The Board of Health:

1.         endorsed the Tobacco Strategy Advisory Group (TSAG) report entitled "Building on Our Gains, Taking Action Now: Ontario's Tobacco Control Strategy for 2011-2016" with the proviso that any recommendations relating to the Residential Tenancies Act require further discussion;

2.         asked the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Health Promotion and Sport, other members of the cabinet, in particular the Ministers of Health and Long-Term Care, Revenue and Finance and Toronto area Members of Parliament to reaffirm their commitment to a Smoke-Free Ontario by taking action on the Tobacco Strategy Advisory Group report's recommendations as soon as possible; and

3.         forwarded copies of these recommendations to the Co-Chairs of the Tobacco Strategy Advisory Group – George Pasut, Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion; and Jean Lamb, Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport; and to Michael Perley, Director, Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco.

The Board of Health:

1.         supported the previous request by the City of Toronto to the Province of Ontario for funding in the amount of $2,893,778 for bed bug control initiatives including funds for the hiring of a dedicated project manager, six Public Health Inspectors, three Public Health Nurses, five Social Service (TESS) case workers, an educator, a research analyst and enhancements to the Bug and Scrub extreme cleaning Program;

2.         requested the Medical Officer of Health to work with the City Manager to explore appropriate options for City funding for bed bug control initiatives as part of the City's 2011 Operating Budget including opportunities to maximize cost-shared approaches to increasing the sustainability of the bed-bug response; and

3.         requested the Medical Officer of Health to report to the Board of Health in February 2011, in consultation with the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), with a status report on the TCHC Pilot Projects, including the findings of the effectiveness of the thermal treatments and the status of the provincial funding for bed bug control, and recommendations for further advancing the Toronto Bed Bug Strategy.

This report provides an update to the Board of Health on Toronto Public Health’s (TPH) Operating Budget Variance for the nine months of operation ending on September 30, 2010.

Toronto Public Health’s operating budget was under spent by $455.9 thousand net or 1.5 percent for the nine-month period ending September 30, 2010. Much of this under-pending is due to a hiring slow down implemented for all City employees, including those who deliver public health services.  Due to the cost-sharing of public health services, the City’s cost containment measures result in Toronto Public Health losing $3 of provincial funding for each  $1 of  City cost saving.

Toronto Public Health gross expenditures were below budget by $3,703.5 thousand or 2.4 percent, attributable to the under spending of $2,475.0 thousand in Salaries and Benefits and $1,228.5 thousand in non payroll including utility costs.  Revenue was under achieved by $3,247.6 thousand due to under-expenditures in provincial cost-shared and fully funded programs, underachievement of Interdepartmental Revenue in the Investing in Families and Newcomer Initiative programs and under spending in Capital projects resulting in an unfavourable variance of transfer funds from Capital.

At year-end, Toronto Public Health expects to be under spent in gross expenditures by $1,884.2 thousand or 0.9 percent and below budget in revenue by $1,328.0 thousand or 0.8 percent resulting in $560.5 thousand net favourable variance or 1.3 percent.