About NEPH

Northeastern Public Health (NEPH) / Santé publique du Nord-Est (SPNE) officially launched on January 1st, 2025, bringing together the former Porcupine Health Unit and Timiskaming Health Unit. After several years of exploring a merger and significant integration work throughout 2024, we received approval from the Ontario government in December 2024 to become one of Ontario’s newest health units

We serve the Districts of Cochrane and Timiskaming, and the townships of Temagami and Hornepayne in Northeastern Ontario—making us the largest health unit in the province. Our team is dedicated to strengthening public health across this vast region. By combining the skills, experiences, and expertise of two established organizations, we’re building a stronger public health agency to improve health of people in all our communities.

As we move into our second year of operations, our programs, services, and office locations continue to serve our communities. We work closely with residents, community partners, First Nations communities, and municipalities across the northeast to maintain strong local connections and deliver the public health services our region depends on.