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November 21, 2013 - Minutes

Members Present:

Mr. David Bolton
Ms. Denise Brown (Vice-Chair)
Mr. Al Edmondson
Ms. Trish Fulton
Mr. Marcel Meyer (Chair)
Mr. Stephen Orser
Mr. Ian Peer
Ms. Viola Poletes Montgomery
Ms. Nancy Poole
Mr. Mark Studenny

Regrets:

Ms. Sandy White

Others Present:

Mr. Wally Adams, Director, Environmental Health and Chronic Disease Prevention Services
Ms. Sonja Burke, Director, Counterpoint Harm Reduction Services
Ms. Hilary Caldarelli, Epidemiologist
Ms. Laura DiCesare, Director, Human Resources and Corporate Strategy
Mr. Dan Flaherty, Manager, Communications
Mr. Brian Lester, Executive Director, Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC)
Dr. Christopher Mackie, Medical Officer of Health & CEO
Mr. John Millson, Director, Finance and Operations
Ms. Sherri Sanders, Executive Assistant to the Board of Health (Recorder)
Ms. Deb Shugar, Manager, Family Health Services
Ms. Linda Stobo, Manager, Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control Team
Ms. Louise Tyler, Director, Human Resources and Labour Relations
Mr. Alex Tyml, Online Communications Coordinator
Dr. Bryna Warshawsky, Associate Medical Officer of Health and
Director, Oral Health, Communicable Disease & Sexual Health Services

Media Outlets:

Mr. Dan Brown London Free Press
Mr. Craig Gilbert London Community News

Board of Health Chair, Mr. Marcel Meyer, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

Disclosures of Conflicts of Interest:

Chair Meyer inquired if there were any disclosures of conflict of interest to be declared. None were declared at this time.

Approval of Agenda

It was moved by Mr. Bolton, seconded by Mr. Studenny that the AGENDA for the November 21, 2013 Board of Health meeting be approved with the addition of Recommendation Report No. 129-13 re Proposed Amendments to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. Carried

Approval of Minutes

It was moved by Mr. Orser, seconded by Mr. Peer that the MINUTES for the October 17, 2013 Board of Health meeting be approved. Carried

Committee Reports

1) Finance and Facilities Committee (FFC) Report, November 7th Meeting (Report No. 118-13)

Ms. Trish Fulton, Chair of the Finance and Facilities Committee (FFC), introduced Report No. 118-13 re the November 7 Finance and Facilities Committee meeting.

Business Arising from the November 7, 2013 FFC meeting

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Ms. Poletes Montgomery that the Board of Health receive Report No. 014-13C re 2013 Budget Variance Report to September 30th for information. Carried

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Mr. Peer:

  1. That the Board of Health endorse the Director, Finance & Operations, to submit on an annual basis, a summary report on the purchases made using the corporate credit card by category; and further
  2. That the Board of Health receive Appendix A to Report No. 015-13C “Administrative Policy 4-130 Corporate Purchase Cards” for information.

Carried

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Mr. Edmondson that the Board of Health approve the 100% Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) Program Budgets, attached to Report No. 17-13C as Appendix A and C respectively. Carried

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Ms. Poletes Montgomery that the Board of Health approve the 100% MCYS Program Budget for the Infant Hearing Program, attached as Appendix B to Report No. 17-13C, with a commitment from the Board of Health to cover the cost shortfall of the program up to $10,000. Carried

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Ms. Brown that Report No. 118-13, including the draft minutes of the November 7, 2013 Finance and Facilities Committee meeting, be received for information. Carried

Delegation Reports

2) Middlesex-London I-Track Survey of People Who Inject Drugs (Report No. 119-13)

Dr. Bryna Warshawsky, Associate Medical Officer of Health, introduced Ms. Hilary Caldarelli and Ms. Allison Locker, Epidemiologists. Dr. Warshawsky noted that Mr. Brian Lester, Executive Director of the Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC), and Ms. Sonja Burke, Director of Counterpoint Harm Reduction Services, were also in attendance at the meeting.

Ms. Caldarelli assisted Board Members with their understanding of this report by means of a PowerPoint Presentation.

Dr. Warshawsky outlined the reports that will be presented to the Board of Health at future meetings, including withdrawal management, needle/syringe recovery and disposal, needle/syringe exchange services in Middlesex County, opioid overdose prevention programs and a comprehensive injection drug use health status report.

In response to a query about whether the studies were completed at the same time of year across Canada, Ms. Caldarelli replied that the studies were not conducted at the same time of year. They were conducted sometime between 2010 and 2012. Dr. Warshawsky reported that that the primary drugs used in a community change over time due to prices and availability.

In response to a question about a safe injection site in London, Dr. Mackie explained that the Health Unit and its partners have a great deal of information to compile; however, this data collection is not being done with the end result of a Safe Injection Site. Mr. Lester explained that there is not a current proposal for a Safe Injection Site in London. He believes the best long-term scenario would be to offer safe injection services across London and Middlesex County and not services concentrated at one site.

