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Annual Report 2024

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit works with individuals, families, agencies, and communities across the region to promote and protect health, and to prevent disease and injury. Through a wide range of public health programs and services, and in collaboration with community partners, we support policies and initiatives that foster health and well-being for all.

The health unit is governed by a Board of Health and funded by both municipal and provincial governments. Guided by the Ontario Public Health Standards and our organizational values, we remain focused on our mission and vision for a healthier Simcoe Muskoka.

This annual report shares highlights of our work and achievements in 2024.

Ann-Marie Kungl, Board of Health Chair 

Ann-Marie Kungl, Board of Health Chair

In 2024, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) continued to play a critical role in protecting and promoting the health of communities across the region. Among its many public health initiatives, SMDHU prioritized programs that responded to the most pressing community needs. For example, the agency’s immunization program helped ensure that residents—particularly school-aged children—remained protected against vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough through clinics, school-based programs, and public education of immunization reporting requirements.

These and other programs were supported by a dedicated Board of Health whose members continued a proud legacy of public health leadership. In 2024, the Board endorsed an organizational restructuring to strengthen capacity in key program areas, particularly infectious disease and immunization, in response to increasing demand. This reorganization also included the realignment of programs within departments to maximize efficiency and effectiveness across the agency.

In anticipation of the commencement of new Ontario Public Health Standards in 2026, the Board of Health extended the 2023–2024 Strategic Plan through the coming year. This decision allows the agency to remain agile and responsive while preparing for the implementation of new provincial requirements.

Late in the year, the Board of Health initiated meaningful engagement with the leadership of Indigenous communities across Simcoe Muskoka, seeking to build respectful, reciprocal and ongoing relationships—an important step in the agency’s commitment to reconciliation.

These accomplishments reflect the dedication of the people behind the work. On behalf of the Board of Health, sincere appreciation is extended to Dr. Charles Gardner, the senior leadership team, and all SMDHU staff for their continued commitment to the health and well-being of Simcoe Muskoka residents and visitors. Your work is valued and deeply appreciated.

Dr. Charles Gardner, Medical Officer of Health 

Dr. Charles Gardner, Medical Officer of Health

Throughout much of 2024, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit remained focused on the delivery of core public health services that support the health and well-being of those who live in, work in, and visit our communities. With the full resumption of core programming, particular attention was given to immunization, including efforts to help students catch up on vaccines required under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA).

The health unit also contributed to shaping the future of public health in Ontario by providing input—through senior management and the Board of Health—into the provincial review of the Ontario Public Health Standards (OPHS). These updated standards, expected to commence in 2026, will guide public health programming for years to come. In preparation for their implementation, the Board of Health approved the extension of the agency’s 2023–2024 Strategic Plan through to the end of 2025. This extension ensured organizational flexibility to adapt swiftly and strategically to new provincial directions.

In addition, the health unit undertook planning for an organizational restructuring to ensure adequate capacity in priority areas of growing demand such as infectious disease and immunization, and to improve overall efficiency and program alignment. Implementation of the new organizational structure took effect in January 2025, positioning the agency to respond effectively to current demands and future provincial expectations.

Access to timely and accurate information remains essential to maintaining community health. In 2024, the health unit focused on improving access to information for local health care providers and the public. Work began on a refreshed centralized hub for health care professionals, known as the Health Professional Resources (HPR) site, designed to streamline access to clinical guidelines, public health updates, and program resources. We also prepared to welcome “SAM,” a generative AI web assistant named after Simcoe and Muskoka, which launched in early 2025. Created through cross-departmental collaboration and supported by the University of Waterloo, SAM is designed to enhance the client experience by providing timely, accurate public health information. Built with safety, privacy, and SMDHU’s values at its core, SAM will support both the public and staff by responding to routine inquiries and streamlining service delivery.

Together, these initiatives reflect our ongoing commitment to delivering responsive, evidence-informed public health programs and services that meet the evolving needs of our communities.

 

Strategic Plan Outcomes Scorecard Results

The Strategic Plan Outcomes Scorecard measures progress on the 2024–2025 SMDHU strategic plan for each of its strategic objectives of programs and services, people, partnerships, and future.

The illustration below notes that SMDHU made considerable progress towards our strategic plan goals and objectives in 2024.

 

Smoke-Free Program

Responding to the youth vaping crisis required both education and enforcement efforts throughout 2024. Through the Smoke-Free program, all 53 secondary schools in Simcoe Muskoka received support, reaching 27,040 students, school staff, and parents/caregivers with vaping education. Tobacco enforcement officers conducted 411 youth access inspections and 374 display and promotion inspections at 374 vapour product retailers, resulting in 25 charges. Oversight was also maintained for 69 specialty vape stores and two tobacconists, reflecting the program’s expanding regulatory responsibilities under the Tobacco, Vapour and Smoke Protocol.

