Minutes Confirmed on May 10, 2021

This meeting of the Board of Health was held by electronic means and the proceedings of the Board of Health were conducted publicly.

These measures were necessary to comply with physical distancing requirements and as civic buildings were closed to the public.

The Board of Health recommends that:

1.  City Council receive the presentation (April 12, 2021) from the Medical Officer of Health, headed "Response to COVID-19: April 2021 Update", for information.

The Board of Health:

1.  Urgently reiterated the request, recommended by the Medical Officer of Health in January 2021, for the Governments of Canada and Ontario to provide necessary funding, fiscal relief, and/or supports to employers so that all workers in Ontario have access to no less than 10 paid sick days immediately as an emergency measure during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2.  Requested the Governments of Canada and Ontario to prioritize and increase Toronto's COVID-19 vaccine supply to decrease the risk and spread of COVID-19 by responding to the increased need from eligible populations in Phase Two of the Provincial COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan.

3.  Urged the Government of Ontario to decrease the risk and spread of COVID-19 by prioritizing COVID-19 vaccine registration in Toronto's highest risk hot spot areas.

4.  Called on the Government of Ontario to decrease the risk and spread of COVID-19 by ensuring that Early Childhood Educators and essential frontline workers in the child care sector are eligible as part of Provincial plans to offer vaccinations to all education workers in hot spot priority neighbourhoods in Toronto, scheduled to commence the week of April 12, 2021.

5.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health, in coordination with the Fire Chief and General Manager, Emergency Management, and Toronto's COVID-19 Incident Commander, to consider and undertake every measure, in partnership with the Government of Ontario and local health care partners, to scale up vaccine delivery through pop-up, mobile, and established clinics for vulnerable populations, including essential workers, hard hit neighbourhoods, taxi drivers, frontline workers in child care settings, and people experiencing homelessness.

6.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health, in consultation with the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration and in partnership with the Government of Ontario and local health care partners, to make every effort to expedite and scale up the COVID-19 response for people experiencing homelessness and in shelter settings, including securing and opening additional isolation and recovery facilities, prioritizing shelter vaccination clinics and pop-up opportunities, and focusing on housing people experiencing long-term homelessness into new supportive housing units through the City's Coordinated Access system.

7.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to consider and implement any additional measures or restrictions necessary to halt the current third wave of COVID-19, in partnership with the Government of Ontario and Ontario's Public Health Units or under their own powers under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.

The Medical Officer of Health gave a presentation on Response to COVID-19: April 2021 Update.

The Medical Officer of Health will give a presentation on Response to COVID-19 - April 2021 Update.

The Board of Health:

1.  Received the report (March 25, 2021) from the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration for information.

The experience of anti-Black racism is one of the greatest predictors of food insecurity for African, Caribbean and Black communities living in Toronto. Anti-Black racism has shaped key social determinants of health for Black communities, including their overall experience of poverty, access to housing and income. This situation has created detrimental impacts, and a situation of chronic food insecurity for Black Torontonians.

This report responds to the Board of Health direction from July 2020 to provide an update on the creation of a Black Food Sovereignty Plan to improve access to affordable, healthy, and culturally appropriate food as part of the City of Toronto's COVID-19 response and planning. It also responds to the June 2020 Board of Health direction to address anti-Black racism as a public health crisis and demonstrate commitment and action to addressing social determinants of health that negatively impact Black communities.

Black families are 3.5 times more likely to be food insecure, compared to white families, with 36.6 percent of Black children living in food insecure households. High food insecurity rates have also been linked to negative health outcomes, including an increased likelihood of developing chronic diseases, like diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease and depression. Populations most affected by food insecurity have also been identified as being most vulnerable to COVID-19, putting Black populations at greater risk of contracting the virus.

The development of a Black Food Sovereignty Plan will provide a comprehensive approach to address the chronic food insecurity faced by Black residents through addressing systemic barriers, while increasing access, opportunity and ownership over their local food systems. More specifically, the Black Food Sovereignty Plan will work to advance three interlocking goals:

1.  Develop City-supported, Black-led initiatives dedicated to addressing food insecurity issues that disproportionately impact Black communities;

2.  Identify and establish sustained supports and funding for food focused Black-led, Black-serving, and Black mandated organizations and Black food sovereignty community infrastructure; and

3.  Engage, align, and leverage new and existing City strategies and initiatives to advance systems change and shared goals to realize Black food sovereignty outcomes in neighbourhoods with high Black populations.

Realizing a Black Food Sovereignty Plan is a priority deliverable in the year three work plan for the Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism. The Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration will bring forward the Black Food Sovereignty Plan to the Economic and Community Development Committee in September 2021.

The Board of Health:

1.  Received the letter (April 10, 2021) from Councillor Joe Cressy for information.

Director Kate Mulligan, the Board of Health's appointee to the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) Board of Directors and Board of Health Section, will provide a verbal update.

Announcements

The Chair acknowledged that the Board of Health was meeting on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The Chair also acknowledged that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit.

Where the Directors of the Board of Health listed in the attendance for this meeting participated remotely, they were counted for quorum as permitted by Section 189(4.2) of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, and the Board's Procedures.