Picton health unit office among seven locations to close

UPDATE NOV 26: The board passed a motion at its meeting Nov. 26 that Medical Officer of Health Dr. Piotr Oglaza reconsider the decision to close the leased offices in Picton, Almonte, Gananoque, Kemptville, Napanee, Pert and Trenton; and provide a report at the Dec. 17, 2025 board meeting outlining the criteria that was used to make this decision.

NOV. 21: The Picton’s health unit office is among seven locations that leases will not be renewed as the newly amalgamated Southeast Public Health (SEPH) assessed how it will serve the region as a unified agency.

Following the merger of the Hastings Prince Edward Board of Health with Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington Public Health (KFL&APH) and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health (LGLDH) the new agency has also been looking at the best way forward to continue providing core, mandated public health services across the new region, especially to rural areas.

“The merger has given us time and funding to truly look at how we were delivering programs and services as legacy agencies, and to find new and innovative ways to provide programs and services together, as Southeast Public Health,” said Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health and CEO of SEPH.

Oglaza, in a statement, noted the assessment of SEPH office locations, service usage, and occupancy costs was undertaken and findings indicated that several leased office locations were being underutilized, and that cost savings from terminating these leases could be reinvested back into the agency to fund new ways of offering programs and services.

“This approach will protect core public health programs and services while enhancing the long-term sustainability of our agency,” the statement said.

Following the assessment, the decision was made to relinquish leases for offices within proximity (50 km or less) to offices owned in Belleville, Kingston, Brockville, and Smiths Falls, as of March 1, 2026.

The office locations closing include Almonte, Gananoque, Kemptville, Napanee, Perth, Picton and Trenton.

Operations will also discontinue at the office owned in Cloyne on March 1, 2026, where the space has been underutilized and considered not conducive to facilitating programs and services. Operations will continue in the leased office in Bancroft, due to its significant distance from the four owned offices.

In the coming months, the agency plans to introduce rural service strategies that leverage existing community resources.

“I want to assure you that we remain fully committed to the health and well-being of our rural communities,” said Dr. Oglaza. “The decision to close these offices was aimed at optimizing operations while continuing to serve the community’s needs.

“Staff will work closely with our partners to continue delivering essential public health programs and services in these areas. There are no permanent employee positions being eliminated due to these changes.”