First Public Health Act passed.

First board of health established.

More comprehensive Public Health Act passed; first medical officer of health begins working.

400 boards of health in operation throughout the province.

National Sanatorium Association formed.

Breathing Exercises, Male Patients, Muskoka Cottage Sanatorium
Reference Code: F 1369-1-0-1
Archives of Ontario

First tuberculosis sanatorium at Gravenhurst opened to patients.
(July 13)

Beds
Reference Code: F 1369-2-0-2
Archives of Ontario

Canadian Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis formed.

Health associations formed in Hamilton and Ottawa.

Toronto’s first public health nurse, Janet Neilson, appointed.

Legislation permitting school medical inspection enacted.

Toronto’s water system first chlorinated.

Provincial regulations mandate the compulsory reporting of diagnosed cases of tuberculosis.

Staff at the Tuberculosis Clinic, Hamilton Department of Health, 1919
Public Health Nursing Branch
Reference Code: RG 10-30-2, 1.13.7
Archives of Ontario, I0005272

Ontario Milk Act enacted. The Act mandated the inspection of dairy herds and facilities province-wide.

A woman examining milk at a Board of Health laboratory, [ca. 1928]
Ministry of Health
Reference Code: RG 10-30-2, 1.4.5
Archives of Ontario, I0005236

First well-baby clinic at the Canadian National Exhibition.

The Division of Maternal and Child Hygiene and Public Health Nursing created in 1920 within the Ontario Provincial Board of Health.

Child receiving a medical examination, 1929
Ministry of Health
Reference Code: RG 10-30-2, 2.18.7
Archives of Ontario, I0005227

First Ontario health promotion program begins.

General waiting room for clinic and registration desks during Lambton County Health Week, 1925
Ministry of Health
Reference Code: RG 10-30-2, 1.7.5
Archives of Ontario, I0005254

Provincial Health Department starts first traveling X-ray clinic to detect tuberculosis.

Ontario’s Division of Dental Hygiene created.

Young girl having her teeth checked at the Dental Clinic, Hamilton, [ca. 1930]
Public Health Nursing Branch
Black and white print
Reference Code: RG 10-30-2, 1.14.3
Archives of Ontario, I0005277

Dental exam in an elementary school, Hamilton, [ca. 1930]
Public Health Nursing Branch
Black and white print
Reference Code: RG 10-30-2, 1.14.2
Archives of Ontario, I0005276

Edna Moore appointed Chief Public Health Nurse for the province.

Death rate in Ontario is now 37 per 100,000—down from 1904’s 120 per 100,000.

Tuberculosis surveys of Toronto secondary school pupils conducted, and again in 1944 and 1946.

Division of Public Health Nursing established within the Provincial Board of Health.

Thirty-four public health units established.

World Health Organization (WHO) proclaims that “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Ontario Hospital Services Insurance Plan established
(January 1).

Ontario Fluoridation Act enacted. The Act required every municipality to establish, maintain, and operate a water-fluoridation system.

First anti-smoking campaigns begin.

Guidelines for the establishment of non-smoking areas, 1979
Issued by the Ontario Ministry of Health. 1979 PAMPH 1979 #13
Archives of Ontario, I0040261

First national symposium on health.

First Senior Health Education Advisor hired in the Ontario Ministry of Health.

54 boards of health were in place, which served 95% of the population.

Public Health Inspector testing water quality of a public swimming
pool in the New Liskeard - Kirkland Lake area, July 1969
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Reference Code: RG 16-276-1- 69-1992
Archives of Ontario, I0003186

Universal public medical insurance plan enacted
(October 1).

Hospital and medical insurance combined into OHIP, the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.

New Ministry of Health Public Health Branch established.

Health Planning Task Force established.

Report of the Ontario Health Planning Task Force released.

A New Perspective on the Health of Canadians released.  

Health Promotion Branch formed in Ontario Ministry of Health.

Formation of the Health Education, Health Promotion Unit in Ontario Ministry of Health.

Health Protection and Promotion Act enacted. The Act directs boards of health to ensure the provision of a minimum level of public health programs and services.

Release of Seeking Consensus: Health Care in the 80s and Beyond.

Canada Health Act enacted. The Act establishes the criteria and conditions related to insured health care services—the national standards—the provinces and territories must meet in order to receive the full federal cash transfer contribution.

Office of Health Promotion at the Ministry of Health established.

Health Education Consultant hired in the Public Health Branch, Ontario Ministry of Health, to serve the growing numbers of Health Educators and Health Promoters in public health units and departments.

First International Conference on Health Promotion, Ottawa, and release of the Ottawa Charter on Health Promotion.

Achieving Health for All: A Framework for Health Promotion released.

Toward a Shared Direction for Health in Ontario released.

Health for All Ontario released.  

Health Promotion Matters in Ontario released.  

Office of Health Promotion replaced by the Health Promotion Branch.

Forty seven health promotion specialists are employed in Ontario’s 42 health units.

The Ministry of Health Promotion established.

Previous | Home