The Ontario government is slashing Toronto Public Health's funding by $1 billion over a decade as part of a plan to consolidate local public health units across the province, says the chair of the city's board of health — a move that's prompting an outcry from city officials. Other programs funded roughly 75 per cent by the province and 25 per cent by the city will also drop to a 50-50 split. Toronto's medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, said Toronto Public Health is "extremely disappointed" by the move, citing school immunization programs, keeping beaches and drinking water safe, and inspecting restaurants as part of the city's public health services. #SARS #WALKERTON #onpoli #TOpoli https://t.co/kGCj1tpVbZ —@shelleycarrollBut all public health units across Ontario, including Toronto, will "continue to be properly funded," the province maintains. Earlier on Thursday, the province also enacted new health-care legislation, which will integrate multiple provincial agencies — including Cancer Care Ontario, Health Quality Ontario, eHealth Ontario, and 14 local health integration networks, or LHINS — into a single agency dubbed Ontario Health.

Source: CBC News April 18, 2019 21:07 UTC