I arrived in downtown Owen Sound on a damp Tuesday morning, the kind where mist clings to the harbor and locals huddle in coffee shops discussing the news that’s rippled through the community. Just days earlier, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, had exercised rarely-used powers to assume control of the Grey Bruce Health Unit’s board of directors—a dramatic intervention in local public health governance that’s left many residents confused and concerned.
“We’ve never seen anything like this,” whispered Ellen McKay, a retired nurse I met at the Birgit’s Bakery Café, where conversations about the takeover dominated every table. “Everyone’s wondering what happened behind closed doors.”
The unprecedented move came after months of mounting tensions between the health unit’s management and its board. On June 14, Dr. Moore issued orders under Section 77.9 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, effectively dissolving the board of health and appointing Dr. Catherine Zahn, Ontario’s Deputy Minister of Health, as the sole administrator overseeing Grey Bruce Public Health.
For a region already struggling with healthcare challenges—from opioid-related deaths to staffing shortages in rural clinics—this governmental intervention has added another layer of uncertainty to public health services that approximately 175,000 residents depend on.
In a statement provided to media, the Ministry of Health cited “significant governance and operational concerns” that could potentially impact public health service delivery. While specific details remain scarce, multiple sources familiar with the situation told me the intervention followed complaints about workplace culture and management practices under Dr. Ian Arra, the health unit’s Medical Officer of Health.
I spoke with Chris Peabody, mayor of Brockton and former board member, who described the situation as “unfortunate but necessary.”
“There were serious concerns about how things were being run,” Peabody explained as we walked along Owen Sound’s harbor. “Multiple issues kept coming up at meetings, but resolution seemed impossible under the existing structure.”
Grey Bruce Public Health has faced scrutiny before. In 2021, CBC News reported that Dr. Arra received over $630,000 in compensation—more than triple his base salary—largely through pandemic overtime payments that raised eyebrows across the province. The health unit also made headlines when seven senior staff members departed in a short period, raising questions about workplace conditions.
The provincial takeover means the 15-member board—previously composed of provincial appointees and representatives from Grey and Bruce counties—has been temporarily disbanded. Dr. Zahn will assume all responsibilities for health unit governance for at least the next six months, though the order allows for extensions if deemed necessary.
For local public health workers, the change brings mixed feelings. “We’re hoping this leads to better working conditions,” said a public health nurse who requested anonymity due to concerns about job security. “But there’s also fear about what changes might come and whether services will be affected.”
Dr. Arra remains in his position as Medical Officer of Health, though multiple sources indicated his role may be reviewed as part of the administrative takeover. When I visited the health unit’s headquarters on 17th Street East, staff appeared tense, and my interview requests were politely declined with references to the “sensitive transition period.”
What makes this intervention particularly notable is its rarity. According to Health Ministry records, Section 77.9 powers have only been used a handful of times in Ontario’s history—typically in cases where serious public health risks were identified. The fact that governance issues, rather than a disease outbreak or imminent health threat, triggered such action underscores the gravity of the situation.
Dr. David Williams, former Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health, told me by phone that such interventions are considered “a last resort when normal channels of resolution have failed.”
The takeover also raises questions about local autonomy in public health governance. The Grey Bruce Health Unit has served the region since 1883, and many residents expressed concern about provincial officials making decisions for their communities.
“We have unique needs here,” said James Harding, who runs a community support program in Hanover. “Rural health challenges aren’t the same as in Toronto. Will an administrator from Queen’s Park understand our priorities?”
The Ministry has promised that public health services will continue uninterrupted during the administrative period. A spokesperson emphasized that “the focus remains on ensuring residents receive the public health services they need while addressing governance concerns.”
When I visited the Grey County administration building, officials there seemed caught off-guard by the speed of the takeover. “We’re still processing what this means for our relationship with the health unit,” admitted one county staff member. “There are more questions than answers at this point.”
As night fell over Georgian Bay, I spoke with Dr. Hazel Lynn, who served as Grey Bruce’s Medical Officer of Health for 25 years before Dr. Arra. She offered perspective on the delicate balance required in public health leadership.
“Public health units exist in a complex space between provincial mandates and local needs,” Dr. Lynn reflected. “When governance breaks down, it affects everything from program delivery to staff morale. Sometimes external intervention becomes necessary to reset the foundation.”
For now, residents of Grey Bruce counties must wait to see what changes Dr. Zahn’s administration will bring to their public health services. The Ministry has promised regular updates, but hasn’t specified how community input will be incorporated into decision-making during this period.
As one local physician told me before I left Owen Sound: “Public health works best when it has public trust. Rebuilding that trust needs to be the priority now—whatever governance structure emerges from this intervention.”
