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Published Aug 14, 2025 • Last updated 7 hours ago • 4 minute read
Grey Bruce Public Health office building in Owen Sound. Photo by FILES /THE SUN TIMES/POSTMEDIA NETWORKArticle content
Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Kieran Moore, has temporarily assumed the powers of the Grey Bruce Public Health board after “serious concerns” were identified about governance and other areas during a review.
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Moore said in a statement Thursday that “serious concerns were identified regarding the Board of Health’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities. These concerns include issues related to governance, leadership, financial management, and human resources.”
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He has issued direction under Section 77.1 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act to temporarily assume the powers of the board of health for the Grey Bruce Health Unit.
“This decision was not made lightly,” the statement said. “It reflects our commitment to the residents of Grey and Bruce counties, who rely on uninterrupted, high-quality public health services.” The statement says the health unit remains fully operational.
Moore has named a special advisor to work closely with the board of health “to help restore effective leadership, rebuild key relationships, and support long-term stability.
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His statement said the changes are temporary and “focused solely on strengthening governance and accountability. They do not reflect on the quality or integrity of the public health services being delivered.
“Our shared goal is to help Grey Bruce Public Health emerge stronger and better equipped to serve the community.”
Ontario chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore. Photo by YOUTUBE SCREEN GRAB /TORONTO SUN
Nick Saunders, a provincial appointee and the board’s chair, said in an interview Thursday night that he’s still the board chair. But it was Moore’s office which directed that the municipal representatives on the board be dismissed, following the review, he said, noting a letter he received in July.
“Dr. Moore’s office is now throwing me under the bus, and I’ve only been the chair for six months . . .” The dismissals had nothing to do with him or Dr. Ian Arra, the medical officer of health in Grey-Bruce, Saunders said.
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“Obviously it is very upsetting, like I said, that this is happening. And that I am trying to navigate this to the best of my abilities as the new chair that’s only been there for six months. This is a lot of things that I have inherited from previous chairs of the board.”
Arra confirmed Thursday night that he remains the medical officer of health for Grey-Bruce.
Moore offered assurances to other public health units that this “is an intervention specific to Grey Bruce Public Health” and no changes at other boards of health are planned.
“We will continue working closely with local partners in Grey and Bruce counties to support a successful transition. Our focus remains on protecting and promoting the health of Ontarians, today and into the future.”
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The Ministry of Health said in a statement to The Sun Times late Thursday afternoon that the independent review of the health unit was launched following “multiple complaints regarding the board’s operations, finances, and governance.”
“This change does not affect the operations of GBPHU. The public health unit will continue to deliver uninterrupted, high-quality health services to its communities,” the ministry statement said.
This week, the wardens of Grey and Bruce counties issued a brief joint statement which announced that all seven municipal politicians appointed to the health unit’s board of health had been terminated by e-mailed letter from the board chair as of Aug. 6.
Grey County Warden Andrea Matrosovs was among those whose positions were terminated on the health board and she expressed surprise earlier this week. She and Bruce County Warden Luke Charbonneau, who’s not on the health board, also expressed concern at the process followed.
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Their statement gave no reason for the dismissals and said both counties were working closely with the province to “seek clarity” because the termination letters “begged a lot of questions.”
Matrosovs declined to release the letter she received, or the review report, saying the letter was stamped personal and confidential and the province asked that the report remain private.
Grey County council met privately after its regular public meeting Thursday and the health unit was on the in-camera agenda. When she left the meeting she declined an interview request, as she was late for another meeting.
Charbonneau said in the earlier interview “I haven’t heard a reason that would justify that letter being sent. I guess that’s all I have to share. I don’t know the reason and I haven’t heard a good reason.”
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The Health Protection and Promotion Act says a majority of health board members must be municipally appointed. Regulation 559 sets the composition of the Grey Bruce Health Unit, among others, and the compositions vary.
It says Bruce County council is to appoint three members and Grey County council is to appoint four members. Without those members, achieving a quorum at the board was in question.
Grey and Bruce counties are paying 22.68 per cent of the health unit’s $13,490,795 budget in 2025. That’s just more than $3 million, split $1.274 million as Bruce’s share and $1.785 million as Grey’s share. The Ontario Ministry of Health is contributing $10.430 million.
Until the dismissals, the board’s municipal representatives from Grey County included Georgian Bluffs Mayor Sue Carleton, West Grey Mayor Kevin Eccles, Meaford Deputy-mayor Shirley Keaveney and Grey County Warden Andrea Matrosovs. Bruce County’s reps were Deputy Warden Don Murray, South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Jay Kirkland and Kincardine Mayor Kenneth Craig.
The board’s four provincial appointees all remained on the health unit’s website Thursday night: chair Nick Saunders, a recently re-elected member of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation; Bruce County representative Chad Richards and Grey’s two representatives, Beverly Wilkins and Helen-Claire Tingling.
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