York Region Public Health releases 2025 year in review and sets priorities for 2026 and beyond

May 28, 2026

Newmarket – York Regional Council received Public Health’s 2025 updates and future priorities. The 2025 year in review outlines major achievements, emerging health trends and strategic priorities planned over the next several years.

“York Region continues to deliver essential services that protect residents from health threats, strengthen communities and address the conditions that shape health and well-being across the Region,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Eric Jolliffe. “Strong partnerships across health care, education, social services, municipalities and community organizations are essential to addressing complex health challenges and advancing health equity across York Region.”

2025 key achievements include:

  • Completing 34,455 health inspections and investigations to reduce environmental health risks
  • Administering 73,864 vaccines to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases
  • Screening 40,866 children and youth for dental needs
  • Delivering sexual health services through five clinics, outreach services and the launch of GetaKit, an online and self-serve sexually transmitted infection test
  • Demonstrating strong emergency preparedness, including responding to a provincial measles outbreak that resulted in investigation of 13 local cases and more than 2,700 contact investigations
  • Launching an interactive dashboard “Understanding the Health of People in York Region” with over 50 indicators

“York Region remains focused on equity, community engagement and using local data to guide actions,” said City of Vaughan Regional Councillor Gino Rosati, Chair of Community and Health Services. “We remain committed to working with partners and communities to create opportunities for good health.”

Improving health and well-being requires an all of society approach. Many public health challenges are shaped by social, economic and environmental conditions. Public Health works closely with partners across health care, education, social services, community organizations and all levels of government to address these factors and strengthen community resilience.

Public Health priorities for 2026 and beyond include:

  • Advancing health equity, with a focus on Indigenous and Black communities
  • Promoting mental health and expanding system-level advocacy
  • Reducing harms related to opioid use through community partnerships
  • Improving vaccine access and confidence, particularly among vulnerable populations
  • Working to coordinate public policies in a way that actively supports health

York Region Public Health delivers services through six core public health functions, including population health assessment, health surveillance, health protection, disease and injury prevention, health promotion and emergency preparedness and response. Together these functions support informed decision-making, protect communities from health threats and improve health equity across the Region.

In addition to working with community partners and governments, Public Health offers direct clinical services, including the Healthy Babies Healthy Children program, sexual health clinics, dental screening, infant feeding support and vaccine administration.

For more information visit york.ca/Health

The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to more than 1.3 million residents and over 58,000 businesses with 624,000 employees. More information about the Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/RegionalServices

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Media Contact:

Tamara Ostrowski, Corporate Communications,
The Regional Municipality of York
Phone: 1-877-464-9675, ext. 71226
Cell: 905-251-6412
Email: @email