COVID response costs Ottawa Public Health an extra $77 million in 2022
Ottawa Public Health is expecting to spend an additional $77 million this year, as staff continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and administer vaccines.
A report for Monday's Board of Health meeting says the Omicron wave in the winter required the "maximum response capacity to date" for outbreak management, case management and delivery of booster doses.
Staff say while OPH has been reducing resources spent on the COVID-19 response over the first half of the year, the health unit is projecting $77 million of additional spending in its 2022 budget.
Ottawa Public Health began reducing operations in areas such as case management, outbreak management, and other back office/shared services through the winter and spring, and staff say operations were further reduced in July due to the decrease of severe COVID-19 in the community.
The release of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine this fall will require continued staffing resources and expenditures, according to the health unit.
"OPH's revised projected total expenditures are $38M for the COVID-19 General Program and $40M for the COVID-19 Vaccine Program," the report says.
Ottawa Public Health says the Ministry of Health has provided all health units with an assurance that there will be a process to request reimbursement of 2022 COVID-19 Extraordinary Costs, and the budget is expected to be balanced at the end of the year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Significant police presence as Israeli flag flies at Ottawa City Hall
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
Hot history: Tree rings show that last northern summer was the warmest since year 1
The broiling summer of 2023 was the hottest in the Northern Hemisphere in more than 2,000 years, a new study found.
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'