Item - 2026.HL34.3

The Board of Health:  

1. Shared the report (June 24, 2026) from the Medical Officer of Health with the Ministry of Health to fulfill its duty in responding to the request for action from Boards of Health by the Office of the Chief Coroner.

This report summarizes Toronto Public Health's response to the Office of the Chief Coroner recommendations and affirms its commitment to work that contributes to the implementation of these recommendations in Toronto, including programming to advance Indigenous data sovereignty and health outcomes via Toronto Public Health's Indigenous Health Strategy.

Early this year, the Ontario Ministry of Health received recommendations from a coroner's inquest in response to deaths due to a blastomycosis outbreak in the Constance Lake First Nation (CLFN) community. On January 23, 2026, the Office of the Chief Coroner wrote to all Ontario Boards of Health (Attachment 1) requesting they respond to the five verdict recommendations that were specifically directed at local boards of health.

Blastomycosis is an infection caused by a fungus that grows most commonly in moist soil and decaying wood and leaves. The infection cannot be spread from one person to another. Some people, such as those with weakened immune systems and underlying health conditions, may develop severe illness requiring hospitalization and, in some cases, the infection can lead to death. The risk of Blastomycosis infection in Toronto is low.