Board of Health Meeting Documents

BACKGROUND

Overview

• SafePoint opened on April 26^th, 2023, serving clients 7 days per week between the hours of 10:00 a.m. – 
  6:00 p.m. daily.
• In order to ensure transparency related to SafePoint operations, the Board of Health is provided with regular updates.

Application Status

• As of January 2024, the WECHU’s pending application to the province to fund SafePoint as a Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site remains on-hold. 
• As no timeline has been provided for the removal of the hold on the WECHU’s application, operations at SafePoint were paused effective January 1^st of 2024. 

CURRENT INITIATIVES

Operational Data

SafePoint operated for a period of eight months, recording a total of 1,257 client visits amongst 248 unique clients. Additional details about the services provided at SafePoint during the month of December are presented in Tables 1-4. 

Client Experience Narrative

Beyond the number of client visits recorded in the month of December, SafePoint continues to demonstrate that the services being offered are having a positive impact on clients, as highlighted through the following client experience narrative:

Anonymous Client

An individual walking by SafePoint knocked on the entrance door and was brought into the site by staff. The individual informed staff that they felt like they may be “going down” (i.e., experiencing an overdose) and asked for a naloxone kit. After receiving the kit, the individual proceeded to administer naloxone on themselves and staff monitored them afterwards to support their recovery.

NEXT STEPS AND FUTURE INITIATIVES

The WECHU, in collaboration with the SafePoint Advisory Committee, prepared and implemented a mitigation plan for the pause in services to support clients and the community throughout the period of transition. Strategies implemented through the plan were as follows: 

• Staff at SafePoint met with clients individually over the course of December to create plans for their care while services are paused and to support connections to other community agencies as needed. Clients were also provided with information about alternative harm reduction strategies and supports that they can continue to use during the disruption. 
• The WECHU connected with multiple community partners towards the end of 2023 to establish connections and increase accessibility to other health and social services in the area that clients can continue to use during the disruption. A list of these services was developed and posted to the SafePoint web page for the community to access: www.wecoss.ca/cts. 
• The WECHU developed plans in collaboration with Family Services Windsor-Essex (FSWE) to increase the availability of outreach supports in the areas surrounding SafePoint in the early months of 2024. The Mobile Outreach Support Team (MOST) van will be making nightly stops near SafePoint until the end of March to look out for those seeking the services of SafePoint and to provide harm reduction supplies and referrals to community services. Other relevant outreach strategies are also in development in partnership with FSWE’s Housing Outreach Workers. 
• Community partners involved in the Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy were provided with a key messaging document to support conversations with their clients who use SafePoint about the pause in services. Partners were also encouraged to promote the National Overdose Response Service (https://www.nors.ca/) to anyone who might benefit from the services of a virtual safer consumption hotline.
• Messaging about the pause in operations and the other services available for support was also shared with those subscribed to the SafePoint email subscription list. Moving forward, this list and the SafePoint web page will continue to be maintained by the WECHU to share updates with the community about the site. To subscribe to SafePoint emails, individuals can visit www.wecoss.ca/cts. The SafePoint email inbox (CTSQuestions@wechu.org) will also continue to be monitored by the WECHU to respond to questions and concerns from the community.

While services are paused, ongoing communication will be maintained with the Ministry of Health for updates regarding the status of the WECHU’s CTS application, provincial funding, and a potential 
re-opening under the CTS model. The legal exemption required from Health Canada to operate SafePoint under this model was secured in July of 2023. 

BACKGROUND

Overview

• SafePoint has been open since April 26th, 2023, serving clients 7 days per week between the hours of 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• In order to ensure transparency related to SafePoint operations, the Board of Health is provided with regular updates.

Application Status

• As of December 2023, the WECHU’s pending application to the province to fund SafePoint as a Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site remains on-hold.
• As no timeline has been provided for the removal of the hold on the WECHU’s application, operations at SafePoint will be paused effective January 1st of 2024.

CURRENT INITIATIVES

Operational Data

It has been seven months since SafePoint opened on April 26th and there has been a total of 1042 client visits and 217 unique clients to date, with 3 overdoses reported and treated on-site. Additional details about the services provided at SafePoint during the month of November are presented in Tables 1-4. 

Client Experience Narrative

Beyond the number of client visits recorded in the month of November, SafePoint continues to demonstrate that the services being offered are having a positive impact on clients, as highlighted through the following client experience narrative:

Anonymous Client

A client was dropped off at SafePoint by their friends for wound care services. The client did not want to use other health services because of percieved poor treatment in the past. The friend did not return to pick up the client, so staff arranged for a taxi to bring the client back to a local shelter.

NEXT STEPS AND FUTURE INITIATIVES

• The WECHU is collaborating with its community partners to prepare for the service disruption, aiming to minimize impacts on clients as effectively as possible.
• SafePoint services will continue to be available daily from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., up until December 31st  at 6:00 p.m. During this period, SafePoint staff will be meeting with clients to create plans for their care while services are paused and to support connections to other community agencies as needed.
• The SafePoint Advisory Committee has also prepared a mitigation plan for the pause in services, which identifies several strategies that will be implemented to support clients during this period of transition. The mitigation plans will be shared with the community to ensure that clients, partners, and other affected stakeholders are aware of the strategies and supports in place.
• While services are paused, the WECHU will continue to communicate updates about SafePoint to the community as new information becomes available. To stay informed, community members can subscribe to receive email updates at www.wecoss.ca/cts. The SafePoint website will remain up-to- date with current information and the online feedback form and SafePoint email (CTSQuestions@wechu.org) will continue to be monitored by the WECHU to address questions and concerns from the community.

PREPARED BY:

Communications Department

DATE:

November 21, 2023

SUBJECT:

November 15, 2023 – December 14, 2023, Communications Update

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE:

Provide regular marketing and communication updates to the Board of Health.

Data Notes can be provided upon request

Media Exposure Overview Graph

Notes: From November 15 – December 14, we experienced three main peaks of exposure:

Nov. 20 – We saw a spike in media coverage following the Board of Health meeting in which the announcement of the pause in services offered at SafePoint was made.

