Grey Bruce Public Health Remains Under Provincial Oversight as Key Report Withheld from Public
Public Health board remains under provincial control as the Ministry of Health assessment report that prompted the takeover is withheld, with new reasons given for the refusal to release it.
The province has reaffirmed its ongoing control of Grey Bruce Public Health (GBPH) nearly two months after Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) assumed the powers of its local Board of Health under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
In a memo dated October 7, 2025, Special Advisor Jim Pine—appointed by CMOH Dr. Kieran Moore—confirmed that the province continues to exercise the board’s authority while work proceeds on a comprehensive Action Plan aimed at rebuilding governance, leadership, and relationships at the organization.
Pine wrote that since mid-August, he has met with board appointees, public health staff, and municipal representatives from both Grey and Bruce Counties to “develop and implement an Action Plan to build up the capacity for effective leadership, rebuild key relationships, and support long-term stability.”
According to the update, Pine convened the first consultation with governance partners on October 3. This included current provincial appointees to the board, the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Grey Bruce Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Arra, and municipal leaders from both counties.
Pine said the meeting focused on the skills needed for a reconstituted board that can “strengthen governance, accountability, and public confidence.”
“The Grey Bruce Health Unit remains fully operational,” Pine wrote, adding that public health programs “continue to be delivered with professionalism, compassion, and care.” He thanked municipal partners for their continued cooperation and said he would issue further updates as the Action Plan develops.
Background: Provincial Takeover in August
On August 14, Dr. Moore invoked section 77.1 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act to temporarily assume the powers of the GBPH Board of Health following an independent assessment under section 82 of the Act.
That assessment identified “serious concerns” about governance, leadership, financial oversight, and human resources.
The decision followed the August 6 removal of seven municipal representatives from the board—an action that created confusion about who ordered their dismissal and whether the remaining board met quorum requirements.
Moore’s August 14 statement described the removal as a “unilateral” act by board chair Nicholas Saunders; however, Saunders later disputed that claim, saying he acted under the province’s direction and with ministry officials’ knowledge.
The Ministry of Health has not publicly released the assessment report that prompted the takeover. The Ministry confirmed in August that it had ordered the board to produce a detailed response and plan to address the report’s findings, but did not indicate when local control might be restored.
Grey Bruce Health Unit Denies Access to Province’s Assessment Report
On August 12, Owen Sound Current filed a freedom-of-information request seeking the full text of the assessment referenced by Minister of Health Sylvia Jones and Dr. Moore.
GBPH denied the request in full on August 21, citing section 9 of MFIPPA, which protects information received in confidence from another level of government.
A subsequent letter from GBPH to Owen Sound Current on October 7 reaffirmed the denial and expanded on the rationale, adding new grounds for refusal:
Section 52(3) – Exclusion for labour-relations or employment-related records.
Section 6(1)(b) – Records of closed meetings.
Section 9(1) – Information received in confidence from the Government of Ontario.
Section 14(1) – Personal-privacy exemption concerning identifiable individuals.
GBPH stated the report was provided “in confidence” by the province, contained “personal information about identifiable individuals,” and was discussed during closed-session board meetings.
Because the Ministry of Health authored the assessment report that led to the takeover and now holds decision-making authority over GBPH, it is effectively determining whether to release a document it produced before assuming control of the agency.
The arrangement raises transparency questions about how the public can independently assess the findings that justified the province’s intervention in the first place.
Owen Sound Current has appealed the decision to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, with that review now pending.
Ongoing Provincial Oversight
As of this month, Dr. Moore continues to exercise the powers of the Grey Bruce Board of Health, with Jim Pine supporting decision-making and coordination during the interim. No timeline has been announced for reinstating the board’s authority.
Pine’s October 7 update marks the first formal public communication from the province since the August takeover.
It reiterates that the health unit’s public health services remain fully operational and signals that the provincial review process—and the effort to rebuild governance at Grey Bruce Public Health—is still underway.
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