Category: News

Dear Members,

I’m honoured to serve as your newly elected President and grateful for the trust you have placed in me and the Board. Our organization exists because of your commitment to CIPHI and the environmental public health profession, and I am committed to serving you with transparency, integrity, and respect.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce your current Board of Directors:

• Kelsie Dale, President
• Casey Neathway, Vice President
• Natalie Lowdon, Past President
• Alexandre Tancrede, National Director – Education
• Ann Thomas, National Director – Policy &       Governance
• Kevin Kappell, National Director – Communications       & Advocacy
• Courtney Zimmerman, Branch Director – BC/YK
• Karah Harvey, Branch Director – AB/NWT/NT
• Theresa Reid, Branch Director – SK
• Samarjeet Singh, Branch Director – MB
• Peter Heywood, Branch Director – ON
• Laura Hamper, Branch Director – NB/QU
• Daniel McGee, Branch Director – NS/PEI
• Jillian Young, Branch Director – NL

This Board brings together a range of experience and perspectives, and we are committed to working collaboratively as a team. As a volunteer team, we are committed to working collaboratively to advance key initiatives that align with CIPHI’s mission, support the profession, and deliver meaningful value to our members.

As we begin this new term, I would like to share how your Board operates and the expectations we uphold:

1. Roles and Responsibilities

Your Board is responsible for governance of CIPHI, including setting strategic direction, ensuring financial stewardship, and upholding our bylaws and policies. In addition, we operate as a working board, with all members assigned general work and specific operational portfolios to support the organization’s ongoing activities and priorities. These portfolios are intended to advance our work in alignment with CIPHI’s mission and values.

All board members are expected to act in the best interests of the organization, contribute actively within their assigned areas, respect confidentiality where required, and engage in a spirit of teamwork and collaboration to support Board decisions.

2. Process and Accountability

Board actions, including elections and decision-making, are guided by our bylaws and established procedures. These processes are designed to be fair, consistent, and transparent, and the recent election was conducted in full alignment with them. While questions are a natural and important part of a healthy organization, it is equally important to recognize that there can be more than one appropriate way to apply process. The Board is committed to exercising its responsibilities thoughtfully and professionally, and to maintaining accountability in a way that supports confidence, stability, and trust across the membership.

3. Communication and Conduct

We value respectful, fact-based communication. CIPHI is committed to keeping members informed through regular and transparent updates, including official emails, website information, social media, annual meetings, and other established communication channels that reflect the work and decisions of the Board. We encourage members to look to these sources as the most accurate and reliable information about our activities and direction.

If members have questions or concerns, we welcome them and encourage you to bring them forward directly or through your Branch Representative on the Board so they can be addressed clearly and constructively. Maintaining open, respectful dialogue, grounded in accurate information, helps ensure a strong, collaborative, and well-informed organization.

4. Transparency and Engagement

We are committed to listening and engaging with members in meaningful ways. In the coming weeks, we will be launching a member survey to gather your feedback, ideas, and priorities. Your voice is essential in shaping our direction, and I strongly encourage you to participate.

Our focus is on strengthening our organization, fostering trust, and moving forward together with professionalism and respect. As a volunteer-led organization, we will continue to balance transparency and engagement with thoughtful use of our collective time and capacity. I believe we have a strong foundation and a shared commitment to our mission—and that will guide us through this next chapter.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement.

Kelsie Dale, CPHI(C)
President, Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors

Dear CIPHI Members,

Following the Annual Meeting and the completion and validation of the election process by the scrutineers, the CIPHI Nomination Committee is pleased to share the results of the recent Board of Directors election.

The following individuals have been elected to the CIPHI Board of Directors:

• Kelsie Dale, National President
• Casey Neathway, National Vice President
• Alexandre Tancrede, National Director- Education
• Ann Thomas, National Director – Policy and Governance
• Kara Harvey, AB/NWT/NU Branch Director
• Ken Diplock, ON Branch Director
• Laura Hamper, NB/QC Branch Director
• Jillian Young, NFLD Branch Director

The newly elected directors will begin their terms immediately in accordance with CIPHI bylaws.

