health unit continues to meet the needs of municipalities, local communities and residents.”
The announcement comes a month after the release of 2019 provincial budget documents that stated the government would “establish 10 regional public health entities and 10 new regional boards of health with one common governance model by 2020–21.”
Currently there are 35 health units in Ontario.
The government says mergers will provide “broader municipal engagement, more efficient service delivery … and more effective staff recruitment and retention to improve public health promotion and prevention.”
