A merger of the Brant County Health Unit and the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit has received the provincial health ministry’s stamp of approval.
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The merger takes effect Jan. 1, 2025 and the new entity will be known as Grand Erie Public Health. The new organization will cover Brantford as well as Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk counties.
“We’d like to extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Health for their approval of this merger and their commitment to investing in a stronger public health sector,” Susan Brown, chair of the Brant County Board of Health, said in a prepared statement released Monday. “The decision to merge with the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit underscores our collective dedication to enhancing public health services and advancing community well-being.
“This merger represents not just the coming together of two organizations, but a partnership of like-minded health units, dedicated to building a healthier future for all.”
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The health ministry follows a review of both a business proposal approval submitted by health boards.
Integration of the two health units is expected to take place throughout 2025.
Until then, the delivery of programs and services for the public in both communities will remain the same and available at current operating locations, Monday’s statement said.
“Our strong partnership with the Brant County Health Unit has allowed us to effectively collaborate with a wide network of community providers, allied agencies, and healthcare pathways across our regions,” Norfolk County Mayor Amy Martin said in the announcement. “Looking to the future, we are excited about our two health units becoming one and firmly believe that this merger will greatly enhance public health capacity, services, and overall impact.
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“We are grateful to the Ministry of Health for this opportunity.”
Martin is also the chair of the Haldimand-Norfolk Board of Health.
The merger’s focus remains on ensuring business continuity, retaining front-line expertise, maintaining a strong local public health presence, delivering high-quality services, and addressing health disparities, the statement said.
Work to join the two health units began in August 2023 when the Ministry of Health offered unprecedented one-time funding, resources and support for local health board mergers.
According to Monday’s statement, both health boards identified benefits of a merger including enhanced public health capacity, improved service delivery and a unified network of community partners including the school boards and children’s service providers.
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The two health units already work together with overlapping programs. The two areas have shared geographic and demographic characteristics, the statement said.
Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma said the merger will strengthen the delivery of public health services in Brantford, Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk.
The province will provide one-time funding, resources and support to the new public health unit to streamline and reinvest back into expanding programs services to build healthier communities, Bouma said.
“I am so pleased that the Brant County Health Unit and Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit have decided to voluntarily merge,” Bouma said in a statement. “Communities spanning from the City of Brantford to the shores of Lake Erie and everyone in-between will benefit from the efficiencies and innovation by working together for the common good for our entire region.”
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