The Nomination Committee wishes to acknowledge all candidates who participated in this election. Standing for election is an important contribution to CIPHI’s governance and reflects a strong commitment to the profession. There were three candidates for the National Director of Education and three candidates for Vice President. There were two candidates for the National Director of Governance and Policy, and all remaining elected directors had one candidate put forward by the branches as per the National Bylaws 2024-1 Section 3.02.

We thank all outgoing national directors for their commitment to serving the Institute and supporting its ongoing work.

If you have any questions regarding the election process, please contact elections@ciphi.ca. 

Sincerely,
CIPHI Nomination Committee
Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI)

Dear CIPHI members,

I am pleased to announce that the June issue of the Environmental Health Review is now available here.
This issue includes:

• CIPHI Branch Updates
• A technical article: Barriers and facilitators to cooling access during extreme heat events: a qualitative study
• An emerging issues article: Cremation tattoos: a public health perspective on the practice of incorporating human ashes into tattoo ink
• A commentary: Planetary health IS environmental public health: from the local to the global—and back
• A summary of relevant research article summaries

Don’t forget that your time spent reading articles in the Journal can be claimed for PDHs.
Hope you enjoy the issue.

Sincerely,
Wendy Pons, PhD, CPHI(C)
Editor
Environmental Health Review

National Director

In alignment with the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors National By-Law No. 2024-1, CIPHI is seeking Expressions of Interest for two (2) National Director positions.

Position Responsibilities:

Each National Director will be responsible for leading their assigned portfolio and working in partnership with the CIPHI Board of Directors to advance CIPHI’s vision and directives.

This call for Expressions of Interest is for a National Director to support one of the following portfolios:

1. Policy and Governance

2. Education

Qualifications:

● Be at least eighteen (18) years of age

● Be Class B (Regular/Life/Retired) member of CIPHI, in good standing

● Not have the status of a bankrupt

● Not be a person who has been found under any applicable statute to be    incapable of managing property

● Not be a person who has been declared incapable by a court in Canada or elsewhere

Term of Appointment:

The National Directors will be appointed for a two (2) year term. Directors are eligible to serve for consecutive terms.

Election Process:

Upon receipt of Expressions of Interest, the CIPHI Nomination Committee (made up of CIPHI Officers) will review each application for skills, experience, and qualifications aligned with the CIPHI mission and priority objectives, and may conduct interviews to gather additional information about applicants and their qualifications for the role. The CIPHI Board of Directors will vote to elect candidates brought forward by the Nomination Committee at a duly convened meeting.

Submission of Interest:

Please submit a written expression of interest outlining which portfolio you are interested in, how you meet the above criteria (no more than 250 words), along with a recent resume/CV to elections@ciphi.ca. Expressions will be accepted until 16:00 CST on May 1, 2026.

Late applications will not be considered.

CIPHI is proud to be a member organization representing environmental public health professionals and the environmental health profession in Canada amongst partners worldwide.

The E&HI journal shares environmental health knowledge and perspectives from professionals around the world and welcomes submissions from practitioners and researchers.

In Volume 25, No. 1 (2025), CIPHI is highlighted in several articles, including: Introduction to the IFEH–Americas Group featuring CIPHI members Casey Neathway (Chair) and Kelsie Dale (Secretary), page 9

Discover the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors, page 53

Read here:

https://online.fliphtml5.com/ssqxf/krfj/#p=1

Interested in submitting your work?

Learn more about current volumes and submission information here:

https://www.ifeh.org/publications.html

Thank you to all the members who participated in the 2025 National Canadian Institute of Public Health
Inspectors member survey. Your feedback will help guide the Board and shape our activities in the years ahead.
Attached is a brief summary of some of the highlights.

Also, the Advocacy Committee is currently working on several campaigns that will launch later this month and in September:

2025 Summer Awareness Campaign
CIPHI will run three Spotify ads aimed at increasing public awareness of the vital work Environmental Public Health Professionals do behind the scenes to keep Canadians safe.

Environmental Public Health Week (EPHW)
This year’s theme, selected by the International Federation of Environmental Health, is “Clean Air, Healthy People.” CIPHI is putting its own spin on the theme by focusing on Safe Spaces, Healthy communities, aligning with broader population health goals. Each day during EPH Week, we’ll spotlight a different program area that Environmental Public Health Professionals contribute to.