Dec. 1 – Media coverage on this date was focused on the media statement released regarding the changes to staff at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit following the approved budget for 2024.  

Dec. 12 – On this date, high media coverage was related to the news release issued around Essex Fire and Rescue Services joining the Ontario Naloxone Program.

Website Overview Graph

Notes: During the timeframe of November 15 – December 14, we saw very similar website traffic patterns as the previous month, with no notable spikes in traffic. 

Social Media Overview Graph

Lighter blue line represents the current month, darker blue line represents the previous month. Notes: Overall, our social media followers stay consistent, with gradual increases across the monthly timespan. 

DISCUSSION

The Communications Department completed a Social Media Audit for 2023 to serve as a benchmark for future years. The audit collected various metrics from organic social media posts on our four platforms (i.e., Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn). Metrics were collected quarterly, providing a succinct overview of followers, posts released, and various forms of engagement with our audience. 

The audit will allow the department to monitor changes on our platforms which can inform how we utilize each platform moving forward. For example, the 2023 audit revealed a steady growth in our followers on Facebook over the year, supporting our approach to prioritize this platform as our main social media outreach channel. 

As social media platforms evolve, so will the audit template. This information will guide our communication tactics to take full advantage of these channels to maximize public messaging. 

PREPARED BY:

Communications Department

DATE:

November 21, 2023

SUBJECT:

October 15, 2023 – November 14, 2023, Communications Update

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE:

Provide regular marketing and communication updates to the Board of Health.

Data Notes can be provided upon request

Media Exposure Overview Graph

Notes: From October 15 – November 14, we experienced one large peak, and a handful of smaller peaks of exposure:

Oct. 16 – We saw a spike in media coverage following a news release confirming the first human case of West Nile Virus in Windsor-Essex County.  

Nov. 8 – 10 – Across these dates, a variety of stories were covered in the media including an event for the public to properly dispose of old medications, radon awareness, and the start of stories around the provincial pause on Consumption and Treatment Service site proposal reviews.

Nov. 13 – On this date, high media coverage was related to the Consumption and Treatment Service site proposal pause, and a news release issued by the WECHU regarding the Immunization of School Pupils Act and the current number of out-dated records locally.

Website Overview Graph

Notes: During the timeframe of October 15 – November 14, we saw very similar website traffic patterns as the previous month. 

Social Media Overview Graph

Lighter blue line represents the current month, darker blue line represents the previous month. 
Note: We saw a drop in Followers on LinkedIn, which occurred on a specific day. This is assumed to have been a clean-out of the platform of spam accounts.

DISCUSSION

The Communications Department worked with the Chronic Disease & Injury Prevention team on a series of boosted social media posts, as well as digital and radio ads for Mental Health Awareness Month, taking place in October. 

While some of the components are still in market, the social media campaign has proved successful. The goal of these posts was to drive traffic to the website, specifically to a page of mental health support resources or a page of mental health education and promotion. In total, the boosted posts have reached 32,641 accounts, and have resulted in 676 link clicks.

Board Members Present:

Dr. Mark Awuku, Joe Bachetti, Fabio Costante, Fred Francis, Michael Horrobin,
Dr. Sardar Khan, Judy Lund, Hilda MacDonald, Robert Maich, Angelo Marignani,  Michael Prue, Rob Shepley

Board Member Regrets:

Renaldo Agostino

Administration Present:

Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, Dr. Ken Blanchette, Kristy McBeth, Eric Nadalin, Dan Sibley, Linda Watson, Konrad Farrugia (recorder)

WECHU Guests:

William Willis (Willis Law)

RECORDING SECRETARY: K. Farrugia

SUBMITTED BY: K. Blanchette

APPROVED BY: WECHU Board of Health

Steps toward Limiting Nicotine Addiction in Youth;
Local, Provincial, and Federal Restrictions on Nicotine Pouches

Date: Thursday, January 18^th, 2024

ISSUE/PURPOSE

The recent availability of Nicotine Pouches under the brand name “Zonnic” has triggered widespread concern from health organizations across Canada, including the Canadian Cancer Society, Heart and Stroke, and the Canadian Lung Association, who have issued calls for immediate federal action to regulate their sale to youth (von Stackelberg, 2023). Health Canada has approved the products under their Natural Health Products designation as a Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) which can be used to quit smoking. Each package contains either 10 or 24 pouches with each pouch contains up to 4mg of nicotine, the equivalent of up to 2 cigarettes (Marsh, 2023). 

Nicotine is highly addictive and has permanent adverse effects on the developing brains of youth and concerns regarding the nicotine pouches are rooted in their marketing and distribution approach being attractive to young people. An approach which includes attractive colours and targeted promotions, fruity flavouring which includes sweeteners, and a lack of regulations which makes it legal for children and youth to purchase these products. The similarities in purpose, advertising, and the range of flavors offered by nicotine pouches relative to the already popular vaping products poses a significant risk of sparking a trend comparable to rapid uptake of vaping amongst youth. 

BACKGROUND

Nicotine pouches were approved for sale in Canada on July 18, 2023 as a Natural Health Product. The nicotine pouches are currently outside the scope of the federal Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) and the provincial Smoke-free Ontario Act (SFOA) 2017 which regulate tobacco and vaping products by restricting their advertisement, display, and public use. As a result, the nicotine pouches are currently being sold at convenience stores and gas stations, placed alongside items such as candy and chips. The pouches are sold in vibrant packaging and various sweet and fruity flavours which are attractive to younger populations. 

The recent growth in popularity of vaping products serves as an example of the importance of moving quickly to mitigate the risk of these new products (University of Waterloo & Brock University, 2023). Although research on the health effects of using nicotine pouches is still emerging, the effects of using oral NRTs include mouth ulcers, mouth and throat soreness, and coughing (M. Jackson et al., 2023). For youth and young adults who develop a dependence on nicotine, lasting negative impacts on the cognitive abilities, growth, and development can also occur (Stein et al., 1998; Ren & Lotfipour, 2019). Most concerningly, given the highly addictive nature of nicotine, dependence can lead to further use of vaping product, tobacco products, or other drugs (Leslie, 2020). 

