The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (HKPR) and Peterborough Public Health (PPH) will merge into a single entity starting January 1st. The merger aims to sustain and enhance public health services across the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Northumberland County, Peterborough County, the City of Peterborough, and nearby First Nations communities.
The province has committed $10.1 million to support the transition, strengthen services, and address backlog activities. The Ministry of Health has assured full provincial funding for the merger with no financial impact on local municipalities or First Nations.
The new public health unit will have over 300 staff members and will continue delivering essential services without interruption during the transition. A new identity and leadership team for the merged organization will be unveiled in 2025.
The new Board of Health will include municipal and Indigenous representatives, as well as provincial appointees. Officials anticipate the merger will improve public health capacity and program delivery across the region.
(Written by: Scott Arnold)