City of Ottawa Board of Health met Jan. 30.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
Ottawa Board of Health
Minutes
Meeting #: 2
Date: January 30, 2023
Time: 5:00 pm
Location: Champlain Room, 110 Laurier Avenue West, and by electronic participation
Present:
- Chair Catherine Kitts,
- V
- ice-Chair: Tammy DeGiovanni,
- Member Elyse Banham,
- Member Marty Carr,
- Member Laura Dudas,
- Member Glen Gower,
- Member Theresa Kavanagh,
- Member Rawlson King,
- Member Lewis Leikin,
- and Member Suzanne Pinel
- Member Peter Tilley
Please see the attached document for public notices and meeting information, including: availability of simultaneous interpretation and accessibility accommodations; in camera meeting procedures; processes and timelines for written and oral submissions; personal information disclaimer for correspondents and public speakers; notices regarding minutes; and remote participation details.
2. Announcements / Ceremonial Activities
First Nations, Inuit, Métis Elders will offer opening prayers
Representatives from the First Nations and Métis communities offered opening prayers in recognition of the Board of Health’s first meeting of 2023.
3. Roll Call
Member Tilley was absent.
4. Regrets
Member Tilley sent regrets
5. Declarations of Interest
No Declarations of Interest were filed.
6. Confirmation of Minutes
Confirmation of minutes of the meeting of November 7, 2022.
Carried
Confirmation of the Minutes of the meeting of December 20, 2022.
Carried
7. Communications
Four communication items have been received (held on file with the Board of Health Secretary).
8. Motion to Introduce Reports
Motion No. BOH2/1
Moved by Member Marty Carr
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the report titled: Election of an Interim Chair and Interim Vice-Chair; the Chair of the Board of Health Verbal Report; the Medical Officer of Health Verbal Report; the presentation titled Introduction to Ottawa Public Health Finances and the report on Attendance at the Association of Local Public Health Agencies’ (alPHa) Winter Symposium, be received and considered;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Rules of Procedure be suspended to receive and table the report titled “2023 Draft Operating Budget for the Ottawa Board of Health”.
Carried
8.1 Election of an Interim Chair and Interim Vice-Chair
File ACS2023-OPH-BOH-0001 – City-wide
The Board of Health Secretary presided over the beginning of the meeting, up to and including the election of a Chair. Prior to calling for nominations, she explained that section 57 subsection 2 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, required that boards of health elect a Chair and Vice-Chair at their first meeting each year and that Section 5 of the Board's Procedural By-Law required that the City Clerk and Solicitor or the Secretary of the Board of Health preside over the election of the Chair. She then invited nominations for the position of Chair of the Board of Health.
Following her nomination, Member Kitts accepted the nomination for the position of Interim Chair.
The Board Secretary called for any additional nominations three times before calling for a motion to close the nominations.
Following her election as Interim Chair, Chair Kitts took over as presiding officer and chaired the balance of the meeting.
Following her nomination, Member DeGiovanni accepted the nomination for the position of Interim Vice-Chair.
Chair Kitts called for any additional nominations three times before calling for a motion to close the nominations for the position of Interim Vice-Chair.
That the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit elect an Interim Chair and an Interim Vice-Chair, pending the appointment of new public Members to the Board of Health, after which a Chair and Vice-Chair will be elected for the remainder of the 2022-2026 term, to be confirmed at the first meeting of each year as required by the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
Carried as amended
Motion No. BOH2/2
Moved by Member Marty Carr
I move that Councillor Catherine Kitts be nominated for the position of Interim Chair for the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit, pending the appointment of new public Members to the Board of Health, after which a Chair and Vice-Chair will be elected for the remainder of the 2022-2026 term, to be confirmed at the first meeting of each year as required by the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
Carried
Motion No. BOH2/3
Moved byMember Marty Carr
I move that the nominations for the position of Interim Chair be closed.
Carried
Motion No. BOH2/4
Moved byMember Marty Carr
I move that the Board of Health appoint Councillor Catherine Kitts as Interim Chair for the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit, pending the appointment of new public Members to the Board of Health, after which a Chair and Vice-Chair will be elected for the remainder of the 2022-2026 term, to be confirmed at the first meeting of each year as required by the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
Carried
Motion No. BOH2/5
Moved by Member Marty Carr
I move that Member Tammy DeGiovanni be nominated for the position of Interim Vice-Chair for the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit, pending the appointment of new public Members to the Board of Health, after which a Chair and Vice-Chair will be elected for the remainder of the 2022-2026 term, to be confirmed at the first meeting of each year as required by the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
Carried
Motion No. BOH2/6
Moved by Member Marty Carr
I move that the nominations for the position of Interim Vice-Chair be closed.