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) has consistently engaged businesses, school administrators, students, parents, and municipalities to inform these groups about the health consequences of tobacco and vaping and has worked closely with them to develop policies, and enforce provincial regulations pertaining to smoking and vaping in public areas. The WECHU is committed to working closely with these same partners to better understand the best ways to keep residents, in particular young people, safe from these products however, until such time that a regulatory framework is established at the federal and provincial levels it is possible that the uptake of these products in Windsor and Essex County will escalate in a similar manner to vaping products. 

PROPOSED MOTION

Whereas, Health Canada has approved Nicotine Pouches for sale under a Natural Health Product designation which does not provide restrictions on advertising or sale to minors; and

Whereas, there is no evidence to demonstrate the efficacy of Nicotine pouches as a smoking cessation aid; and

Whereas, the emergence of nicotine pouch products produced by Imperial Tobacco Canada, under the brand name “Zonnic” has occurred rapidly without the same regulations applied to other nicotine products; and

Whereas, the marketing and accessibility of Zonnic Pouches raises concerns regarding its appeal to youth populations; and

Whereas, the Nicotine Pouches fall outside existing provincial regulations on tobacco and vaping products; and

Whereas, there are significant concerns regarding the risks to youth and young adults who do not smoke and parallels between nicotine pouch use and vaping.

Now therefore be it resolved that the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health strongly encourages the federal government to take immediate action to close the regulatory gap that permits the sale of nicotine pouches to people under the age of 18; and

FURTHER THAT, the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health strongly encourages the province of Ontario to take immediate action to embed restrictions on the sale, display, and promotion of nicotine pouches under the provincial Smoke-free Ontario Act, 2017; and 

FURTHER THAT, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit works closely with local municipalities to review tobacco/vape-free public place bylaws to include additional nicotine products; and

FURTHER THAT, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit works closely with local schools and boards to update policies to ensure products like nicotine pouches, and other emerging products that are tobacco or nicotine related are prohibited on school property.

References

Government of Canada, & Health Canada. (2004, July 26). Natural Health Products Ingredients Database. Webprod.hc-Sc.gc.ca. https://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/ingredReq.do?id=1518&lang=eng

Health Canada. (2023, October 17). Product information. Health-Products.canada.ca. https://health-products.canada.ca/lnhpd-bdpsnh/info?licence=80125630

Leslie, F. M. (2020). Unique, long-term effects of nicotine on adolescent brain. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 197(173010), 173010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2020.173010

M. Jackson, J., Weke, A., & Holliday, R. (2023). Nicotine pouches: a review for the dental team. British Dental Journal, 235(8), 643–646. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-023-6383-7

Marina von Stackelberg. (2023, November 15). National health groups call on Ottawa to prevent sales of nicotine pouches to children. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/restrictions-nicotine-pouches-1.7028297

Marsh, S. (2023, June 23). How much nicotine is in a cigarette compared to a vape? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jun/23/how-much-nicotine-is-in…

OSDUHS. (2021). The Ontario Student Drug Use and Mental Health Survey (OSDUHS). CAMH. https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/pdf---osduhs/2021-osduhs-report-pdf.p…

Ren, M., & Lotfipour, S. (2019). Nicotine Gateway Effects on Adolescent Substance Use. The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 20(5), 696–709. https://doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2019.7.41661

Stein, E. A., Pankiewicz, J., Harsch, H. H., Cho, J. K., Fuller, S. A., Hoffmann, R. G., Hawkins, M., Rao, S. M., Bandettini, P. A., & Bloom, A. S. (1998). Nicotine-induced limbic cortical activation in the human brain: a functional MRI study. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 155(8), 1009–1015. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.155.8.1009

University of Waterloo, & Brock University. (2023). COMPASS: Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.

WECHU. (n.d.). Smoking and Vaping | The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. Www.wechu.org. Retrieved December 13, 2023, from https://www.wechu.org/school-health/substance-use/smoking-and-vaping#:~…

October 27, 2023

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

Honourable Chrystia Freeland
Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Finance

Honourable Jenna Sudds
Ministry of Families, Children and Social Development

Honourable Lawrence MacAulay
Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Ministry of Public Services and Procurement

Dear Federal Ministers Freeland, Sudds, MacAulay, and Duclos:

Re: Support for a Funded Healthy School Food Program in Budget 2024 (Federal)

At its meeting on October 19, 2023, the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts carried the following resolution #61-23:

WHEREAS a universal publicly funded student nutrition program can positively impact students’ nourishment, health and well-being, behaviours and attitudes, school connectedness, and academic success; and

WHEREAS the current provincial student nutrition program strives to offer a breakfast, snack, and/or lunch to students each school day, but not all schools have adequate financial and human resources to offer them; and

WHEREAS the annual monitoring of food affordability in Sudbury and districts demonstrates that some families may struggle to purchase food, and a universal fully-funded student nutrition program can help to ensure no child is left out of the program due to their family’s ability to pay; and

WHEREAS the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts passed motion 02-20 supporting a universal publicly funded healthy school food program; and

WHEREAS although the Ontario government recently announced an additional $5 million this year in the provincial Student Nutrition Program and the First Nations Student Nutrition Program, more support is needed to ensure a fully-funded universal student nutrition program; and

WHEREAS the federal government announced its commitment to work toward the creation of a National School Food Policy to help Canadian communities access healthy food in the Food Policy for Canada; and

WHEREAS the Ontario Public Health Standards requires boards of health to support and participate with other partners in advancing school food policy and programming using population health assessment and surveillance, policy development; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts support the recommendations submitted by the Coalition for Healthy School Food to the Government of Canada as part of advance consultations for Budget 2024:

Allocate $1 billion over five years and collaborate with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners to provide them with an initial $200 million as soon as possible to fund existing school food programs; and

Create a separate School Food Infrastructure Fund grants program of, at minimum, $50 million; and

Negotiate independent School Food Policy agreements with First Nation, Inuit and Métis leadership to ensure long-term and sustainable funding for Indigenous school nutritious meal programs; and

THAT the Board calls on the Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development for investment in healthy school food in Budget 2024, as presented in the House of Commons’ online e-4586 (Food and drink); and

FURTHER THAT The Board share this motion with relevant stakeholders, including Ontario Boards of Health and the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa).

