March 2025 Board of Health Meeting - alPHa February 2025 InfoBreak Information Report

Meeting Date
March 2025 Board of Health Meeting
Meeting Document Type
Information Report
alPHa February 2025 InfoBreak

PREPARED BY: Administration

DATE: March 20, 2025

SUBJECT: alPHa February 2025 InfoBreak

The email below is the February monthly newsletter sent by the Association of Local Public Health Units (alPHa) meant to inform the alPHa membership of upcoming activities and events and important information. This particular newsletter provides an overview of the topics and discussion that ensued from your colleagues who are members of boards of health across the province.

February 20, 2025

February 2025 InfoBreak

This update is a tool to keep alPHa's Members apprised of the latest news in public health including provincial announcements, legislation, alPHa activities, correspondence, and events. Visit us at alphaweb.org.

Leader to Leader - A message from alPHa’s Chair - February 2025

“Leadership is not about a title or a designation.
It’s about impact, influence and inspiration.”

The alPHa Board of Directors and alPHa staff continue to be actively engaged on your behalf. This month, the alPHa Board of Directors met in their governance role guided by alPHa’s Strategic Plan with a focus on being the leading, unified voice for Ontario’s public health system. alPHa’s ask of Ontario’s policy influencers and decision-makers is for their support for the goals and objectives of public health, with sustained, sufficient resources to ensure sustainability for Ontario’s locally based network of public health agencies. Here are two recent submissions:

The alPHa 2025 Online Winter Symposium, Section meetings and Workshops were a resounding success! The events were engaging for all participants with polling, facilitated Q&A, and breakout sessions. Thank you to everyone who participated, and to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (co-host sponsor), speakers, moderators, video submissions, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and Eastern Ontario Health Unit. Special thanks for planning and choreographing an exceptional event to Loretta Ryan, alPHa Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and alPHa staff.

The symposium commenced with an impressive showcase of local public health videos. Keynote, Pete Bombaci of GenWell, spoke on being a catalyst for action to meaningfully improve long-term health and well-being, reduce costs to the healthcare system, increase social cohesion and inclusivity, and drive economic and community benefit.

An informative lineup of topics followed throughout the day. Principals of StrategyCorp, Sabine Matheson and John Perenack, provided insight into the current political situation and offered strategies. alPHa’s 1st year anniversary report of the 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, facilitated by Maria Sánchez-Keane, was interactive and informative on the progress of alPHa’s accomplishments. The South East Health Unit shared their challenges and opportunities, along with what to expect next, as the newly merged health unit moves forward.

The merger conversation carried forward in the afternoon at the Boards of Health Section meeting  with the chairs of the newly merged boards of health: Jan O'Neill, Chair, Board of Health, South East Health Unit; Michelle Boileau, Chair, Board of Health, Northeastern Public Health; Ron Black, Chair, Board of Health, Haliburton Kawartha Northumberland Peterborough Health Unit; and John Bell, Acting Chair, Board of Health, Grand Erie Public Health. Their informative updates were complemented by a presentation on governance roles and responsibilities from James LeNoury, Principal, LeNoury Law, alPHa Legal Counsel, Doug Lawrance, Chair, Northwestern Health Unit, and Ann-Marie Kungl, Chair, Board of Health, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.

Two pre-symposium workshops were value-added. Tim Arnold’s interactive Leading Change: The 5 Tensions to Manage Successful Transformation discussed leadership skills to help manage current and future challenges during this time of change for public health. The second workshop, Harnessing the Power of ‘Where’ for Public Health Discussions by Esri Canada, had a series of presentations of case studies and dynamic discussions, attendees learned how geographic data, real-time maps, and new innovations in geographic technology are connecting Canadian public health teams to uncover local drivers of health inequity, strengthen health emergency preparedness, and improve collaborative decision-making.

Anticipation is building for the alPHa 2025 AGM and Conference in-person in Toronto. This is a tremendous opportunity to network, and to continue the important conversation on the role of local public health in the province's resilient public health system and its demonstrated role for the public health of all Ontarians.

At the Rural Ontario Municipal Association 2025 ROMA Conference in January, it was great to have the chance to connect with many of you. Along with Loretta Ryan, alPHa’s CEO, I was also pleased to meet and have a productive discussion with Robin Jones, President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), who also serves on the Board of Health for South East Health Unit.

Perhaps I will see you at The Ontario Public Health Convention TOPHC 2025 in March or at the alPHa 2025 AGM and Conference in June. If you are at either of these events, I look forward to the opportunity to connect.

Stay tuned for the Annual General Meeting Package, which contains the Call for Resolutions, Distinguished Service Award nominations, and Boards of Health elections information.

Thanks to each of you for your individual and collective commitment, and for support to alPHa as we all work to advance the cause of a resilient, sufficiently resourced, local public health system in Ontario.

