Grey Bruce Public Health Announces Dr. Ian Arra's Departure
Leadership is changing at Grey Bruce Public Health as the province continues rebuilding the board following its 2025 intervention; Dr. Ian Arra to leave Medical Officer of Health position May 4.
The Grey Bruce Public Health Board of Health has been advised that Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Arra will leave the role effective May 4, 2026.
In the interim, Brittany Graham, the health unit’s Public Health Physician Consultant, has assumed the responsibilities of Medical Officer of Health in an acting capacity.
The update was provided in a statement from Jim Pine and Eileen de Villa, who are serving as Special Advisors to the Chief Medical Officer of Health. The notice does not explain why Ian Arra is leaving the role, nor does it outline how or when a permanent appointment will be made.
They said Arra has offered his full support to Brittany Graham as she takes on the role on an acting basis.
Transition comes amid broader restructuring
In 2021, Arra faced scrutiny after it was disclosed his Medical Officer of Health compensation totalled $631,510, the highest among Ontario’s medical officers at the time.
Complaints about governance, finances, and operations at Grey Bruce Public Health escalated in 2024-25.
Attendance records showed repeated absences by provincial appointees, including the board chair, while changes to the executive committee reduced municipal representation in closed-session discussions.
Meeting minutes from multiple months indicate key decisions were made with only two executive members present — both provincially appointed — raising concerns about quorum and accountability as the province moves to rebuild the board.
A provincial investigator was appointed to review the health unit’s operations, and the province dissolved the board in 2025.
That report has not been released publicly, despite a Freedom of Information request filed by Owen Sound Current that is now before an adjudicator with Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner.
While the transition comes during this ongoing restructuring of Grey Bruce Public Health, the statement does not indicate whether Arra’s departure is related to that process.
In their April 16 statement, advisors Pine and de Villa said they are confident the organization will continue to provide “strong and effective leadership for public health in the region” as a renewed Board of Health is established.
Statement from departing Medical Officer of Health
In a prepared statement, Arra said he believes “this is the right time for this transition.”
“I have full confidence in the Grey Bruce Public Health Team to continue the important work of protecting and promoting the health of our communities,” he said.
Arra thanked health unit staff, boards of health and board members, as well as the Ministry of Health and the Province, for their support during the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery.
“I also want to thank our community members and partners – your collaboration has been essential to our success,” he said.
The statement did not provide any information on Arra’s next role or a timeline for appointing a permanent Medical Officer of Health.
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