Currently, Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program in place. In Ontario, the current student nutrition program faces inconsistent year-to-year funding, posing barriers to stability and sustainability and impacting full implementation of the program, such that all students can benefit from proper nourishment. The patchwork of funding sources compromises the quantity and quality of food served, and the availability of adequate infrastructure and human resources to offer a student nutrition program where all children are able to benefit from.

In the Food Policy for Canada, the Government of Canada announced the intention to “engage with provinces, territories, and key stakeholder groups to work toward the creation of the National School Food Program”i. Despite this intention, there was no financial commitment made to establish a National School Food Program in the 2023 federal budget.

The Board of Health is pleased to join many leaders from across Canada in supporting a publicly funded universal school food program model that can positively impact student’s nourishment, health and wellbeing, behaviours and attitudes, school connectedness, and academic success. The proposed universal program model with leadership by Canada, and Ontario’s Ministries would enable all students to have the equal opportunity to eat healthy meals at school everyday, and that no child is left out due to their family’s ability to pay.

Thank you for your attention on this important issue. Given the impact of nutrition related children’s health and wellbeing, we trust you will advance this work quickly and so that no child is left out.

Sincerely,

Penny Sutcliffe, MD, MHSc, FRCPC
Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer

cc: Honourable Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services
Honourable Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education
Honourable Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier of Ontario, Minister of Health
Jamie West, Local Member of Provincial Parliament, Sudbury
France Gélinas, Local Member of Provincial Parliament, Nickel Belt
Michael Mantha, Local Member of Provincial Parliament, Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing
Viviane Lapointe, Local Member of Parliament, Sudbury
Marc Serré, Local Member of Parliament, Nickel Belt
Carol Hughes, Local Member of Parliament, Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing
Bruce Bourget, Director of Education, Rainbow District School Board
Danny Viotto, Director of Education, Huron Superior Catholic District School Board
Joanne Bénard, Director of Education, Sudbury Catholic District School Board
Lesleigh Dye, Director of Education, District School Board Ontario North East
Lucia Reece, Director of Education, Algoma District School Board
Paul Henry, Directeur de l’éducation, Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon
Sébastien Fontaine, Directeur de l’éducation, Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l’Ontario
Sylvie Petroski, Directrice de l’éducation, Conseil scolaire catholique de district des Grandes Rivières
Debbie Field, Coalition for Healthy School Food
Carol Dodge, Executive Director, Better Beginnings Better Futures
Ontario Boards of Health

October 27, 2023

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

The Honourable Doug Ford
Premier of Ontario

The Honourable Sylvia Jones
Minister of Health

The Honourable Michael Tibollo
Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions

Dear Premier Ford and Provincial Ministers Jones and Tibollo:

Re: Public Health Strengthening and Chronic Disease Prevention

On behalf of the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts, please accept this correspondence highlighting our commitment to health promotion and chronic disease prevention.

At its meeting on October 19, 2023, the Board of Health carried the following resolution #60-23:

WHEREAS the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to ensuring it addresses the public health needs and health equity in its catchment area, as aligned with board of health requirements under the Health Protection and Promotion Act and Ontario Public Health Standards; and

WHEREAS Health Promotion Ontario’s White Paper on the Value of Local Health Promotion in Ontario recommends strong and sustained investment in local health promotion by public health units to ensure that health promotion is prioritized on an ongoing basis; and

WHEREAS the Board recognizes that there are opportunities for system improvements as part of the review of board roles and responsibilities announced under the government’s Public Health Strengthening initiative, including an assessment of its role in chronic disease prevention though health promotion interventions; and

WHEREAS chronic diseases are mostly preventable, are the cause of 75% of deaths in Ontario, and incur $10.5 billion in direct health care costs in the province; and

WHEREAS as the scope and intensity of infectious disease risks increase in the context of finite resources, there is a risk of under-resourcing public health actions that work on longer horizon chronic disease prevention;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT in the context of the Public Health Strengthening roles and responsibilities deliberations, the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts urges all health system actors to remain committed to maintaining appropriate investments in health promotion and chronic disease prevention, while ensuring health risks associated with its health protection work are managed;

AND FURTHER THAT the Board request that the Chief Medical Officer of Health ensure proactive local engagement in the sector-driven review of the Ontario Public Health Standards.

Chronic diseases account for a substantial burden on the health of Ontarians and the health care system. They are the leading cause of death in Ontario, and they disproportionately impact populations who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, intensifying inequities. Chronic diseases are expensive to treat but they are largely preventable. Health promotion and chronic disease prevention work is critical to reducing the health and economic burden of chronic diseases.

The Board of Health respectfully urges the Provincial Government to ensure all health system actors, including local Public Health, are supported to invest in coordinated action to promote health and reduce the burden of chronic diseases, affecting so many Ontarians.

Sincerely,

Penny Sutcliffe, MD, MHSc, FRCPC
Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer

cc: Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ministry of Health
Heather Schramm, Acting Director, Health Promotion and Prevention Policy and Programs Branch, Ministry of Health
Susan Stewart, Chair, Health Promotion Ontario Executive Committee
Michael Sherar, President and Chief Executive Officer, Public Health Ontario
Matthew Anderson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Health
Brian Ktytor, Chief Regional Officer, Ontario Health North East & North West
France Gélinas, Member of Provincial Parliament, Nickel Belt
Jamie West, Member of Provincial Parliament, Sudbury
Michael Mantha, Member of Provincial Parliament, Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing
All Ontario Boards of Health

October 11, 2023

The Honourable Sylvia Jones
Minister of Health
College Park 5th Flr, 
777 Bay St Toronto, ON M7A 2J3

Minister Jones,

I am writing to you about the urgent need for approval of the SafePoint Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site in Windsor. I previously wrote to you on March 1, 2023 regarding SafePoint and the dire need to fund this project quickly. The site has been operational under federal exemptions since April 26, 2023 and has already provided hundreds of services in my community through the prevention of overdoses and diversion from area emergency departments. The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) wrote to you on October 3, 2023 highlighting the urgent need to provide timelines for approval of their application. Until now, provincial funding has not been made available and timelines for approval have not been provided. Funding for this site has solely been provided through the WECHU which is unacceptable and further delays will impact my community.