Ms. Caldarelli confirmed that the I-Track Survey did not ask questions about needle disposal. The questions are the same across Canada. Dr. Warshawsky reported that Health Unit staff will make the recommendation to the I-Track program that disposal questions be added to the survey.

It was moved by Ms. Brown, seconded by Ms. Poletes Montgomery that Report No. 119-13 re Middlesex-London I-Track Survey of People Who Inject Drugs be received for information.
Carried

3) Middlesex County: Impact of Social and Economic Changes on Human Services Needs (Report No. 126-13)

Dr. Mackie assisted Board members with their understanding of this report using a PowerPoint Presentation.

It was moved by Ms. Brown, seconded by Mr. Orser that Report No. 126-13 re Middlesex County: Impact of Social and Economic Changes on Human Service Needs be received for information. Carried

Action Reports

11) Proposed Amendments to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act (Report No. 129-13)

Ms. Linda Stobo, Manager, Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control Team, assisted Board members with their understanding of this report.

In response to a question about electronic cigarettes, Ms. Stobo explained that e-cigarettes are regulated by the federal government. The Smoke-Free Ontario Act deals only with lighted tobacco products, which e-cigarettes are not. The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care is working with the Federal Ministry of Health on the e-cigarette issue. However, local businesses and agencies can develop policies that restrict the use of e-cigarettes on their property.

In response to a question about whether streets and sidewalks could be included in the requested letter, Ms. Stobo explained that regulations relating to roads and sidewalks are dictated by the Ontario Highway Traffic Act. Although the City of London does have some bylaws that deal with sidewalks, e.g., cycling on sidewalks, bylaws related to smoking on areas under the Ontario Highway and Traffic Act are an exception.

It was moved by Ms. Poletes Montgomery, seconded by Mr. Studenny that the Board of Health:

  1. Endorse Report No. 129-13 re Proposed Amendments to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, and
  2. Send a letter, attached as Appendix A, to the Right Honourable Premier Kathleen Wynne, the Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, and local Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) urging them to pass the legislation swiftly.

Carried

4) Menu Labelling: Improving the Food Environment (Report No. 120-13)

Ms. Stobo assisted Board members with their understanding of this report. She explained that there is computer software available that calculates calorie and sodium content of a recipe. The Health Unit has not yet been provided with information about monitoring compliance or the obligation of food providers.

It was moved by Ms. Poletes Montgomery, seconded by Ms. Poole that the Board of Health:

  1. Endorse the recommendation that clear, prominent labelling of calorie and sodium content on menus, including reference values, be required through provincial legislation as proposed by the Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health (OSNPPH) Position Statement (Appendix A), “Serving Up Nutrition Information in Ontario Restaurants” and Toronto Public Health (Appendix B).
  2. Communicate its support for provincial menu labelling legislation by sending a letter to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, local members of parliament, the Ontario Public Health Association and the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa).
  3. Endorse the OSNPPH Position Paper (Appendix A) in its entirety and forward this Report to all Boards of Health across Ontario to communicate its support for the implementation of local, evidence-based complementary menu labelling initiatives.

Carried

5) Criteria Weights for 2014 Budget (Report No. 121-13)

Dr. Mackie assisted Board members with their understanding of this report. The Finance and Facilities Committee will be considering approximately 70 proposals for disinvestment and investment that have been reviewed for feasibility by the Senior Leadership Team.

After discussion, it was moved by Mr. Bolton, seconded by Ms. Poletes Montgomery that the Board of Health endorse the criteria presented in Report No.121-13 re Criteria Weights for 2014 Budget. Carried

Information Reports

6) Tobacco Promotion in Tobacco Retailers (Report No. 122-13)

7) Updated Board of Health E-Learning Module (Report No. 123-13)

8) Health at Work 4 All! 2013 (Report No. 124-13)

9) tykeTALK: Thames Valley Preschool Speech And Language Program, The Infant Hearing Program - Southwest Region and The Blind Low Vision Early Intervention Program (Report No. 125-13)

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Orser that items #6 through #9 be received for information. Carried

10) Medical Officer of Health Activity Report – November (Report No. 127-13)

Dr. Mackie reported that this Health Unit will be covering the Medical Officer of Health role for Huron County from November 19 to 25, 2013.

It was moved by Mr. Bolton, seconded by Mr. Orser that Report No. 127-13 re Medical Officer of Health Activity Report – November be received for information. Carried

Correspondence

Mr. Meyer added the following correspondence to the list:

Date: 2013 November 20 (Received 2013 November 21)
Topic: E. Coli Outbreak in Ontario – Thanking Board for the Recognition
From: Ms. Joanne Dow, Public Health Nurse
To: Mr. Marcel Meyer, Chair, Board of Health

There were no questions about the correspondence.

Other Business

Next scheduled Board of Health Meeting: Thursday, December 12, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.

Adjournment

At 9:00 p.m., it was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Bolton that the meeting be adjourned. Carried


MARCEL MEYER
Chair

CHRISTOPHER MACKIE
Secretary-Treasurer

 

 

 
Date of creation: December 5, 2013
Last modified on: December 5, 2013