About the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) delivers local public health programs and services that protect and improve health, promote well-being, and reduce health inequities across Simcoe Muskoka.

Our mandate is established through Ontario’s Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA). Under this act, our work is guided by the Ontario Public Health Standards, which set out the minimum expectations for public health programs and services delivered at the local level in regards to: Comprehensive Health Promotion, Emergency Management, Food Safety, Safe Water, Health Hazard Management, Immunization, Infectious and Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control, and Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction. SMDHU’s work in these areas is guided by our foundational programming in Population Health Assessment and Surveillance, Health Equity, and Quality, Evaluation, and Knowledge Exchange.

Our staff work alongside individuals and families, agencies and communities in Simcoe Muskoka to focus on prevention and work on upstream interventions. We are committed to strengthening population health and advancing equity across Simcoe Muskoka in partnership with many organizations and communities in the region.

The health unit is governed by the Board of Health and is funded municipally and provincially. Our agency priorities are guided by our strategic plan, which outlines our vision, values and strategic directions.