Trudy Sachowski
Chair, alPHa Board of Directors

Resources from the 2025 Winter Symposium, Section Meetings, and Workshops are now available!


Thank you to all of the alPHa Members who attended this year’s Winter Symposium. We were glad to see so many of you engaged in discussions and dialogue on key public health issues. A special thanks goes to alPHa Chair, Trudy Sachowski, for chairing the event. We would also like to thank BOH Section Vice Chair, Tammy DeGiovanni, and COMOH Section Chair, Dr. Lianne Catton, for chairing their meetings.

A huge shoutout goes to Obadiah George from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Andy Morrisson from the Eastern Ontario Health Unit for their generous event and technical support. The event would not have been possible without them!

Thank you to all those who submitted videos from their public health units. We had a strong response and we greatly appreciate your participation.

Lastly, we would like to note and thank the alPHa staff for all of their work to make the Symposium, workshops, Section meetings, and Board meeting a success.

Presentations from this year’s Winter Symposium are now available (please see below for more information from Tim Arnold and GenWell). Please note, you will need to log in to the members’ side of the website to view the presentations. You can do so here. Please note, we are continuing to receive these, so check back often. Additionally, we will be featuring the Resources from the Esri Canada workshop in next month’s newsletter.

If you have not yet filled out the after-event survey, there is still time to do so. You can be entered into a draw for a gift card. The link to the survey is here and the final date to fill it out is Friday, February 28.

Leading Change - The 5 Tensions to Manage Successful Transformation

It was an honour to facilitate the "Leading Change" workshop at the Winter Symposium. Thank you (once again) for allowing me to support you in your leadership development journey.

To ensure the learning is put into action, visit www.timarnold.ca/resources. Once you click the “Leading Change Resources”, you can download key slides and a personal action plan from the workshop. You'll also find an 11-question assessment to further your insights, and information on purchasing my recent book, "Leading Change."

Don’t let the workshop be “one-and-done”! Subscribe to "The Leaders' Edge" at www.timarnold.ca/newsletter. This monthly newsletter provides actionable insights and DIY team activities to empower your success at work and in life.

Here’s how to reach Tim on social media: Click here for his LinkedIn page, and click here for his Instagram page.

GenWell Resources

We would like to thank Pete Bombaci, CEO and Founder, GenWell, for presenting to the EAs/AAs on Tuesday, February 11 and for being the keynote speaker for the alPHa Winter Symposium on Friday, February 14. It was wonderful to hear from him!

The following resources have been available to alPHa Members. These are:

  • Presentation
  • GenWell Social Health Toolkit
  • GenWell Connection Event (May 2-4)
  • GenWell Case for Support - A call for your public health unit to participate in a workshop or speaking opportunity.
  • GenWell Social Health Workshop Overview - Please note, any alPHa Member who books a social health workshop before the end of February will receive a 25 per cent discount.
  • A compilation of the GenWell Social Health Toolkit, GenWell Connection Event, GenWell Case for Support, and GenWell Social Health Workshop is available here.
  • Other workshops that GenWell offers

alPHa’s Strategic Plan

alPHa actively represents all of Ontario’s boards of health, medical officers and associate medical officers of health, and senior public health managers. The association is a unified voice and a trusted advisor on public health, advances the work of local public health through strategic partnerships and collaborations, supports the sustainability of Ontario’s local public health system, and delivers member services to local public health leaders. alPHa’s Strategic Plan was launched a year ago and acts as a foundational document to achieve the organization's goals and objectives. Thank you to all those who participated in the discussion on how your association is implementing the Strategic Plan.

We would like to thank Maria Sánchez-Keane for leading the session!

alPHa’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan is available here.

Thank you, Executive Assistants/Administrative Assistants!

Thank you to all those who attended the Executive Assistant/Administrative Assistant  (EA/AA) Workshop. It was a huge success and it’s all thanks to your enthusiastic participation! On Tuesday, February 11, EAs/AAs gathered together to increase collaboration and enhance creativity and productivity. We hope you were all able to take some time for yourselves and that you will take what you’ve learned from GenWell and apply it both inside and outside the workplace. alPHa would  like to thank Melanie Dziengo for her leadership and planning on this workshop and Melissa Ziebarth, from Renfrew County and District Health Unit, for her assistance. Additionally, your support for alPHa Member Representatives does not go unnoticed. Thank you for all that you do! Please do not forget to fill out your after-event survey that was sent to you by e-mail. The final date to complete it is Tuesday, February 25.

2025 alPHa Pre-Budget Submission

On behalf of the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) and its Boards of Health Section, Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health Section, and Affiliate Organizations, alPHa sent in a submission to provide input on the financial requirements for a stable, locally based public health system as part of this year’s pre-budget consultation. To read more, click here.

Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference recap

alPHa would like to congratulate the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) on a very successful ROMA conference that took place from January 19-21 in Toronto with approximately 2,000 delegates.

