Item - 2024.HL12.1

The Board of Health recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the Medical Officer to enter into an agreement with Vital Strategies Inc to implement a public health surveillance initiative related to health behaviours during extreme heat or wildfire smoke events in Toronto on such terms and conditions that are satisfactory to the Medical Officer of Health and in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

2. City Council increase Toronto Public Health's 2024 Operating Budget by $68.0 thousand gross, $0 net for Toronto Public Health to accept and spend the one-time grant from Vital Strategies Inc. to implement a public health surveillance initiative.

The City of Toronto has been a participating city in the Partnership for Healthy Cities (PHC) initiative since 2017. The PHC program is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with the World Health Organization, with Vital Strategies as the implementing partner. 

As part of the recently re-established commitment to monitor climate change health impacts in the city, Toronto Public Health (TPH) has collaborated with Environment and Climate division to implement a new project exploring public awareness and health behaviours during heat or wildfire smoke events. While TPH will lead implementation of the project, this work will advance the mandates of both divisions, as well as key initiatives TPH has committed to in climate change and health actions that reduce health inequities. This project will be funded by a commitment from Vital Strategies for a one-time grant as part of the City's involvement in the PHC.

This report provides a summary of the proposed project to support City Council's approval to increase the 2024 Operating Budget of Toronto Public Health by $68.0 thousand ($50.0 thousand USD) gross, $0 net to receive the one-time PHC grant. This grant is subject to execution of the subgrant agreement with Vital Strategies, Inc., in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.