HKPR calls for provincial investment in wastewater surveillance

DAN CEARNS The Standard

KAWARTHA LAKES: The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (HKPR) is joining other health units in calling on the province of Ontario to resume support for wastewater surveillance initiatives.

At a recent meeting, board members saw a proposed letter to the Minister of Health and Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks on the issue.

“Despite the continued importance of wastewater data to public health surveillance, the provincial Wastewater Surveillance Initiative (WSI) was discontinued as of August 1st, 2024. This decision halted the collection and testing of wastewater samples from public health units and their municipal partners, even though wastewater- based surveillance has proven to be a valuable tool within the public health sector internationally and within Canada,” the briefing note stated.

Local Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Natalie Bocking, explained the importance of wastewater surveillance.

“We’ve certainly seen wastewater surveillance in other jurisdictions pick up Polio, looking at its role in Influenza, even RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) and MPox and a number of other infectious diseases. So, this is less about wanting to continue a COVID-19 specific measure, and more about ensuring that we have the infrastructure as a province to ensure we have the best tools available for infectious disease early warning signals.”

One member pointed out that wastewater surveillance can also be used to track opioid use in a community.

The drafted letter noted that “Public health units across Ontario, including Peterborough Public Health and Renfrew County and District Health Unit, have already voiced their concern” on this issue.

“The termination of this program severely diminishes the infrastructure and capacity for future surveillance, which is vital for local health units and pandemic preparedness efforts across the province. The Board of Health strongly believes that wastewater surveillance is a useful component of Ontario’s public health infrastructure. This program enables early detection of emerging and novel infectious disease threats and allows for a broader, more comprehensive view of community health without relying solely on clinical testing,” the letter added. “We urge the province to either reconsider its decision and reinstate funding to support wastewater-based surveillance provincially, or to collaborate with the Public Health Agency of Canada to implement an ongoing provincial wastewater surveillance program that would include sites in all Public Health Unit regions.”

The motion and the letter was endorsed by health unit board members.