I want to highlight the importance of SafePoint and the impact it has had in my community thus far. The WECHU’s recent letter stated, “since opening its doors on April 26, 2023, as a temporary Urgent Public Health Needs Site, “SafePoint” has had hundreds of visits from people in need of care. Dozens of referrals to addiction treatment, mental health supports, and social services have occurred in addition to primary care, wound care, and foot care on-site. The site has experienced no safety concerns, or issues requiring emergency response and has developed strong working relationships with the residents, law enforcement, and the business community in the surrounding area. In addition, the CTS site received municipal support in the spring of 2022 to proceed with the application that was later validated under the new municipal council. This work has been coordinated in large part by staff at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU), which led the application process and solely funds the operations of SafePoint. The site is operated by our regional experts in mental health and addiction, Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare.” The WECHU have followed the necessary steps, ensured the application was completed correctly and that all information required was submitted. This has been confirmed multiple times by your Ministry.

As you are likely aware, Ontario has an opioid and overdose epidemic. The number of overdoses in my community and across the province are extremely high and very alarming. The funding needed to open and operate the SafePoint Consumption and Treatment Services site is vital and lifesaving.

I understand that safe consumption and treatment services sites across the province are under a critical incident review due to an ongoing investigation related to an incident nearby a CTS site in the Toronto area. I think everyone can agree that a security review following such a serious incidence is important.

The concern that I share with my community, WECHU and Windsor council members is related to the fact that SafePoint has met all requirements, including safety requirements, set out by provincial, federal and municipal governments and yet many months have passed without you or your government providing WECHU with any certainty regarding provincial funding. I will note that all CTS requirements laid out were met and WECHU began waiting for funding direction prior to the incident at the Toronto area CTS.

Further delays with funding and application status are unnecessary. Healthcare in Ontario is under severe pressure. People requiring mental health and addiction services face long waitlists and barriers to accessing care. Delays in accessing care can have deadly consequences. Providing ongoing, stable funding for SafePoint to continue operating with no delay is just one way to combat pressures on our healthcare system. Data shows that lives are being saved and SafePoint has been successful in connecting patients to critical wrap around supports and services such as housing, social services and other health care.

The WECHU has requested a response before October 13th as they prepare to set their 2024 budget, as are Windsor are Essex County councils. I ask that you respond in a timely manner to ensure SafePoint, the WECHU and Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare can continue to provide the support and services that are both effective and necessary.

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Lisa Gretzky, MPP Windsor West
Critic of Mental Health and Addictions

CC: Windsor-Essex Health Unit
The City of Windsor – Office of the City Clerk

November 9, 2023

Fabio Costante, Board of Health Chair
Dr. Kenneth Blanchette, Chief Executive Officer
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
1005 Ouellette Avenue
Windsor, ON
N9A 4J8

Re: Investing in a Sustainable Federal School Food Policy

Dear Chair Costante and Dr. Blanchette,

At the October 19, 2023 meeting, under Correspondence item d), the Middlesex-London Board of Health moved to endorse the following item:

Date: September 21, 2023
Topic: Investing in a Sustainable Federal School Food Policy
From: Fabio Costante, Board of Health Chair and Dr. Kenneth Blanchette, Chief Executive Officer, Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
To: Honourable Federal Ministers Freeland, Sudds, MacAulay and Duclos

The Middlesex-London Board of Health received a report in April 2023 titled “Monitoring Food Affordability and Implications for Public Policy and Action”. This report noted that local food affordability monitoring is a requirement of the Ontario Public Health Standards. It also provided an update on the Middlesex-London Health Unit’s 2022 Nutritious Food Basket survey results, which demonstrate that incomes, particularly when dependent on social assistance, are not adequate for many Middlesex-London residents to afford basic needs, and that food insecurity has a pervasive impact on health; and there is a need for income-based solutions.

A federal school food policy would support students in the Middlesex-London region, while also supporting families of those students navigating financial strain and inflation while purchasing food at the grocery store. It is noted that the correspondence from Windsor-Essex County Health Unit highlights that public health and many school communities do not have resources to support food programs at schools. The Middlesex-London Health Unit supports our colleagues from Windsor-Essex in advocating for a federal school food program that includes the following aspects:

• Serve tasty, nourishing, culturally appropriate foods;
• Ensure that ALL students in a school can access the program in a non-stigmatizing manner;
• Be a cost-shared model, including federal support;
• Be flexible and locally adapted to the context of the school and region, including commitment to Indigenous control overprograms for Indigenous students;
• Support Canadian farmers and local food producers;
• Provide conflict of interest safeguards that prevent programs from marketing to children; and
  Promote food literacy.

The Middlesex-London Board of Health supports the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit in advocating to the federal government for a federal school food policy for a universal, cost-shared school food program in schools. To view more resources, please visit the Middlesex-London Health Unit’s website page regarding Food Access in Schools.

Sincerely,

Matthew Newton-Reid
Board Chair
Middlesex-London Health Unit

Dr. Alexander Summers MD, MPH, CCFP, FRCPC
Medical Officer of Health
Middlesex-London Health Unit

Emily Williams BScN, RN, MBA, CHE
CEO, Secretary and Treasurer
Middlesex-London Health Unit

CC: Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister
Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health
Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
Board Member Skylar Franke

PREPARED BY:     
Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Department

DATE:     
November 20, 2023

When an individual or family struggles to put food on the table, it is a sign of overall deprivation from insufficient or unstable incomes. In these cases, food is often sacrificed to pay for other costs of living. Household food insecurity refers to the inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints which have severe negative impacts on physical health, mental health, the healthcare system, and overall social well-being¹. These impacts can be seen through children living in food insecure households who are more likely to experience mental health issues like hyperactivity, inattention, greater risks of disordered eating, depression, and suicidal ideation in adolescence and early adulthood².

