The Southeast Public Health (SEPH) Board of Health met Wednesday in Kingston where they heard updates on their fiscal state and the ongoing progress of the merger of three local health boards to form the current agency.
Funding projections update
Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health and CEO, provided an update on the financial projections to 2030, based on the approved 2026 budget. He noted that while the Ministry of Health’s unprecedented one-time voluntary merger funding has been beneficial for the agency; allowing mortgages to be paid off, investments in technology and staff skills upgrades, and assisting municipalities to offset costs incurred due to levy harmonization; financial prudence is still required.
Even when taking into account the additional funding from the harmonization of municipal levies, population growth and inflation are outpacing provincial funding by three to four percent each year. This amounts to an annual deficit for the health unit of approximately $1.3M, or a little over two percent of the annual budget.
In order for SEPH to deliver public health services mandated by the province within a sustainable and balanced budget, further operational efficiencies will need to be considered. The Board will be providing strategic direction on how to achieve this, through its strategic plan which is being developed this year.
Merger update
The Board received a memo outlining the significant merger work underway, including, but not limited to:
- Work on the SEPH website, which is on track to launch publicly on March 31.
- Installation of the rebranded reception area signage in Kingston and Belleville.
- Harmonization of medical directives and work to update clinical service policies.
- Overseeing the implementation of the new electronic medical records (EMR) system. The EMR supports data reporting, secure storage of personal health information, and an integrated solution for client referrals and bookings.
The next meeting of the Board of Health is April 22, 2026.
