Hamilton councillor proposes restructuring board of health to include 7 community members

Hamilton councillor Cameron Kroetsch is proposing the city restructure its board of health, following calls for expert and community voices to be part of the board. 

At a city council meeting Wednesday, Kroetsch said he will be bringing forward a motion to change the composition of the board to be made up of six councillors, six community health professionals and one "education representative." The board currently has 16 members — all 15 councillors plus the mayor. 

The motion is expected to go to council on Feb. 8.

Such a change would bring Hamilton's board composition in line with Toronto's. Ottawa has a similar make up — six councillors and five members of the public. 

Councillor Nrinder Nann gave her support for the motion Wednesday, saying such a change "is key to good, engaged and informed decision making that advances population health outcomes in our city." 

Kroetsch said that in addition to working out the structure and process, Hamilton would need to go to the province to get its approval for the change. 

The motion also says several organizations — the Greater Hamilton Health Network, the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre, Refuge Newcomer Health Centre and the Coalition of Hamilton Indigenous Leadership — recommend six community representatives that would sit on the selection committee for the new board members. 

"[Restructuring] is key to good, engaged and informed decision making that advances population health outcomes in our city.- Nrinder Nann, councillor for Ward 3

Local advocacy groups have been calling for a change to who sits on the board.

At a Jan. 16 board of health meeting, Kojo Damptey, executive director for the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, and Lyndon George, executive director of the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre, each stressed the importance of a community presence on the board.

"If we have a board of health that doesn't have health experts on the board, how is that going to inform the strategic vision?" asked Damptey.

"With the newly elected board of health, we are here again to call on the board to not wait and move forward with building the board with a vision that includes community members to the decision making table," said George.

Hamilton's medical officer of health, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, advocated for the creation of a subcommittee instead, saying it would be within the city's purview and the province recognized it would be simpler moving forward because it would only require changing the City of Hamilton Act rather than also seek changes to additional provincial legislation.

In 2021, local doctors and community advocates, including George, Dr. Natasha Johnson, a pediatrician at McMaster Children's Hospital, and others pushed the city to include medical professionals and people with lived experience on the board.

Appointment of new associate medical officer of health

At Wednesday's meeting, council also approved the appointment of Dr. Brendan Lew as Associate Medical Officer of Health for the City of Hamilton, effective July 1, pending approval by Ontario's Minister of Health. 

The Ontario Ministry of Health will now consider this appointment based on eligibility within the Health Protection and Promotion Act.

The vacancy was created by the appointment of the former associate medical officer of health, Dr. Ninh Tran, as medical officer of health for Southwestern Public Health in March, 2022. Tran held the Hamilton position for more than 12 years.

The city says Lew will join Medical Officer of Health Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Bart Harvey and City of Hamilton Public Health Services staff in their continued focus on protecting and strengthening the health and well-being of Hamiltonians.

The city says Lew brings with him extensive background and qualifications, include the following:

• Currently completing his public health and preventive medicine residency training at McMaster University.
• Practicing family doctor, completing his family medicine residency training at McMaster University in 2021.
• Currently serving as both the president of the Professional Association of Residents of Ontario (PARO) and as the section chair of the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) Section of Residents.