September 2024 Board of Health Meeting - Minutes

Meeting Date
September 2024 Board of Health Meeting
Meeting Document Type
Minutes

Board Members Present:

Renaldo Agostino, Dr. Mark Awuku, Joe Bachetti (by phone), Fabio Costante, Dr. Sardar Khan, Hilda MacDonald, Angelo Marignani, Michael Prue, Rob Shepley 

Board Member Regrets:

Dr. Jennifer Bondy, Fred Francis, Judy Lund, Robert Maich, Jennifer Yee

Administration Present:

Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, Dr. Ken Blanchette, Michael Horrobin, Kristy McBeth, Eric Nadalin, Dan Sibley, Emily Durance (recorder)

WECHU Guests

William Willis (Willis Law)

Board Chair

Fabio Costante

QUORUM: Confirmed (at 3:06pm)

  1. Call to Order     
    Board of Health Chair, F. Costante, called the meeting to order at 3:06 pm
    1. Land Acknowledgement - Read by Board Chair, F. Costante
    2. Quorum – Confirmed (confirmed at 3:06pm)
    3. Declaration of Conflict of Interest – None
    4. Code of Conduct/Confidentiality Annual Attestation    
  2. Approval of Agenda
    Motion:       That the agenda be approved.
    Motion made by: A. Marignani
    Seconded by: R. Agostino
    CARRIED
  3. Approval of Minutes:  June 20, 2024
    Motion:       That the minutes be approved. 
    Motion made by: Dr. S. Khan
    Seconded by: H. MacDonald
    CARRIED
  4. Consent Agenda
    1. Information Reports
      1. Communications Reports:
        1. June 2024
        2. July 2024
        3. August 2024
      2. Immunization Coverage Report (2023-2024 School Year)
      3. 2024 Small Drinking Water System Report
      4. 2024 ASP – Q2 Status Report
      5. Q2 Board of Health Effectiveness Survey Summary
      6. Strategic Plan Q2 Progress Report
      7. KI Pill Replacement Program
      8. 2025 Board Workplan & Board Meeting Dates
      9. Monitoring Food Affordability in Windsor-Essex
      10. Rabies Prevention
      11. Back to School Partner Collaboration
        Motion: That the above information be approved.
        Motion made by: R. Shepley
        Seconded by:  R. Agostino
        CARRIED
  5. Correspondence (Dr. K. Blanchette)
    1. Peterborough Public Health – Request for Continued Provincial Coordination and Support of Wastewater Surveillance (for information)
    2. Sudbury and Districts Public Health – Physical Literacy for Communities (for information)
    3. Middlesex-London Board of Health – Support for Bills S-233 and C-223 “An Act to develop national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income” (for information)
    4. Renfrew County and District Health Unit – Letter of Support – Wastewater Surveillance and Modern CCM Software (for information)
    5. Regional Municipality of Halton – Private Drinking Water Testing in Halton Region (for information)
    6. Grey Bruce Public Health – Physical Literacy for Communities Endorsement Letter (for information)
    7. WECHU – Letter of Support re: Reconsideration of Private Well Water System Testing (for approval)
      The above correspondence are motions that have been passed recently by Health Units across the Province. This section has been pulled from the Consent Agenda to highlight some key topics of the Board.
      Regarding Item 6.4, our region was one of the areas identified to continue the Wastewater Surveillance Program, however, the program has discontinued in most communities across Ontario. Comparing to other data across the province has become more difficult.
      Regarding Item 6.7: As a result of the 2023 Auditor General’s Report, there was a recommendation made in the report for a proposed phase-out of free water testing for private water drinking systems. There are quite few private wells throughout the County and on Pelee Island. The Municipality of Pelee has drafted a letter. K. McBeth has drafted a letter for board approval on the topic of private well-water drinking systems. Our letter goes through why this would be an issue in our area. Additionally, the cost could create a negative barrier to private testing, therefore increasing the risk. WECHU is in support of Pelee and many other Health Units across the province who are not in support of phasing out this important barrier free program.
      Motion: That the above correspondence be received and the approval of the WECHU Letter of  Support for Reconsideration of Private Well Water System Testing.
      Motion made by: R. Agostino
      Seconded by: H. MacDonald
      CARRIED
  6. Presentations
    1. School-Aged Immunization Coverage Report (Kristy McBeth)
      The role of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is to ensure our school age students have access to very important vaccinations. Suspension is not the goal, protection is. Included in our role is to maintain immunization records in the Provincial database for children and youth in Windsor-Essex County, provide education, exemptions, clinics in the schools and at the Health Unit, and enforcement of the Immunization of Schools Pupils Act (ISPA) for compliance. WECHU also manages and distributes all provincially funded vaccines to Health Care Providers in the Windsor-Essex area.

      The Windsor-Essex County immunization coverage rate is above the provincial average for all vaccines. The goal, however, is to reach national targets.

      The coverages rates year over year have been maintained or improved.

