Ontario Outlines Next Step in Voluntary Public Health Unit Mergers

Province providing Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit with $1,898,900 in one-time funding to support voluntary merger!

Brockville – On Thursday, MPP Steve Clark and Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP John Jordan announced the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit will receive $1,898,900 in one-time funding to support the voluntary merger.

“I welcome this investment by our government to support our local health unit as it works toward a voluntary merger, on top of the additional base funding we’re already providing,” said MPP Clark. “These investments demonstrate our commitment to ensure the hardworking frontline staff at the health unit can continue to provide the vital public health services the people and businesses I represent rely on.”

The Ontario government has introduced legislative and regulatory amendments through the More Convenient Care Act, 2024, that will, if passed, take the next steps in the province’s plan to provide more people with the right publicly funded care, in the right place.

“This is great news for residents in Lanark and surrounding areas that rely on essential programs from our local health unit,” said MPP Jordan. “This voluntary merger will improve and expand services while keeping local partnerships strong.”

This includes supporting the voluntary merger of nine Public Health Units into four new organizations, including the merger of the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit with the Hastings & Prince Edward Counties and Kingston, Frontenac & Lennox and Addington Health Units.

The Kingston, Frontenac & Lennox and Addington Health Unit approved the merger on Tuesday, December 3rd, while Hastings, Prince Edward Public Health voted in favour on Wednesday, December 4th. Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit are scheduled to vote on the merger on Thursday, December 5th.

In March 2024, the three boards of health for HPEPH, KFLAPH and LGLDHU voted in favour of an intent to merge and submitted a business case to the province for a health unit that would serve more than 550,000 people across the South East region. The government of Ontario announced Monday that it had approved funding for the voluntary merger, including the funding proposed in the business cases from the three agencies in the spring.

The voluntary merger will create the new South East Health Unit and will strengthen the delivery of public health services. The one-time funding is among the resources and supports the new local public health unit will receive to streamline and reinvest back into expanding programs and services that are building healthier communities across Lanark, Leeds and Grenville.

Once the legislative process is complete, South East Public Health will come into being on Jan. 1, 2025.

Dr. Piotr Oglaza will be named Medical Officer of Health for South East Public Health, while Dr. Ethan Toumishey and Dr. Linna Li will both be named Deputy Medical Officers of Health. Dr. Hugh Guan will maintain his role as Associate Medical Officer of Health. A board of health will be in place with representation from across the new geographic region in the new year.

“With the More Convenient Care Act and related regulatory amendments, our
government is taking the next steps to improve how the health care system connects people to high-quality care, at every stage of life,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By supporting the voluntary merger of nine PHUs, we are continuing to bring forward bold actions and innovative solutions to create a stronger, more connected health care system.”

If passed, the More Convenient Care Act, of 2024 will complement the Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, connecting Ontarians to the care right care, where and when they need it.