Many alPHa members were in attendance, including alPHa representatives - Trudy Sachowski, Chair and Loretta Ryan, Chief Executive Officer. Trudy and Loretta had numerous interactions at the ROMA Conference including a meeting with Robin Jones, President, AMO and an opportunity to speak with the Hon. Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health. These are two of the many interactions that took place to continue to actively position and profile local public health with municipal officials and their staff.

Here are some of the AMO documents that were highlighted at the event:

TOPHC 2025

TOPHC is hosting a two-day convention that will include one day of virtual presentations and interactive activities and a second day of in-person workshops and networking.

Important dates

  • March 26: In-person Convention
  • April 2: Virtual Convention

This year’s theme is: Insight to Impact: Leveraging evidence & collective expertise to advance public health practice.

TOPHC brings together a multi-disciplinary community of public health professionals to prevent illness and improve health, by sharing the latest research and information, promoting best practices, and advancing evidence-based public health initiatives and policies. This is a unique opportunity to build and refine practical skills, learn best practices, keep up with new and emerging developments in the field, and network with peers across Ontario. To learn more, click here.

GenWell: Who, What, and Why?

This month, GenWell is giving you a snapshot of what they are trying to accomplish. This infographic covers who they are, what they do, and why they do it. Ultimately, their goal is “to make the world a happier and healthier place by emphasizing the importance of face-to-face social connection.” To learn more, click here.

Boards of Health: Shared Resources

A resource page is available on alPHa's website for Board of Health members to facilitate the sharing of and access to information, orientation materials, best practices, case studies, by-laws, Resolutions, and other resources. In particular, alPHa is seeking resources to share regarding the province’s Strengthening Public Health Initiative, including but not limited to, voluntary mergers and the need for long-term funding for local public health. If you have a best practice, by-law or any other resource that you would like to make available via the newsletter and/or the website, please send a file or a link with a brief description to gordon@alphaweb.org and for posting in the appropriate library.

Resources available on the alPHa website include:

Calling all Ontario Boards of Health: Level up your expertise with our training courses designed just for you!

Don't miss this unique opportunity to enhance your knowledge and strengthen local public health leadership in Ontario.

BOH Governance training course

Master public health governance and Ontario's Public Health Standards. You’ll learn all about public health legislation, funding, accountability, roles, structures, and much more. Gain insights into leadership and services that drive excellence in your unit.

Social Determinants of Health training course

Explore the impact of Social Determinants of Health on public health and municipal governments. Understand the context, explore Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and examine various SDOH diagrams to better serve your communities.

Speakers are Monika Turner and Loretta Ryan.

Reserve your spot for in-person or virtual training now! Visit our website to learn more about the costs for Public Health Units (PHUs). Let's shape a healthier future together.

Affiliates update

Ontario Dietitians in Public Health (ODPH) is pleased to share the announcement that Dr. Valerie Tarasuk, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto, was appointed to the Order of Canada. This prestigious recognition is a testament to Dr. Tarasuk’s outstanding contributions to research on household food insecurity in Canada. As principal researcher of PROOF (an interdisciplinary research program), her research and advocacy has influenced evidence-based policy across Canada and internationally. Her research has informed ODPH’s comprehensive health promotion approaches to food insecurity across Ontario’s local public health agencies. Congratulations to Dr. Tarasuk!

alPHa Correspondence

Through policy analysis, collaboration, and advocacy, alPHa’s Members and staff act to promote public health policies that form a strong foundation for the improvement of health promotion and protection, disease prevention, and surveillance services in all of Ontario’s communities. A complete online library of submissions is available here. These documents are publicly available and can be shared widely.

Ontario Public Health Directory: January 2025 update

The Ontario Public Health Directory has been updated and is available on the alPHa website. Please ensure you have the latest version, which has been dated as of January 14, 2025. To view the file, log into the alPHa website.

Please note, we will be updating the directory again soon with regards to the recently announced mergers.

Upcoming DLSPH Events and Webinars

BrokerLink Insurance

Please note, alPHa’s partnership with Aviva is no longer in place. All Members who are with Aviva are encouraged to explore insurance with BrokerLink.

In partnership with alPHa, BrokerLink is proud to offer preferred home and auto insurance rates for members, click here to get a quote. Do you have questions about understanding your car insurance renewal? Our advisors are here to help. Learn about renewing car insurance, and a few of the most common reasons why it’s important to always review your annual insurance policy here.

alPHa’s mailing address

Please note our mailing address is:
PO Box 73510, RPO Wychwood
Toronto, ON M6C 4A7

For further information, please contact info@alphaweb.org. 

News Releases

The most up to date news releases from the Government of Ontario can be accessed here.

Our mailing address is:
PO Box 73510, RPO Wychwood
Toronto, ON M6C 4A7
Canada

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alPHa February 2025 InfoBreak - PDF