Locally, Windsor and Essex County (WEC) had a 18.8% household food insecurity rate between 2019-2021, with a 19.8% rate in 2021 alone3. Further, 12.9% of children 1 to 17 years old in WEC live in food-insecure households³. Since 1998, the Ontario Public Health Standards have mandated local health units to monitor food affordability through population health assessments and surveillance using the Ontario Nutritious Food Basket (ONFB) tool. The ONFB⁴ is one of many food costing tools that measures the cost of basic eating that represents current nutrition recommendations and average food purchasing patterns. The ONFB tool accounts for the current market availability of many products and the ability to find the price of foods through online grocery platforms. 

CURRENT INITIATIVES

Between May 23 and June 1, 2023, the WECHU used the new ONFB hybrid costing tool to collect data directly from stores and indirectly through online retailers. Using these final numbers, a variety of income and family scenarios for the local community were calculated.

The 2023 cost of the Ontario Nutritious Food Basket, for a family of four in Windsor-Essex is $262.68 per week ($1,137.39 per month). This is an 8.7% increase in food cost from 2022. A sample of three income scenarios from the 2023 Real Cost of Eating in Windsor-Essex report is presented in Table 1 below. Of note, these figures represent the cost of 61 different nutritious food items which would make up a typical grocery list. A 5% buffer was also added to the final basket amount which accounted for miscellaneous items not included in the calculation such as spices, hygiene products, and other household needs. Not included in these calculations are other essential needs including transportation, phone, internet, heat, hydro, medication, childcare, school supplies, clothes, shoes, eye and dental care, home maintenance, and household cleaners.

Below, Table 1 compares monthly income to the cost of rent and the 2023 ONFB calculation. Of note, a single male living on Ontario Works (a social assistance benefit program) could spend close to their entire income on the rent for a bachelor apartment, leaving a shortage of $337.37 for all other expenses and an expecting mother on Ontario Disability Support Program, would have only $2.05 left for all other expenses.

Further, the Windsor-Essex ONFB data has been used as an essential component in the calculation of the Ontario Living Wage rates. A living wage is the minimum amount a person must earn to afford to live and participate in a specific community. A living wage is not the same as the minimum wage, which is the lowest rate an employer can legally pay for work performed. The 2023 Living Wage rate for the southwest region is $18.65 which is $2.10/per hour more than the current provincial minimum wage. Table 2 highlights the local living wage rates compared to the minimum wage rates from 2018 to 2023. 

Income inequality has been recognized as one of the most significant social determinants contributing to poor population health outcomes and is the main driver of food insecurity. When basic needs are not met, this can be a significant barrier for individuals to survive, let alone thrive, or make meaningful contributions to society. The additional income scenarios and case studies included in the 2023 Real Cost of Eating report further demonstrate the difficulties community members face. This report will be disseminatedto local social planners, anti-poverty advocates, Registered Dietitians, and other community partners who will benefit from using this data within their program planning and advocacy efforts. To view the full report, visit www.wechu.org/healthy-eating/nutritious-food-basket.

¹Ontario Dietitians in Public Health, Food Insecurity Workgroup. Position Statement on Responses to Food Insecurity. https://www.odph.ca/upload/membership/document/2021-04/ps-eng-corrected-07april21_3.pdf. Published December 2020.

²Tarasuk V, Li T, Fafard St-Germain AA. (2022) Household food insecurity in Canada, 2021. Toronto: Research to identify policy options to reduce food insecurity (PROOF). Retrieved from https://proof.utoronto.ca/  September 2, 2022.

³Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Food insecurity among children using the Canadian Health Survey of Children and Youth. 2nd ed. Toronto, ON: King’s Printer for Ontario; 2023

⁴Ministry of Health Promotion. Nutritious Food Basket Guidance Document. https://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/oph_standards/docs/mhp/NutritiousFoodBasket.pdf May 2010.

PREPARED BY:

Planning and Strategic Initiatives Department

DATE:

November 20, 2023

SUBJECT:

Annual Service Plan Q3 2023 Reporting

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

In 2018, the Ontario Ministry of Health (MOH) introduced a new Annual Service Plan (ASP) that Health Units are required to submit each year. To ensure a single and integrated approach to evaluating progress on this requirement, the Planning and Strategic Initiatives (PSI) department worked with the Information Technology (IT) department to align our planning system with the provincial Ontario Public Health Standards requirements to provide quarterly progress reports. 

CURRENT INITIATIVES

Q3 Intervention Work Plan Progress

Project Leads have submitted individual progress reports for work plans in their programs for Q3, 2023. 

The 2023 Annual Service Plan - Q3 Status Report indicates:

• For external client facing programs, there are 139 workplans in progress, 4 were completed, and 77% are on target.
• For internal organizational programs, there are 36 workplans in progress and 67% are on target.

Annual Service Plan Development for 2024

Planning for 2024 began in July, 2023. Programs have been selected to be active in the WEHCU’s 2024 service plan and their descriptions updated. The Intervention Work Plans (IWP) that support these programs have been prepared and are currently being reviewed for final approval and budgeting.

2023 Operational Plan Reporting 
Q2 STATUS REPORT

Reporting Structure

This report provides a status summary for Intervention Work Plans (IWP) in the 2023 Annual Service Plan that were in active and in progress during Q3 (July 1 through September 30). 

The project lead for each active IWP was asked to provide a progress report on their work. The status updates consisted of the following categories:

• On Target (the intervention is progressing at the planned pace)
• Variance (the intervention is behind the planned pace)
• Complete (the intervention has been completed)
• Deferred (current work on the intervention has been stopped – with potential to continue next year)
• Cancelled (the intervention will no longer occur)

If the intervention was identified as ‘Variance’, ‘Deferred’, or ‘Cancelled’, a reason was provided. In these cases, the most relevant reason was selected from the following list:

• Adjusted Program Priorities (program priority alterations resulted in changes to the IWP)
• Human Resource Issue (staffing circumstances resulted in changes to the IWP)
• Partnership Limitations (external partner(s) did not to meet their obligations)
• Public Health Emergency (a significant emergency resulted in changes to the IWP)
• Internal Resource Limitation (financial, material, or internal support limitations resulted in changes to the IWP)
• External Resource Limitation (External financial, material, or internal support limitations occurred with partnerships, collaborations, funding, or regulations)

It is important to note that reporting reflects a snapshot summary of progress made on interventions based on the predetermined milestones for the intervention for this quarter. This does not necessarily represent the amount or scope of work captured under each program.

Part 1: External Community Facing Programs

Overall Quarterly Status Summary 

There were 139 active external interventions evaluated for progress in Q3 2023, and 99 of the interventions were reported to be on target. 4 workplans were completed this Quarter. Of all active interventions, 77% are currently on target.

Figure 1 displays the percentage of interventions that were reported on target, indicated a variance, deferred, cancelled, or were completed.

PREPARED BY:
Planning and Strategic Initiatives

DATE:
November 20, 2023

The Ontario Public Health Standards (2021), under the Good Governance and Management Practices Domain, states: “the board of health shall have a self-evaluation process of its governance practices…”. 

In addition to a yearly self-evaluation process, the WECHU has developed a quarterly self-assessment survey for Board of Health (BoH) members. The survey provides an opportunity for feedback on BoH operations and is used to inform quality improvement efforts. 

DISCUSSION

Responses in the third quarter of 2023 related to BoH operations continued to be positive. In most cases, 80% or more of the responses were Agree or Strongly agree regarding the aspects queried. The one exception was related to the item ‘All material notices of wrongdoing or irregularities were responded to in a timely manner’, where 70% of the responses were Agree or Strongly Agree (20% of responses to this item were ‘Don’t Know/Unsure’). In terms of overall perceived BoH effectiveness, 70% of the responses were either a 9 or a 10 (on a 10-point scale), where the average score was 8.9. 

Suggestions for improvement included future quality improvement efforts related to BoH operations and increased engagement with members of the community in public health efforts. Other recommendations included collaboration with all levels of the government and flexible approaches/use of technology to allow the BoH to respond promptly and effectively to new challenges.

PREPARED BY: 
Environmental Health

DATE: 
November 20, 2023

The Environmental Health Department delivers various seasonal programs that are mandated under the Ontario Public Health Standards.  These programs include monitoring beach water quality and heat events, as well as surveillance of West Nile Virus (WNV), Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Zika Virus, and Lyme disease activity in Windsor and Essex County (WEC). This report provides a summary of these 2023 seasonal programs.

DISCUSSION

Beach Monitoring: The 2023 beach monitoring season ran for a total of 13 weeks, with weekly water sampling conducted from June 12, 2023 to September 5, 2023. There were 20 water quality warnings issued (201-999 E. coli/100ml), and 3 beach closures (≥1000 E. coli/100ml). This season had significantly less water quality issues when compared with 2022, which had 41 warnings and 13 closures. The permanent closure of Mettawas Beach partially accounts for this difference.

Harmonized Heat Warning Information System: Starting in May of each year, the WECHU monitors the Environment Canada and Climate Change’s forecast for heat events and issues heat warnings or extended heat warnings in accordance with the Ontario Harmonized Heat Warning and Information System (HHWIS). In 2023, there were no heat warnings (two consecutive days are forecasted to have a daytime high temperature greater than or equal to 31°C and a nighttime temperature greater than or equal to 21°C or a humidex greater than 42°C ) and three extended heat warnings (three or more than three consecutive days are forecasted to have a daytime high temperature greater than or equal to 31°C and a nighttime temperature greater than or equal to 21°C or a humidex greater than 42°C) issued. This summer had significantly less number of days under heat warning (11 days) as compared to 22 days in 2022. 

Mosquito Surveillance program: The Mosquito Surveillance Program ran for a total of 21 weeks from May 23 to Oct.13, 2023. Once a week, 41 mosquito traps (26 CDC light traps and 15 BGS 2 traps) were set up across WEC to collect mosquitoes for identification and viral testing.  

Number of Mosquitoes caught – 73,028 
Number of pools tested -1159 
Number of WNV positive pools - 11 
Number of WNV human cases - 1 
Number of Aedes albopictus caught -84

There were no positive pools or human cases for EEE or Zika identified this year.

Active Tick Surveillance: Active surveillance is used to assess the local distribution and incidence of black-legged ticks in WEC. It involves the dragging of a white cloth through grassy areas whereby ticks attach themselves to the fabric and can be easily spotted and identified. Any black-legged ticks identified are sent to an accredited laboratory for testing for Lyme disease. Tick dragging is performed twice yearly in the spring and the fall.

In 2023, tick dragging was conducted at 4 sites across WEC (Ojibway Prairie Nature Reserve, Ruscome Shores Conservation Area, Cipher Systems Green Way – Essex and Hilman Marsh Conservation Area) In May and October. 41 blacklegged ticks were found through tick dragging and have been sent to lab for testing. As of September 30^th, 2023, there were six human cases of Lyme disease reported in WEC.

PREPARED BY:

Communications Department

DATE:

November 20, 2023

SUBJECT:

August 15, 2023 – September 14, 2023, Communications Update

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE:

Provide regular marketing and communication updates to the Board of Health.

Data Notes can be provided upon request

Media Exposure Overview Graph

Notes: Between August 15 – September 14, we experienced one large peak, and one smaller peak in exposure:

August 24 – On this date, a variety of news stories were released including beach water results, a boil water advisory for Kingsville, and a mental health / suicide awareness event to promote the awareness month of September.

August 30 – 31 – Across these dates, beach water results were shared, the WECHU conducted an interview on sexually transmitted infections, and stories around SafePoint funding approval.

