Agenda

This meeting of the Board of Health will be conducted with members participating in person and remotely.

Directors of the Board and participating City Officials will be provided with the video conference details closer to the meeting date.

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The public may submit written comments or register to speak to the Board on any item on the agenda.

Written comments may be submitted by writing to boh@toronto.ca.

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Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Confirmation of Minutes - March 25, 2024

Speakers/Presentations - The speakers list will be posted online at 8:30 a.m. on April 29, 2024

Communications/Reports

The Medical Officer 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. 

Vital Strategies Inc. has given Toronto Public Health a commitment letter stating its intention to provide a grant of up to $50.0 thousand USD ($68.0 thousand CDN) to implement a public health surveillance initiative related to health behaviours during extreme heat or wildfire smoke events in Toronto. 

Toronto Public Health is requesting an increase of $68.0 thousand gross, $0 net to its City Approved 2024 Operating Budget.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.

The Medical Officer of Health recommends that:  

1. The Board of Health receive this report for information.

This report provides an update on the City Approved Toronto Public Health 2024 Operating Budget on February 14, 2024.

On October 23, 2023, the Board of Health recommended a Toronto Public Health 2024 Operating Budget of $280,596.8 thousand gross and $78,679.1 thousand net.

The City approved a $278,883.3 thousand gross, $77,708.7 thousand net and 1,881 Full-Time Equivalent position for Toronto Public Health’s 2024 Operating Budget. The City Approved Budget represents an increase of $5,576.7 thousand gross (2.0 per cent increase) and $4,125.6 thousand net (5.6 per cent) over the 2023 Approved Operating Budget, excluding budgeted amounts for COVID-19.

There is no financial impact associated with the adoption of the recommendation in this report.

The Medical Officer of Health recommends that:  

1. The Board of Health receive this report for information.

This report provides an update on the City Approved Toronto Public Health 2024 Capital Budget and 2025-2033 Capital Plan. The City Approved Toronto Public Health 2024 Capital Budget is $5,749 thousand for five (5) projects with future year commitments of $1,759 thousand, totaling $7,508 thousand. In addition, there are another eleven (11) projects totaling $16,189 thousand in the Toronto Public Health 2025-2033 Capital Plan.

The change between the Board of Health Recommended 2024 Capital Budget and 2025-2033 Capital Plan and the City Approved 2024 Capital Budget and 2025-2033 Capital Plan is the cash flow carried forward from 2023.

There is no financial impact associated with the adoption of the recommendation in this report.

The Medical Officer of Health recommends that:

1. The Board of Health receive this report for information

This report provides an update to the Board of Health on the Toronto Public Health Operating Budget for the year ending on December 31, 2023.

As of December 31, 2023, Toronto Public Health’s gross expenditures were underspent by $75,206.2 thousand (20.2 per cent) and revenue was underachieved by $47,844.8 thousand (22.6 per cent), resulting in a net variance of $27,361.4 thousand (17.0 percent). The net variance of $27,361.4 thousand, which is offset by a variance in a revenue account at the City corporate reporting level, was primarily driven by:

- underspending in programs that were paused or reduced to support the reallocation of resources to the COVID-19 response, and

- lower than planned COVID-19 expenditures as Toronto Public Health commenced right-sizing its COVID-19 operations earlier than anticipated when the 2023 Budget was developed; offset by

- underachieved revenue budgeted in a revenue account at the City corporate reporting level.

The Medical Officer of Health recommends that:   

1. The Board of Health receive this report for information.

This report provides an update to the Board of Health on the Toronto Public Health Capital Budget Variance for the year ending on December 31, 2023.

As of December 31, 2023, Toronto Public Health spent $3,255.4 thousand representing 38.6 percent of the 2023 Approved Capital Budget of $8,433.9 thousand.

Councillor Chris Moise recommends that:

1. The Board of Health request the Medical Officer of Health to report back to the Board of Health in October 2024 on Toronto Public Health’s role and actions to prevent and address cancer in Toronto.

Cancer is a leading cause of death in Ontario. Different kinds of cancer have different risk factors including smoking, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, certain types of infections, and UV exposure. Data from the Toronto Public Health Population Health Profile (2023) indicate that an increasing number of Toronto residents were overdue for breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer screening in 2020. In addition, Toronto’s liver cancer incidence rate is higher than the Ontario rate and is seventh-highest out of all public health units.

Every day, Toronto Public Health works to protect and promote population health in our city. This includes working across the city to reduce the risk of cancer through advancing policies that support health and well-being, changing the environment to reduce exposure to health hazards, and promoting initiatives that enhance awareness and education.

To better understand Toronto Public Health’s involvement in addressing cancer at a population level, I am requesting staff report back to the Board of Health in October 2024 outlining TPH’s role and actions to prevent and address cancer in Toronto.

The Board of Health – Strategic Plan Development Committee recommends that:

1. The Board of Health request the Medical Officer of Health report to the June 4, 2024 meeting of the Board of Health – Strategic Plan Development Committee with a 2024-2028 Strategic Plan informed by the following mission, vision, values and priorities:

a. Vision:

A city where all people can be healthy and thrive

b. Mission

Toronto Public Health protects and improves health at a population level while reducing health inequities
 

c. Values

- Accountable and transparent

- Community engaged and connected

- Equitable and inclusive

- Credible and evidence-informed

- Innovative leadership

d. Priorities

- Advocate for and advance health equity by collaborating across multiple sectors and delivering public health interventions that meet community needs

- Strengthen health protection, disease prevention, and emergency preparedness

- Promote health across the lifespan

- Promote the conditions to support positive mental health and reduce the harms of substance use

- Nurture a positive workplace culture

2. The Board of Health request the Medical Officer of Health report to the June 4, 2024 meeting of the Board of Health – Strategic Plan Development Committee with objectives that support the strategic plan’s priorities as part of the report on the 2024-2028 Strategic Plan.

At its meeting on April 24, 2024, the Board of Health – Strategic Development Committee considered Item HX3.2, Toronto Public Health Strategic Plan - Summary of Consultation Findings and Emerging Plan.