Lakelands Public Health has marked its first year of operations following the historic merger of the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit and Peterborough Public Health on January 1, 2025, with the launch of the Annual Report.
The merger brought together people, programs, systems, and services to create a unified public health organization dedicated to improving and protecting the health of communities across the region. Throughout 2025, Lakelands Public Health focused on building a strong foundation while continuing to deliver essential public health programs and respond to emerging community needs.
“Mergers — and changes of any kind — are never easy, but they are sometimes necessary,” said Dr. Thomas Piggott, Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer of Lakelands Public Health. “Our first year has gone better than I could have expected because of the leadership of our Board of Health, support from the Provincial Government, and, most importantly, the dedication of our staff who have embraced the opportunity to build Lakelands Public Health for generations to come.”
During its first year, Lakelands Public Health worked to harmonize policies and procedures, strengthen internal operations, modernize digital systems, and foster a shared organizational culture rooted in integrity, respect, service excellence, equity, and community partnership. Staff across all divisions demonstrated resilience, collaboration, and innovation while maintaining continuity of service for residents.
For more details, visit lakelandsph.ca
