Thunder Bay joins over 50 cities across the nation supporting Flora’s Walk again this Saturday, May 3, in Canada’s largest perinatal mental health event.

Dr. Janet DeMille, Medical Officer of Health & CEO of Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU) has announced plans to resign at the end of December 2025.

The Superior Mental Wellness @ Work Advisory Group, coordinated by Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU), unveiled the Get Real photovoice project today at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. The community exhibit showcases stories and photos from 37 people across the region relating to workplace mental health. The project aims to generate dialogue and inspire positive change towards reducing mental health stigma and improving psychological health and safety in the workplace.

Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU) is proud to announce that the Healthy Kids Health on the Move for Equity (H.O.M.E.) Program has been awarded the Community Engaged Research Award (CERA) by Lakehead University. This prestigious recognition is part of the 2025 Research & Innovation Awards of Excellence, and highlights research partnerships that create meaningful, positive impacts in the community through collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU) has started the annual process of enforcing the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) to ensure students are protected against vaccine preventable diseases. Students who do not meet the ISPA requirements could face a 20-day school suspension. All mailed notices will be sent well before deadlines to give families ample time to update student vaccine records and avoid suspension.

Rapid antigen tests are no longer available at Provincial Public Health locations

Rapid tests are now only available to a specific group of people.

If you develop symptoms and you are eligible for a publicly-funded test, we recommend you contact your primary care provider or pharmacist to find out about test availability.

The Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA) recently honoured Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU) with their Employer Allyship Award. CAPSA is a national organization committed to addressing stigma and working alongside organizations to enhance substance use health through education, research, and policy change.

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has confirmed the presence of blue-green algae (BGA) in a water sample collected at Marie Louise Lake on September 21, 2024. Marie Louise Lake is located in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, approximately 85 km east of Thunder Bay, on Highway 587.

Water should be avoided whenever a BGA bloom is present, and for about 2 weeks after it has gone away. It is important to avoid:

- drinking the water;

- using it for household purposes; or

- swimming in it.

TBDHU encourages everyone to protect themselves from seasonal illnesses by getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and flu as soon as they become available to them.

Vaccines are now available to those who are at higher risk of severe illness from an infection, while everyone else becomes eligible on October 28.

Those who are at a higher risk of severe illness includes, but is not limited to:

TBDHU has launched a new secure online form to make providing consent for school-based vaccines easier and more convenient for parents and guardians across Thunder Bay District. The new online form takes minutes to complete, can be viewed on a mobile phone, and is available in English and French.