Carried
Motion No. BOH2/7
Moved by Member Marty Carr
I move that the Board of Health appoint Member Tammy DeGiovanni as Interim Vice-Chair for the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit, pending the appointment of new public Members to the Board of Health, after which a Chair and Vice-Chair will be elected for the remainder of the 2022-2026 term, to be confirmed at the first meeting of each year as required by the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
Carried
8.2 Chair of the Board of Health Verbal Report
File ACS2023-OPH-BOH-0002 – City-wide
In her verbal report, Chair Kitts talked about February being Black History Month, Ottawa Public Health’s (OPH) and the Ottawa Board of Health’s commitment to addressing systemic anti-Black racism, and the need to reflect on our respective roles and to challenge ourselves to mark Black History Month in a meaningful and impactful way. She then highlighted the fact that two members of OPH’s Mental Health, Addictions and Sustance Use Health team, Hodan Aden and Sarah Hafez, were recently selected to receive the Lori Chow Memorial Award for their work relating to the Faith Leader Mental Health Skills and Capacity Building training initiative. She asked her Board colleagues to join her in congratulating Hodan, Sarah and the entire Mental Health, Addictions and Substance Use Health team for this successful initiative and well-deserved recognition.
The Board then voted to receive the Chair's Verbal Report. Discussions on this item lasted approximately 5 minutes.
That the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit receive this verbal report for information.
Received
8.3 Medical Officer of Health Verbal Report
File ACS2023-OPH-MOH-0001 – City-wide
Dr. Etches began her verbal report with an update on the local situation as relates to COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses and new provincial guidelines for access to PCR testing, which now aligns with eligibility criteria for access to Paxlovid. She then provided an update on childhood and youth immunization and OPH’s work in providing catch-up clinics for people experiencing barriers to access. In closing, Dr. Etches provided an update on Canada’s new Guidance on Alcohol and Health, released by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addition earlier this month. Notably, she explained that the science demonstrated that even with low and moderate levels of consumption, there are health and safety risks and that the risk of harms increases with increasing consumption. Therefore, regardless of a person’s level of alcohol consumption, decreasing consumption will decrease their risk.
Dr. Etches and staff responded to questions from Members of the Board of Health. The Board then voted to receive the Medical Officer of Health's Verbal Report. Discussions on this item lasted approximately 35 minutes.
That the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit receive this verbal report for information.
Received
8.4 Introduction to Ottawa Public Health Finances – Presentation
Ms. Jo-Anne Henderson-White, Manager of Performance and Corporate Services, spoke to a PowerPoint presentation, which served to provide the Board with an introduction to Ottawa Public Health finances. A copy of her presentation is held on file with the Board of Health Secretary.
Following the presentation, Ms. Henderson-White and Dr. Etches responded to questions from Board Members. This discussion lasted approximately 15 minutes. Following these exchanges, the Board voted to receive the presentation.
That the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit receive this presentation for information.
Received
8.5 2023 Draft Operating Budget for the Ottawa Board of Health
File ACS2023-OPH-PCS-0001 – City-wide
Ms. Jo-Anne Henderson-White, Manager of Performance & Corporate Services, spoke to a PowerPoint presentation, which served to provide the Board with some context on this report.
Following the presentation, Ms. Henderson-White and Dr. Vera Etches responded to questions from Board members. This discussion lasted approximately 20 minutes. The report recommendations were then put to the Board and voted on separately.
Report distributed at the meeting
That, at its meeting of January 30, 2023, the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit:
Receive and table the 2023 Draft Operating Budget for the Ottawa Board of Health; and Direct staff to forward the 2023 Draft Operating Budget for the Ottawa Board of Health to Ottawa City Council on February 1,2023 as part of the City Council’s tabling of the City of Ottawa 2023 Draft Operating and Capital budget.
Carried
8.6 Attendance at the Association of Local Public Health Agencies’ (alPHa) Winter Symposium
File ACS2023-OPH-BOH-0003 – City-wide
That the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit approve the Board of Health Members’ participation at the Association of Local Public Health Agencies’ (alPHa) Winter Symposium, to be held February 24, 2023, and pre-symposium workshop to be held February 23, 2023.
Carried
9. Information Previously Distributed
9.1 Update on access to primary care for Ottawa residents
File ACS2023-OPH-MOH-0003 – City-wide
10. In Camera Items*
NOTICE*
In Camera Items are not subject to public discussion or audience. Any person has a right to request an independent investigation of the propriety of dealing with matters in a closed session. A form requesting such a review may be obtained, without charge, from the City’s website or in person from the Chair of this meeting. Requests are kept confidential pending any report by the Meetings Investigator and are conducted without charge to the Requestor.
11. Motion to Adopt Reports
Motion No. BOH2/8
Moved by Member Marty Carr
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the report titled: Election of an Interim Chair and Interim Vice-Chair; the Chair of the Board of Health Verbal Report; the Medical Officer of Health Verbal Report; the presentation titled Introduction to Ottawa Public Health Finances and the report on Attendance at the Association of Local Public Health Agencies’ (alPHa) Winter Symposium, be received and adopted;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report titled “2023 Draft Operating Budget for the Ottawa Board of Health” be tabled, for consideration at the Board of Health meeting of February 27, 2023.
Carried
12. Motions Requiring Suspension of the Rules of Procedure
There were no Motions requiring suspension of the rules.
13. Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)
There were no Notices of Motion.
14. Confirmation By-law
Motion No. BOH2/9
Moved by Member Marty Carr
BE IT RESOLVED THAT Confirmation By-law no. 2023-1, a by-law of the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit to confirm the proceedings of the Ottawa Board of Health at its meeting of January 30, 2023, be read and passed.
Carried
15. Inquiries
There were no Inquiries.
16. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 6:50 pm.
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