Grey and Bruce Counties Appoint New Public Health Board Members as Rebuilding Continues
Grey and Bruce counties have appointed seven municipal representatives to the Grey Bruce Public Health Board as rebuilding continues.
Grey and Bruce counties have appointed seven municipal representatives to the Grey Bruce Public Health Board of Health as the province continues rebuilding the board following last year’s unprecedented takeover.
At recent council meetings, Grey County appointed councillors Shirley Keaveney, Dane Nielsen, Barbara Dobreen and Scott Greig to serve for the remainder of the current council term.
Bruce County appointed councillors Rod Anderson, Ken Craig and Steve Hammell.
The province dissolved the former board in August 2025 after Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore cited “serious concerns” related to governance, leadership and financial management.
An internal assessment that prompted the intervention has not been released publicly.
The Owen Sound Current filed a Freedom of Information request for the report last year. After unsuccessful mediation, the matter is now before an adjudicator with Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner.
The counties and province say the new board is being built using a jointly developed “skills-based matrix” designed to identify the collective expertise needed for effective governance.
The matrix, unanimously supported by both Grey and Bruce councils, assesses skills relevant to overseeing a board of health, including governance, oversight and community relationships.
Officials have said no individual member is expected to have all of the identified skills, but the board as a whole should collectively meet the criteria.
“These appointments will provide strong and effective leadership for public health in Grey and Bruce,” Grey County Warden Andrea Matrosovs said in a statement.
“We appreciate the commitment of our council members, both past and new, who choose to serve on the Board of Health.”
The county appointments follow the province’s March 12 appointment of two board members: David Nusko and Chad Richards.
Nusko is a lawyer and a director on the Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound Progressive Conservative Association executive.
Richards is a senior strategist with Bruce Power and served for seven years as legislative assistant to former Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MP Larry Miller before seeking the BGOS Conservative nomination himself in 2019. He also served as a provincial appointee on the former board before it was dissolved.
Richards’ reappointment raised questions locally because he was part of the previous board during the period now under provincial review.
With Keaveney from Grey County and Craig from Bruce returning as well, there will be three familiar faces around the table at the board’s first meeting, which is expected to take place this spring.
The province has said up to four more provincial appointees may still be named.
The appointments come amid broader leadership changes at Grey Bruce Public Health. Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Arra is set to leave his role effective May 4, 2026.
Brittany Graham, the health unit’s Public Health Physician Consultant, has assumed the responsibilities of Medical Officer of Health on an acting basis.
Bruce County Warden Luke Charbonneau said the new appointments are part of strengthening the board.
“We remain committed to working with our partners at Grey County and the Ministry of Health,” Charbonneau said.
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