The new South East Health Unit has determined how to allocate $4.3 million in harmonization funding from the provincial government.
During Wednesday’s meeting of the Board of Health, the board discussed the harmonization funds provided by the ministry of health and how to apply them. During the merger process, it was determined that funding levies would need to be standardized across the communities served by the new health unit, but that some communities may struggle to meet the new level if it was higher than their previous health unit.
The health unit had previously adopted a phased approach to reaching the new funding level, with a target of provincial funding covering 67.5% of the budget and the municipal levies covering the remaining 32.5%. The phased roll-out of the new levies meant that some communities over-contributed in 2025 while some communities had under-contributed.
While the original motion before the board called for the funding to be allocated on a needs-based approach, with $1.3 million going to offset payments from communities in the most need and the rest being distributed proportionately across all municipalities, a motion was put before the board to exclude communities previously serviced by the former Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Health Unit from harmonization funding. The proposal said that because these communities have previously overpaid, those surplus contributions can offset rate changes and the added support is not needed.
The proposed amendment sparked debate among the board chambers, due to a requirement of the Health Protection and Promotion Act stating that without unanimous consensus the funds would have to be split proportionally across all municipalities with no priority for those in need.
Ultimately, the amendment was passed unanimously, and the motion was passed as amended.
