How will the Public Health Act change powers or responsibilities of health authorities and local government?
This Act is not intended to increase powers and responsibilities, but rather clarify and modernize the legislative terminology underpinning these areas. The Act clarifies the public health obligations for local governments to reflect their relationship with the regional health authorities. The abilities of local governments to directly issue health hazard abatement orders has been removed as they no longer have staff with that expertise. Local governments are able to request that medical health officers issue such orders, and they may be given powers to deal with specific health hazards if they so desire.
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