      Dr. M. Awuku commended the team for their work in keeping the coverage rates above the provincial average. He asked for clarification on the coverage for rubella vaccination, which are close to the national average. The coverage rate for Rubella is 93.76%.

      The first round of In-School Clinics wraps up in December 2024.
    2. Corporate Communication Strategy (Ashleigh Atkinson)
      In 2023, the Communications Department developed a corporate marketing campaign to raise awareness on the programs and services the WECHU provides to the community and build a positive reputation with the community following the pandemic.

      The campaign saw the creation of four corporate campaign videos and corresponding audio scripts.

      Seven main program areas were focused on, with an inclusion of services received by the public.

      The campaign ran from mid-October to mid-December 2023. The campaign will be rolled out in 2024 in the reverse order than which they were run last year to test if engagement rates differ. This year there will be more of a focus on digital advertising.

      We are working closely with several community partners to help share the videos. 

      The videos can be viewed on YouTube:
      - Supporting Better Health for All – Outdoors
      - Supporting Better Health for All – Our Best-Known Services
      - Supporting Better Health for All – Community Resources
      - Supporting Better Health for All – Ensure Your Wellbeing
    3. Monitoring Food Affordability in Windsor-Essex (Karen Bellemore)
      Windsor-Essex County has seen a high rate of food insecurity that has continued to rise since 2021.

      The Ontario Nutritious Food Basket is a tool used to monitor accessibility and affordability of foods by relating the cost of food to individual/family incomes.

      The 2024 cost for a family of four is approximately $274.37 per week.

      1 in 4 families are food insecure in WEC. Karen pointed out that about 60% of people who experience food insecurity, have wages and consistent employment.

      Later this year, WECHU will be releasing a food insecurity tool kit to Health Care Providers. 

      Information on Food Affordability and the Cost of Eating can be found on the WECHU website.

      A. Marignani spoke to guaranteed income that some received during the pandemic. He asked if food insecurity decreased during this time. K. Bellemore answered that locally, we saw an improved food insecurity rate that helped balance the scales, but did not allow for someone to get ahead. 

      R. Agostino asked if there is a metric used to correlate mental health issues to food insecurity. K. Bellemore responded that someone who is experiencing food insecurity is four times more likely to experience mental health issues. One of the hopes of the food insecurity tool kit is to bring this to the front of mind for Health Care Providers. R. Agostino also asked if WECHU provides support to schools to help supplement these issues. K. Bellemore stated that the National School Food Policy is in place to help remove pressures from families who experience food insecurity. 

      Dr. M. Awuku asked if the Nutritious Food Basket tool looks at the quality of food purchased compared to quantity. K. Bellemore responded that we do not because we are more concerned if they can afford any food, if nourishment can come in any form consistently, it is better than having nothing. 

      H. MacDonald asked if there a difference between cost of food basket in areas in Toronto, compared to an area like Windsor. K. Bellemore responded that the same nutritious food basket exercise is done across all of Ontario and baskets are not compared between different regions. Eleven grocery stores are surveyed, including high-end, discount, and specialty grocery stores from various areas in Windsor and Essex County. 

      A. Marignani suggested that the Board of Health draft a letter to the Federal Government to increase the Canada Child Benefit for families in an effort to support WECHU’s work. E. Nadalin stated that within the board package, there are several good recommendations in a letter from Middlesex London Health Unit. If there is an interest by the Board, a similar letter can be taken to the Board at the November meeting. F. Costante, Board Chair, agreed with the creation of a letter of support from the Board of Health.
      Motion:          That a letter be drafted by the Board of Health in support of Bills S-233 and C-233 “An Act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income”.  
      Motion made by: H. MacDonald
      Seconded by: R. Agostino
      CARRIED
  7. Business Arising
  8. Resolutions/Recommendation Reports
  9. New Business
    1. CEO Updates (Dr. Ken Blanchette)
      Dr. Aloosh spoke to the partnership WECHU is creating with our partners across the border at the Detroit Health Department on the topics of Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Health, Infectious Diseases, etc. A. Marignani spoke in support of this initiative.
    2. CEO Quarterly Report (Dr. Ken Blanchette)
      The linked report was provided to Board members as an update. 
  10. In-Camera Session (Closed Session in accordance with Section 239 of the Municipal Act) 
  11. Next Meeting: At the Call of the Chair, or Thursday, November 21st, 2024
  12. Adjournment
    Motion:               That the meeting session be adjourned.   
    Motion made by: H. MacDonald
    Seconded by: R. Shepley 
    CARRIED
    The open meeting session adjourned at 4:01 p.m.
  13. In-Camera Session (Closed Session in accordance with Section 239 of the Municipal Act)
    The Board moved in-camera at 4:01 pm
    The Board moved out of in-camera at 5:28 pm

RECORDING SECRETARY: E. Durance

SUBMITTED BY: K. Blanchette

APPROVED BY: