September 2024 – Board of Health Summary
Written by Comms Team, September 11, 2024
September 4, 2024
Welcome Samantha!
Samantha Roan was introduced as the new Manager, Indigenous Health. In this role, Samantha will help lead Peterborough’s Indigenous engagement activities and contribute to the Indigenous reconciliation, decolonization and indigenization processes.
Q2 Report
Q2 financial and program reports were shared with the Board. Highlights from the quarter include:
- Staff participated in the Ontario Exercise on Extreme Heat in collaboration with the City of Peterborough. This included scenario planning for future extreme heat emergencies and allowed staff to identify opportunities for better collaboration with partners to ensure the safety of residents during such an event.
- Funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada was received to support efforts in youth substance use prevention.
- Guarding Minds @ Work committee surveyed all staff to assess psychological safety and well-being in the workplace and have begun developing an action plan to align with the survey results. These efforts support priorities identified in PPH’s Strategic Plan.
- Merger Business Case was submitted to the Ministry of Health.
- PPH submitted feedback to the Ministry of Health on the Ontario Public Health Standards Review.
Support for “An Act to Develop a national Framework for a Guaranteed Livable Income”
The Board endorsed and communicated support for a correspondence from Middlesex London Health Unit (MLHU) that supports Bills S-233 and C-223, “An Act to Develop a national Framework for a Guaranteed Livable Income.” Locally, 16.2% of Peterborough households were considered low income in 2022 and 1 in 5 considered food insecure. Guaranteed Basic Income could provide much needed financial assistance to over 20,000 members of the Peterborough community and has the potential to reduce health inequities by improving the social determinants of health.