Minutes Confirmed on May 27, 2024

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

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. 

The Board of Health:

1. Received the report (April 15, 2024) from the Medical Officer of Health 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.

The Board of Health:

1. Received the report (April 15, 2024) from the Medical Officer of Health 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.

The Board of Health:

1. Received the report (April 19, 2024) from the Medical Officer of Health 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.

The Board of Health:

1. Received the report (April 15, 2024) from the Medical Officer of Health 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.

The Board of Health:

1. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to report back to the October 21, 2024 meeting of the Board of Health 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:

1. Requested 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. Requested 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.

The Medical Officer of Health gave a presentation on Toronto Public Health Strategic Plan - Summary of Consultation Findings and Emerging 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.

Announcements

The Chair acknowledged that the Board of Health was meeting on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The Chair also acknowledged that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit.

The Chair recognized Althea Hutchinson, Director, Finance and Administration, Toronto Public Health for all her efforts and wished her well in her new position as the Executive Director, Financial Planning Division.

Where the Directors of the Board of Health listed in the attendance for this meeting participated remotely, they were counted for quorum as permitted by Section 189(4.2) of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, and the Board's Procedures, as amended.