Minutes Confirmed on November 24, 2025

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

The Board of Health:

1. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to continue collaborating with school boards and initiate the development of the next Toronto Healthy Schools Strategy to launch in 2027 with consideration to:

a. improving mental health and well-being of students, including the impacts of screen time;

b. and promoting healthy relationships that have protective factors to prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) and gender based violence (GBV); and

c. sharing evidence and strengthening data on the health and well-being of students, including collaborating on the school climate survey.

The Director and Chief Nursing Officer, Community Health and Well-Being and the Associate Medical Officer of Health gave a presentation on Working with Schools to Improve the Health and Well-being of Children and Youth.

As mandated by the School Health Guideline, 2018 of the Ontario Public Health Standards, Toronto Public Health collaborates with school boards and schools to assist with the implementation of health-related curricula and health needs to achieve optimal health of school-aged children and youth.

This report presents an overview of the health services Toronto Public Health provides to schools to promote and protect the health and well-being of children and youth. These services focus on upstream initiatives and early intervention to strengthen protective factors and reduce risk factors that impact student's health and well-being. The range of services, outlined in Attachment 1, includes nutrition, mental health promotion, substance use prevention, physical activity, sexual health, dental and oral care, and infectious disease prevention services.

The Toronto Healthy Schools Strategy is an agreement between Toronto Public Health and the four school boards to create healthy school environments for children and youth through collective action. Its goals are to strengthen the partnership between Toronto Public Health and the School Boards, establish a workplan with shared goals, share data and communicate on joint initiatives, and conduct further research on the health of students, including their mental health and well-being. This report recommends that Toronto Public Health continue collaborating with school boards and initiate the development of the next Toronto Healthy Schools Strategy to launch in 2027.

The Board of Health:

1. Endorsed the launch of Toronto Public Health's child care centre inspection results website on January 1, 2026.  

Toronto Public Health (TPH) conducts annual infection prevention and control (IPAC) inspections at all licensed child care centres (CCCs) in Toronto as directed by the Infection Prevention and Control Protocol of the Ontario Public Health Standards. This report outlines Toronto Public Health’s plan to begin public disclosure of the results of these inspections online as directed by that protocol.

On January 1st, 2026, Toronto Public Health will launch the child care centres infection prevention and control inspection results website. The website will include information on routine inspections, complaint investigations, and re-inspections. Modelled on the DineSafe, BodySafe and SwimSafe websites, the child care centres infection prevention and control inspection results website will have similar functionality as other inspection portals. This includes a searchable database listing the child care centres, the date of the most recent child care centres infection prevention and control inspection, the nature of observed deficiencies, and outcome of the inspection (e.g. satisfactory, re-inspection required or closure). Inspection results of child care centres will also be presented on a map to enable searching by location. This initiative promotes transparency, strengthens public awareness, and ensures alignment with Ontario Ministry of Health standards.

Leading up to January 1, 2026, Toronto Public Health will work with child care centres operators and administrators to provide training and guidance to ensure that they are prepared for the implementation of this disclosure. Toronto Public Health will also promote the new website to parents and guardians to make them aware of this new source of information.

The Board of Health:  

1. Requested the Ministry of Health establish respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prevention programs (e.g., vaccination, public communication) for older adults and infants as permanent, seasonal initiatives, and provide specific funding to public health units for activities to increase respiratory syncytial virus prevention.

2. Requested the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health conduct evaluations of province-wide respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prevention programs to measure their public health impact and publish the findings to inform future program improvements and support evidence-based decision-making.

3. Requested the Ministry of Health increase accessibility to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for eligible older adults through expanded availability, including through pharmacies.

4. Requested the Ministry of Health develop and implement population-wide communications campaigns to improve vaccine confidence, with the goal of increasing immunization coverage, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines and prophylaxis among eligible populations.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) poses a significant health burden in Toronto, particularly among infants and older adults. The 2024-25 season included increased severe Respiratory syncytial virus disease and hospitalizations in older adults. During the 2024-25 respiratory illness season, publicly funded respiratory syncytial virus vaccines were available for some populations including specific groups of older adults at higher risk for severe disease as well as infants and high-risk children.

Previously, only those 60 years and older living in long-term care homes, Elder Care Lodges, as well as some retirement home residents, were eligible for the publicly funded respiratory syncytial virus vaccination program. In fall 2024, the Province of Ontario’s publicly funded vaccination program expanded to include all residents of retirement homes aged 60 and older, as part of broader efforts to protect older adults, who are more vulnerable to severe disease. For infants, in 2024, the Province of Ontario launched a universal program for all infants and high-risk children up to 24 months old using a newly licensed and available prophylaxis agent (Beyfortus®).

Toronto Public Health (TPH) distributed over 37,000 RSV infant doses to health care providers, with strong uptake in hospitals and primary care settings. Over 10,000 respiratory syncytial virus vaccine doses were distributed for pregnant individuals and high-risk adults. Toronto Public Health also led public awareness efforts, integrating respiratory syncytial virus into its fall respiratory communications campaign, and collaborating with healthcare partners to promote access to respiratory syncytial virus vaccines. Provincially, the 2024-25 season was one of Ontario's most severe Respiratory syncytial virus seasons in at least 15 years for Respiratory syncytial virus hospitalizations but was a moderate season for hospitalizations among infants and children, after the introduction of Beyfortus® for infants.