Website Overview Graph

Notes: During the timeframe of August 14 – September 15, we saw similar website traffic patterns as the previous month. We did have a peak in web traffic on August 24, which corresponds with two big news stories – the boil water advisory as well as the weekly beach water testing results. 

Social Media Overview Graph

Lighter blue line represents the current month, darker blue line represents the previous month.

Note: Overall, we saw small increases in our follows on all platforms over the month.

DISCUSSION

The Communications Department worked closely with the Environmental Health Department on the Fight the Bite campaign which raises awareness on the prevention of vector borne illness, specifically West Nile Virus. The campaign was multi-faceted including, commercials on two local radio stations (Blackburn and AM800), digital billboards, and interior bus posters. A variety of online mediums were also used including organic social media posts, paid advertisments on Meta (Facebook and Instagram), and Google Response Display Ads.

The Google Response Display Ads ran for approximately 8 weeks, and had a total of 15,014 impressions (the number of times the ad was on a screen), which yielded 875 link clicks to the Fight the Bite webpage. Paid advertisements on Meta had a total reach of 13,452 (number of people who saw the ad at least once), which yielded 175 link clicks to the Fight the Bite webpage.
 

BACKGROUND

Overview

• SafePoint officially opened on Wednesday, April 26th, 2023, serving clients 7 days per week between the hours of 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• In order to ensure transparency related to SafePoint operations, the Board of Health will be provided with regular updates.

Application Status

• In July of 2023, Health Canada authorized the WECHU’s exemption request to operate SafePoint as a Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site. 
• The approval from Health Canada was shared with the Ontario Ministry of Health to complete the provincial application to operate a fully funded CTS site. 
• The Ministry of Health application for CTS funding continues to remain under review. An announcement was made that a review of the safety components of all operating sites is underway and that until such time that this is completed, all pending applications for funding will be placed on hold.

CURRENT INITIATIVES

Operational Data

It has been six months since SafePoint opened on April 26^th and there has been a total of 859 client visits and 182 unique clients to date, with no overdoses reported on-site to date. Additional details about the services provided at SafePoint during the month of October are presented in Tables 1-3.

Client Experience Narrative

Beyond the number of client visits recorded in the month of October, SafePoint continues to demonstrate that the services being offered are having a positive impact on clients, as highlighted through the following client experience narrative:

Anonymous Client

Staff from SafePoint, Canadian Mental Health Association’s Safe Beds Program, Hôtel Dieu Grace Healthcare’s Withdrawal Management Service, Family Services Windsor-Essex, Windsor Regional Hospital, and the Toldo Neurobehavioural Institute (TNI) all coordinated to ensure a client’s successful access to the TNI for stabilization and substance use support.

BACKGROUND

Overview

• SafePoint officially opened on Wednesday, April 26th, 2023, serving clients 7 days per week between the hours of 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. daily.
• In order to ensure transparency related to SafePoint operations, the Board of Health will be provided with regular updates.

Application Status

• In July of 2023, Health Canada authorized the WECHU’s exemption request to operate SafePoint as a Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site. 
• The approval from Health Canada was shared with the Ontario Ministry of Health to complete the provincial application to operate a fully funded CTS site. 
• The Ministry of Health application for CTS funding continues to remain under review. An announcement was made that a review of the safety components of all operating sites is underway and that until such time that this is completed, all pending applications for funding will be placed on hold.

CURRENT INITIATIVES

Operational Data

It has been five months since SafePoint opened on April 26^th and there have been a total of 601 client visits and 149 unique clients to date, with no overdoses reported on-site to date. Additional details about the services provided at SafePoint during the month of September are presented in Tables 1-3.

Client Experience Narrative

Beyond the number of client visits recorded in the month of September, SafePoint continues to demonstrate that the services being offered are having a positive impact on clients, as highlighted through the following client experience narrative:

Anonymous Client

The Mobile Medical Support (MMS) Team visited SafePoint to complete dental screenings to identify clients who may need oral health services. Through this outreach, the Dental Hygienist identified that a client required dental services but those services were not covered. The Dental Hygienist worked with the client to complete an application for funding to cover the cost of the procedure and the client was later able to have their tooth extracted.

FUTURE PLANS

SafePoint is preparing to launch a business engagement strategy, which will involve regular outreach with area businesses to address any questions or concerns about the site. SafePoint will also be partnering with the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association (DWBIA) to share information and resources with their membership about the supports available to businesses as SafePoint operates.
 

PREPARED BY:

Communications Department

DATE:

November 20, 2023

SUBJECT:

September 15, 2023 – October 14, 2023, Communications Update

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE:

Provide regular marketing and communication updates to the Board of Health.

Data Notes can be provided upon request

Media Exposure Overview Graph

Sept. 22 – On this date, two stories received wide media coverage – the continuation of a boil water advisory for Wheatly residents, and a three-part series on the effect of opioids and overdoses in Windsor-Essex.

Oct. 6 – The largest spike in media coverage was due to the announcement of the updated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine availability, and the pause on Consumption and Treatment Service (CTS) site application reviews in the province. The coverage of CTS site reviews continued for the remainder of the timeframe.

Website Overview Graph

Notes: During the timeframe of September 15 – October 14, we saw similar website traffic patterns as the previous month. We did have a peak in web traffic on October 10, which was when vaccine appointments were first available for the new COVID-19 vaccine (for individuals in high-risk groups).  

Social Media Overview Graph

Lighter blue line represents the current month, darker blue line represents the previous month.

Note: Overall, we saw small increases in our follows on all platforms over the month.

DISCUSSION

The Communications Department worked with the Healthy Schools department on their Healthy Sleep campaign. The goal of the campaign was to drive people to a webpage for information on the importance of sleep for overall health, and ways to improve sleep quality. The campaign utilized four communication components including, a digital display at the Devonshire mall, a printed ad inside Transit Windsor buses, social media ads, and boosted social media posts. 

All components directed people to the Healthy Sleep webpage, either linked from social media, or utilizing QR codes on the ads. For the duration of the campaign, the webpage had a total of 598 views. The Facebook ad reached 16,225 users, and the three boosted posts had a total reach of 11,993.