The Thunder Bay District Health Unit is a public health agency incorporated under the HPPA and governed by the Board of Health for the District of Thunder Bay. It is one of thirty-six (36) not-for-profit, publicly funded health agencies in Ontario.
The TBDHU provides public health programs and services to approximately 146,000 people across a large geographic area of 235,531 sq. km. Its main office is located in the City of Thunder Bay and operates in small towns within the District including Red Rock, Terrace Bay, Geraldton, Marathon and Manitouwadge.
The TBDHU works with individuals, families, coalitions and partner agencies to promote and protect health, and to prevent disease. Public health programs and services are geared toward people of all ages and are delivered in a variety of settings including workplaces, daycare and educational settings, homes, health care settings and community spaces.
Frequently Called Numbers
| Clinics & Classes | Phone Numbers |
| Breastfeeding Clinic | 625-8827 |
| Children's Oral Health | 625-5984 |
| Food Safety Courses | 625-5930 |
| HIV Anonymous Testing | 625-5976 |
| Immunization Clinic | 625-5900 ext. 1 |
| Sexual Health Clinic | 625-5976 |
| Tobacco Cessation | 625-5982 |
| For Families | |
| Healthy Babies Healthy Children | 625-8814 |
| Nutrition Promotion | 625-8315 |
| School Immunization | 625-5971 |
| For Communities | |
| Animal Bite Reporting (see health care professional or call) | 625-8318 |
| Infectious Diseases | 625-8318 |
| Library Services | 625-8309 |
| Public Health Inspections | 625-5930 |
| Septic Inspections | 625-7990 |
What are Public Health Services?
Public health services promote healthy living, healthy growth and development, injury and disease prevention and control communicable diseases in the community. Programs and services are available to individuals and groups of all ages in a variety of settings.
Our Programs and Services Include:
Children's Oral Health
- Oral health screenings
- Annual cleanings
- Fluoride varnish
- Sealants
- Referrals for dental treatment and assistance to obtain care and possible financial aid for children up to age 17
Children's Visual Health
- A free children’s vision screening program offered to students in Senior Kindergarten.
- Screening looks for signs of potential vision problems in children.
Environmental Health
- Air quality inspections
- Safe water
- Emergency preparedness
- Food safety & courses
- Health hazard investigation
- Playground inspections
Family Health
- Information, support and resources for people planning a pregnancy, people who are pregnant & people who are transitioning to parenthood
- Prenatal & parenting classes
- Information to help families create a healthy & safe home environment
Healthy Babies Healthy Children
- Information on children's growth and development
- Prenatal and parenting support through home visiting
- Information about community services
- Breastfeeding clinic and infant nutrition
Healthy Living, Injury Prevention & Drug and Alcohol Misuse
- Information, support and resources on being physically active, preventing injuries and reducing the amount of alcohol and drug misuse
Healthy Schools
- Programming, information and resources to support students, staff and parents in creating a healthy school community.
Infectious Diseases Prevention & Control
- Hand hygiene
- Outbreak management
- Rabies
- Reportable disease
- Tattooing and body piercing
- Ticks and Lyme disease
- Tuberculosis
- West Nile virus
Immunization
- Immunization clinics for adults and children for routine immunizations, Hepatitis B, HPV and flu
- Pandemic influenza information and planning
Nutrition Services
- Partner with schools, workplaces, child care organizations, recreation centres and other community groups to promote healthy eating and improve the food environment.
Septic & Land Development
- Issuing of septic applications and permits
- Severances & variances
- Inspections
- File searches
Sexual Health
- Sexual health clinics
- Birth control
- Counselling & referral
- Emergency contraceptives
- Pregnancy testing & options
- STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) testing
Street Outreach Nursing
- Counselling and referral to services
- Harm reduction services
- Infectious disease follow-up
- STI testing and treatment
Superior Points
Services are free, confidential and include:
- Needles/syringe exchange
- HIV and AIDS education
- Counselling and referral to services
- Condoms
- Sterile water
- Hepatitis C prevention information
- Presentations to the public and organizations
Tobacco Control
- Information, training, support and resources about tobacco use prevention and youth engagement
- Enforcement of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act
- Cessation counselling
- Assistance to municipalities and community groups in developing policies to control tobacco use
Workplace Health Promotion
- Consultations with workplaces to promote healthy eating and physical activity, and to reduce stress and improve morale
- Information on a variety of workplace healthy issues through the Wellness@Work network
Listing of Program & Services
| Healthy Families | Safe Communities | Health & Well-Being |
|---|---|---|