For the 2025-26 respiratory season, the Ontario government expanded eligibility for publicly funded respiratory syncytial virus vaccines to all adults 75 years of age and older. In contrast to COVID-19 and influenza vaccines that are available at pharmacies and primary care offices, the publicly funded respiratory syncytial virus vaccine for all adults aged 75 and older is not available through pharmacies.

The respiratory syncytial virus prevention program to protect infants is in its second year; Beyfortus® is available through hospitals, primary care offices and select public health units.

In response to the expanding respiratory syncytial virus prevention program, Toronto Public Health is launching new service models, such as breastfeeding clinic pilots, community vaccine clinics for older adults, and outreach with Toronto Paramedic Services to promote immunization among populations at risk for severe respiratory syncytial virus disease and in high-risk settings. Toronto Public Health is delivering communication to the public about respiratory syncytial virus prevention and where to access Respiratory syncytial virus vaccines and prophylaxis.

Looking ahead, the availability of safe and effective respiratory syncytial virus immunization and prophylaxis products presents an opportunity to reduce respiratory syncytial virus disease burden in Toronto. Toronto Public Health's efforts to increase respiratory syncytial virus vaccination aligns with its 2024-28 Strategic Plan priorities, including strengthening health protection, promoting well-being across the lifespan, and advancing health equity through targeted, evidence-informed interventions.

The Board of Health:

1. Directed the Medical Officer of Health to continue to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026 planning and identify opportunities to enhance Toronto Public Health’s programming to support the games.

 Toronto is scheduled to host six FIFA World Cup 2026 (FWC26) matches from June 11 to July 2, 2026. Several fan events, including the FIFA Fan Festival Toronto at Fort York and The Bentway, will also be operating until July 19, 2026. Many visitors will be international travellers attending matches at the Toronto Stadium (known as BMO Field outside of the games period) and participating in gatherings and events held across the city.

Toronto Public Health (TPH) is playing a supportive role in the City’s coordinated planning for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The scale of FIFA World Cup 2026 and the associated fan events presents significant public health challenges, including risks of communicable diseases (including sexually transmitted infections), substance misuse, and environmental hazards such as extreme heat and air quality deterioration caused by wildfire smoke. Planning efforts are guided by hazard identification and risk assessments (HIRAs) and are aligned with provincial standards. Toronto Public Health is drawing on lessons learned from previous mass gatherings, including the 2015 Toronto Pan/Parapan American Games, to inform its approach and strengthen its response capabilities.

Toronto Public Health has begun to develop a comprehensive FIFA World Cup 2026 operational plan that includes emergency management protocols, enhanced surveillance, and targeted health promotion initiatives. The plan is based on the findings from the hazard identification and risk assessments process, and it also includes the activation of an Incident Management Team, coordination with City and FIFA World Cup 2026 Emergency Operations Centres, and the development of e-learning modules for staff. Food safety is a key focus, with the launch of a new food safety portal for vendors and organizers to streamline oversight and reduce administrative burden. Toronto Public Health is also expanding staffing and overtime capacity to meet increased service demands.

Toronto Public Health will continue to refine its strategies as more details about participating countries become available to support a safe and healthy FIFA World Cup 2026 experience for all.

The Board of Health recommends that:

1. City Council express its opposition to Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, and proposals to change security and rent control, because of the important role of stable housing as a social determinant of health.

The Board of Health:

1. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to review Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act and provincial proposals to change security of tenure and rent control, and to work in collaboration with the General Manager, Toronto Shelter and Support Services and Executive Director, Housing Secretariat on providing an analysis of the associated health impacts to the November 12, 13 and 14, 2025 meeting of City Council.

In Toronto Public Health's Our Health, Our City: A Mental Health, Substance Use, Harm Reduction and Treatment Strategy for Toronto, improving access to housing and other social determinants of health is identified as one of seven strategic goals for improving mental health and well-being in our city.

Recently tabled provincial legislation, Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, includes significant changes to tenant protections and the rights of renters in Ontario. The proposed provincial changes could lead to more evictions and housing instability for renters. Toronto Public Health has previously identified housing as a key social determinant of health, and less stability for renters could threaten our progress on improving key health indicators.

The province has said they are stepping back from earlier proposals to change security of tenure and rent control, because "now is not the time". It is important we understand the potential health impacts of those proposals, so that we can ensure that it is never the time for those changes.

This letter asks the Medical Officer of Health to review Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, and provincial proposals to change security of tenure and rent control, and to work with Toronto Shelter and Support Services and Housing Secretariat on providing analysis of some of these potential health impacts to City Council. This information will support an informed conversation by Toronto City Council about the impacts of Bill 60 and what changes to security of tenure and rent control would mean for Torontonians.

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 further acknowledged that not all people came to these lands as migrants and settlers, and specifically acknowledged those who came here involuntarily, particularly those brought to these lands as a result of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and Slavery. In support of the City of Toronto's ongoing efforts to confront anti-Black racism, the Chair paid tribute to those ancestors of African, Caribbean and Black origin and descent.

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.