After months of flirting with the idea of joining forces, the Haldimand-Norfolk and Brant County health units have made it official.
The health boards governing the three rural counties and the City of Brantford announced April 26 they have signed a letter of intent to merge.
The move comes in response to the province calling for voluntary merger proposals from Ontario’s 34 health units.
The impetus behind amalgamating smaller and rural health units is to “reduce overlap of services and focus resources on improving people’s access to programs and services close to home,” according to the Health Ministry.
Queen’s Park promises “one-time funding, resources and supports” for health units that merge by the end of the year. Interested health units had until the end of April to signal their intentions.
Behind closed doors, the Haldimand-Norfolk, Brant and Southwestern health units created a working group to evaluate various voluntary merger scenarios.
Southwestern Public Health, which oversees Oxford and Elgin counties and the city of St. Thomas, decided against merging with the other two health units.
“Throughout the years, we have maintained a strong alignment with the Brant County Health Unit, sharing numerous community providers, allied agencies, and health-care pathways across our regions,” Norfolk County Mayor Amy Martin, who chairs the Haldimand-Norfolk board of health, said in a media release.
“We are excited about the future of our health units, as we join forces to become even stronger and continue delivering exceptional service and advocacy to our residents.”
In their submission to the province, the boards of health will argue Haldimand-Norfolk and Brant already collaborate on overlapping health-care services and programs, and the fact that both regions are similar in demographics and largely rural character makes working together a natural fit.
“Our board has remained resolute in its dedication to providing a responsive, local public health service capable of addressing both current health challenges and any unforeseen surges in demand,” said Susan Brown, chair of the Brant County Health Unit.
“The decision to pursue a merger with the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit reflects our shared commitment to strengthen public health services, improve community health outcomes, and build a healthier future for everyone.”
Haldimand would remain part of the proposed merged health unit, even as its council previously decided to go its own way on physician recruitment, rejecting an offer from Norfolk County council to work together.
Haldimand is also aligned with Hamilton in an Ontario Health Team — a provincewide innovation designed to eliminate silos when providing primary care — while Brantford-Brant joined with Norfolk.
Haldimand County spokesperson Kyra Hayes said the county considered “alternative options” including breaking away from the Haldimand-Norfolk board of health and merging with “other neighbouring municipalities.”
That option “was not pursued for a variety of reasons, including lack of interest from these agencies,” Hayes said in an email.
In a statement, Haldimand Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley said Haldimand will “continue to advocate for an independent voice within the governance model of a merged board of health to ensure the interests of Haldimand residents are heard and considered.”
Currently, the Haldimand-Norfolk board of health consists exclusively of Norfolk County council members, who make decisions on behalf of the two counties.
Haldimand councillors have a non-binding voice through a joint health and social services advisory committee that makes recommendations to the health board.
Brant County’s board of health includes local and provincial appointees from outside municipal politics.
Bentley said the proposed merger “speaks to the existing relationships between all agencies and (our) common interest in providing responsive, accessible services that meet community needs.”
The two health units have until May 31 to submit a business case for amalgamation.
Presenting a plan to voluntarily merge lessens the chance the Health Ministry will impose a merger later, Hayes noted.
“While a merger is voluntary at this point, municipalities have received clear indication that regionalization of public health departments is a priority of this provincial government,” she said.
“If voluntary mergers are not considered, the potential for a merger to be imposed, and without the current funding, is a distinct possibility. This would bring Haldimand County back to the drawing board in terms of a revised governance model with direct Haldimand representation.”
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