Two municipalities and an addiction recovery service are concerned about the impacts of a possible merger between Algoma Public Health and Public Health Sudbury & Districts.
The Public Health Sudbury and Districts board of health decided in 2023 to re-examine the feasibility of a voluntary merger of PHSD and the Algoma Public Health. Sault Ste. Marie city council is already on record as opposing the merger, based on a motion of council on Jan. 29. That's when Sault council unanimously passed a resolution saying the merger idea was not workable and would erode local autonomy.
Among the points of opposition in the letter are concerns a merger would create a public health body that covers a massive geographical area, spanning more than 700 kilometres east to west and 500 kilometres north to south. Thursday's agenda also includes a letter from Monarch Recovery Services, a Sudbury substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation service. The Monarch letter expresses concern about the ability of a newly merged health unit to be able to provide services and highlights the good relationship it has had with Public Health Sudbury.