Safe Water Program

Safe water initiatives remained a priority, with proactive inspections conducted of small drinking water systems and recreational water facilities, and engagement with operators.

Rabies Program

In 2024, the Rabies Prevention program conducted 1,804 investigations and supported both vaccinations and post-exposure prophylaxis. To strengthen timely response, rabies vaccine was also prepositioned in four acute care facilities.

Healthy Environments Program

In response to increasing hazards caused by climate change, the Healthy Environments program strengthened community preparedness through extreme heat and air quality alerts and co-developed guidance on integrating health equity into climate adaptation. Vector-borne disease surveillance confirmed 54 human cases, including Lyme disease, West Nile virus, and newly reportable tickborne illnesses.

Food Safety Program

Food safety efforts in Simcoe Muskoka included nearly 10,500 inspections and the introduction of new online tools to strengthen oversight of special events. Enforcement actions resulted in 19 closures and 32 charges, underscoring the department’s ongoing commitment to protecting public health.

Chronic Disease Prevention

In 2024, the Chronic Disease Prevention program used a comprehensive health promotion approach and worked in collaboration with municipalities, school boards, schools and community partners to support healthy public policies and programs that reduce poverty and household food insecurity. The program also led the Simcoe Muskoka On The Move initiative to encourage walking and wheeling to school. Input was also provided on a variety of municipal land use planning documents to enhance healthy community design.

Substance Use and Injury Prevention

In 2024, the Substance Use and Injury Prevention program distributed 8,318 naloxone kits through SMDHU nurses and contracted partners. The program issued five community-based drug alerts to inform partners working with people who use drugs. Internally, 270 SMDHU staff, representing 93.8 percent of all employees, were trained in opioid overdose response.

Healthy Growth and Development

The Healthy Growth and Development program continued to support families through various services in 2024, including in-person breastfeeding support groups, clinical appointments and postpartum calls. It offered prenatal education in online, virtual and in-person formats, as well as infant nutrition sessions. Capacity-building activities were carried out through Community Action Program for Children, Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program, and EarlyON programs. Additionally, families in need received car seat vouchers through partnerships with Honda Canada and Canadian Tire. The program also supported community events in response to service requests from local partners.

Healthy Babies Healthy Children

From January to December 2024, the Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) program completed 2,369 home visits. Public health nurses administered Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQs) with all consenting families to screen for potential developmental or social-emotional delays  and help identify areas where children and families may need support. In 2024, HBHC joined a national ASQ database initiative in partnership with SickKids Hospital and Queen’s University. This project aims to improve understanding of child development milestones across Canada and inform future programming and policies based on aggregated data.

Financial Information

Financial information graphc

 

Oral Health Program

The Oral Health Program runs fully operational dental clinics in Barrie and Gravenhurst under different provincial assistance programs. In 2024, our clinic team completed 7,175 appointments, The program also provided screening for children in our region and throughout the 2023/2024 school year. The community team screened 37,000 children in schools and 1,500 in childcare, with further follow up offered to families to ensure children have access to oral health care services.

Immunization Program

To ensure high immunization rates in our communities, the program enforced Immunization of Student Pupils Act suspensions for elementary students for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, reviewing more than 20,000 immunization records of students born in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The health unit also supported over 400 healthcare providers, pharmacies, hospitals and long-term care facilities by distributing publicly funded vaccines. Immunization nurses also conducted inspections on vaccine fridges and monitored adverse events following immunization.

Infectious Disease Program

In 2024, the Infectious Diseases Program focused on preventing the spread of critical public health threats such as tuberculosis and invasive group A streptococcal infection in our community. The team supported local acute care, long-term care, retirement homes and child care centres in managing more than 500 outbreaks of respiratory or gastrointestinal diseases. Public health inspectors inspected personal service and child care settings regarding food safety and infection prevention.

Sexual Health Program

Sexual health clinical services were offered in health unit offices, local high schools and in the community.  Nearly 3,000 clinic appointments were completed at health unit offices and in the community, providing testing and treatment for sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBIs), and prescribing and dispensing contraception and emergency contraception.  Sexual health nurses also conducted a higher-than-normal number of case and contact investigations of STBBIs, including 32 HIV cases and 117 syphilis cases. Public health nurses also supported emergency response personnel, healthcare professionals, and corrections staff with Mandatory Blood Testing Act (MBTA) applications.
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