ON December 2, the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit (HNHU) announced that it and the Brant County Health Unit (BCHU) received approval from the Ministry of Health to merge. The new entity will be known as Grand Erie Public Health, and it will serve residents in Norfolk County, Haldimand County, Brant County, and the City of Brantford.

“This approval by the Ministry of Health follows the review of a jointly prepared business proposal, submitted by BCHU and the HNHU,” the local health unit said in a statement.

“The new, merged health unit will replace the two organizations under the Health Promotion and Protection legislation effective January 1, 2025.”

In its statement, HNHU said residents should not expect immediate changes to local health programs and services.

“The full integration of the two health units into a single new entity is expected to take place gradually throughout 2025. On January 1, 2025, the delivery of programs and services for the public, in both communities, will remain the same. Programs and services will remain available across all of Brantford-Brant and Haldimand-Norfolk regions at current operating locations.”

The health units’ merger has been in development for over a year. In August 2023, Ontario’s Ministry of Health announced “unprecedented one-time funding, resources, and support for local public health agency mergers, prompting BCHU and HNHU to explore potential alignments and options.”

Before committing to merging with each other, HNHU and BCHU explored potential mergers with other health units, such as Southwest Public Health, which represents Oxford County, Elgin County, and St. Thomas.

“Throughout this process, BCHU and HNHU have identified several key benefits of merging, including enhanced public health capacity, improved service delivery, and a unified network of community partners such as school boards and children’s services providers. Both organizations already collaborate closely, with overlapping programs and shared geographic and demographic characteristics,” HNHU said.

“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.”

Norfolk County Mayor Amy Martin, HNHU board of health chair, expressed optimism about the merger on behalf of the organization.

“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. 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. We are grateful to the Ministry of Health for this opportunity.”

Brant County Health Unit board of health chair Susan Brown said, “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. 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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Originally published December 11, 2024