On Jan. 1, 2025, the former Hastings Prince Edward Public Health; Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health; and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit merged to form a new organization to serve the communities across the region of Southeast Ontario. Today (September 29), that new organization is officially unveiling its new identity: Southeast Public Health (SEPH).
“The launch of our new name and visual identity is an exciting step forward in our journey as a new organization that is committed to achieving greater impact by combining our knowledge, strengths, and resources to address the complex public health challenges facing the communities we serve,” says Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health and CEO for Southeast Public Health. “Through our merger, we are a stronger, more resilient organization, able to deliver a broad variety of services that touch every stage of life and every corner of our vast region.”
SEPH worked with creative branding agency Scott Thornley and Company, who engaged staff and leadership across the legacy agencies to determine how they wanted the new agency to be represented. The brand identity, which is based on the theme “A Place to Blossom’, is a modern design that includes a logo that represents many parts coming together to create something new, innovative, and resilient that fits the needs of our time. The mosaic is reflective of the diversity of our communities, our work linking community partners, and the breadth of public health services that we offer. It visually represents the action we’ve taken to shape our future together as one agency.
In the same way that public health works to understand and address how environments influence the health and well-being of populations, our brand identity was inspired by our surroundings; local flora native to the southeast region became the inspiration behind the shape of the new logo.
With this new identity comes new ways to connect and engage with SEPH. The new beginnings of our website, SoutheastPH.ca launched today; it includes information about our merged agency, and will house news updates, Board of Health information, and links to regionally specific content. Going forward, additional content will be added to this website using a phased approach that will allow the site to grow slowly as the important work of harmonizing information, resources, and programs takes place in the background. Web users can also connect with SEPH on newly launched social media channels through Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, where SEPH will share the latest news, updates, and public health content for the region.
Over the coming months, community members may continue to see legacy branding from the three former agencies, as well as temporary branding under the name South East Health Unit, while the work of updating all existing content to the new brand is being completed.
Please note that the three legacy health unit websites and social media channels will remain operational until the new year to allow for time to sign up to the new SEPH accounts without missing information.
For those not connected online, please continue to use the legacy toll-free numbers to connect with public health services in your local region.
(PAUL MARTIN)
