Purpose

This committee was established to ensure residents have adequate access to, and knowledge of, healthcare services in the City of Port Colborne. To view the Healthcare Advisory Committee's Terms of Reference, please click the following link: View the Healthcare Advisory Committee Terms of Reference

To learn more about healthcare in Port Colborne, government advocacy and the work of City Council, please click on this link: Learn more about the Future of Healthcare in Port Colborne 

Healthcare Advisory Committee Members 

Sydney McDowell (Chair) 

Dr. Philip McGarry (Vice Chair)

Carmen Tamas

Matt Lallouet 

Tina Triano

Councillor Monique Aquilina (Non-voting member)

Councillor Ron Bodner (Non-voting member)

Mayor William C. Steele (Ex-officio member)

Meeting #4: August 6, 2025 Highlights Presentations (Clickable)

Guest Speaker Taralea McLean,

Executive Director,

Bridges Community Health Centre

 

Guest Speaker Keira Thibault,

Director of Primary Care, Centre de Santé Communautaire,

Hamilton-Niagara

 

Guest Speaker Harpreet Bassi,

Executive Vice-President, Communications and Strategy; Executive Lead, Research and Niagara Health Knowledge Institute; Interim Executive Vice-President, Capital Planning and Redevelopment,

Niagara Health

 

 

View Meeting 4 Information Package

 

 Cover page Bridges Update

 

 Centre de Sante Communautaire Hamilton-Niagara Presentation

 

Niagara Health Presentation August 6 2025

 

Upcoming Meetings, Agendas, and Minutes 

To view the Healthcare Advisory Committee's upcoming meeting dates, agendas, and approved minutes, please click the following link:

Committees, Boards and Council Calendar

Notice of Special Meeting-Public Delegations

On Wednesday Aug. 27, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the Healthcare Advisory Committee invites members of the public to come to City Hall and share any new information, research, or data that can help support the development of a healthcare services strategy for the City of Port Colborne. Submissions are open as of August 12 2025, until August 25, 2025.

Details are as follows:

1. Delegations must provide new information, research or data that pertains to improving healthcare services in Port Colborne, as per the mandate of the Healthcare Advisory Committee and Terms of Reference. In accordance with research ethics and best practice, all original sources/owners of the data must be provided recognition.

2. Delegations must fill out the delegation form in advance as per the Procedural By-Laws, and submitted to the Deputy Clerk via email deputyclerk@portcolborne.ca. If you are a larger group and wish to present as one, you may submit a delegation form as a group vs an individual.

3. Each delegation will have 10 minutes to present their research to the committee.

4. Individuals who prefer to submit a written delegation that will be included on the public agenda, you may do so by filling out the delegation form. 

5. For individuals who wish to submit information, commentary or opinions and remain off public record, you are not required to fill out the delegation form. Please send your information directly to communityengagement@portcolborne.ca. Staff will collect this information confidentially and will use it as background information during the strategy development process.

For more information on delegations and the use of personal information click here.

Past Healthcare Advisory Committee Meetings

Meeting #3: July 23, 2025

  • Guest Speaker Jill Croteau, Physician Recruitment Specialist from the Niagara Region gave an overview on physician recruitment in the Niagara Region, including some of the opportunities and challenges involved in recruiting new primary care physicians to the City of Port Colborne. View the presentation.

  • Guest Speaker Tara Galitz, Executive Director of the Niagara Ontario Health Team-Équipe Santé Ontario Niagara provided a presentation on the background behind Ontario Health Teams and what they do, how funding for healthcare is allotted by the Ministry of Health, including details on an upcoming grant submission for primary care in Port Colborne in fall 2025. View the presentation.

  • View Meeting 3 Information Package here.

Meeting #2: July 9, 2025
  • CAO Bryan Boles presented a comprehensive overview of the background on healthcare in Port Colborne, key learnings from the community engagement campaign and survey results, and shared some data on socio-economic factors that may impact decisions on healthcare planning and delivery. View the presentation here.
  • Guest speaker Kyle Boggio from the Boggio's Family of Pharmacies presented on the role of pharmacists in the local healthcare network, the recent expansion of their scope of practice and how they could assist with primary care by seeing patients for 19 conditions. View the presentation here.
  • View Meeting 2 Information Package here.
Meeting #1: June 12, 2025
  • The Healthcare Advisory Committee holds inaugural meeting, elects Chair Sydney McDowell, NP and Vice-Chair Dr. Philip McGarry, MD. The agenda was focused on the review of key documents such as the committee's Terms of Reference, Procedural By-Law and Code of Conduct.
  • View the Healthcare Advisory Terms of Reference.
  • View the agenda package for June 12, 2025