Huron- Perth Health Unit Merger January 1, 2019

The Perth District Health Unit and the Huron County Health Unit will be merging 150 staff into a single entity effective January 1, 2020, called Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH). The merger was in play prior to the Ontario government announcing in the spring of 2019 the amalgamation of Ontario Health units/departments. The goal of the merger is to improve the delivery of public health programs and services across Huron and Perth counties. Perth's Medical Officer of Health Miriam Klassenwill become the Medical Officer of Health for HPPH.The new HPPH Board of Health met for the first time on January 2, 2020. Representation on the board is based on population and is comprised of nine municipal representatives (four from the County of Huron, two from Perth County, two from Stratford, one from St. Marys) and four provincial appointees. Most public health programs and services will continue as they are for the time being, so residents can access their local public health programs as before. One change residents of Huron will see is that their local municipality is now responsible for plumbing and sewage inspections. This program was previously delivered for the County of Huron by the Huron County Health Unit which was the last health unit in Ontario to continue to conduct plumbing inspections. For more information go to www.hpph.ca