Thanks,

The CIPHI National Advocacy Committee

Dear CIPHI members, I am pleased to announce that the newest issue of the Environmental Health Review is now available here. In this issue, you will find: A technical article on the availability of rabies information  A technical article on chronic wasting disease  Nelson Fok’s research article summaries I am also excited to share that the EHR has added a quiz that will be included in each issue, providing a simple way to earn 1 professional development hour per quiz. The quiz can be accessed on the table of contents page for each issue.  A note about access to articles: Free access to all articles in the EHR is included in your CIPHI membership. To get full access to articles, please go to: https://ciphi.ca/–> under professional development –> Environmental Health Review.  If you ever have trouble accessing articles or have questions please feel free to reach out to me.  Wendy Pons, PhD, CIPHI(C) Editor, Environmental Health Review

Dear CIPHI members, I am pleased to announce that the newest issue of the Environmental Health Review is now available here. In this issue, you will find: A technical article on the availability of rabies information  A technical article on chronic wasting disease  Nelson Fok’s research article summaries I am also excited to share that the EHR has added a quiz that will be included in each issue, providing a simple way to earn 1 professional development hour per quiz. The quiz can be accessed on the table of contents page for each issue.  A note about access to articles: Free access to all articles in the EHR is included in your CIPHI membership. To get full access to articles, please go to: https://ciphi.ca/–> under professional development –> Environmental Health Review.  If you ever have trouble accessing articles or have questions please feel free to reach out to me.  Wendy Pons, PhD, CIPHI(C) Editor, Environmental Health Review

Reminder: Renew your CIPHI Membership for 2025, if you haven’t already.

Are you currently a CIPHI member? Have you been a member in the past?  Check out the following renewal options…… 

The CIPHI membership year starts January 1st and ends December 31st. Memberships are not prorated and do not carry into the following year. They expire on December 31^st.

Yes, I was a member in 2024 and would like to renew!

Electronic membership renewal for 2025 membership via the CIPHI Membership Service Centre (MSC) is now available. To ensure uninterrupted access to the MSC please renew your membership before March 31^st.  Thank you for your ongoing support of CIPHI!

No, I was not a member in 2024 but I would like to become a member in 2025!

Welcome back!  If you have an MSC account, you will still be able to log in, but will be immediately directed to the membership renewal screen.

What happens to my MSC account if I do not renew my membership by March 31st?

Your account will remain open to you for access to renew, however all other benefits and features will be restricted from view until your renewal is complete. To ensure uninterrupted access to the MSC please renew your membership before March 31^st.

No MSC account? No Problem!

If it has been sometime since you were a member and don’t have an MSC account, you need to complete a membership form and send it to the National office, where your membership will be processed manually and an account will be created for you. If you are unsure whether you have a username or password for the MSC or are having difficulty accessing the site please contact the CIPHI Office at office@ciphi.ca or 1-888-245-8180.

Need Help?

Check out these “Frequently Asked Questions” about Membership Renewal

What if I already sent my membership renewal to the CIPHI National Office?

If you have already sent your membership renewal directly to the CIPHI Office via email, fax or mail please disregard this email message, as your membership is being processed. You can check your membership status by logging on the MSC, or by contacting the National Office at office@ciphi.ca or 1-888-245-8180.
 

Will my CPHI(C) be suspended if I am not a member of CIPHI?

If you received your Certificate Public Health Inspection (Canada) after January 1^st, 2017 and do not maintain regular membership in CIPHI your certificate will be suspended.

If you received your Certificate Public Health Inspection (Canada) before January 1^st, 2017 and do not maintain regular membership in CIPHI your certificate will NOT be suspended.

How long does it take the National Office to process a membership renewal?

It takes approximately 3 to 4 weeks to process membership renewals sent directly to the CIPHI Office and updated to the MSC. Any individuals sending their membership renewal to the office after March 31^st may have their access restricted until their renewal is processed.

Therefore, if you have not already renewed your CIPHI membership yet, you are encouraged to renew through the MSC to ensure no interruption in your access. Through the MSC you can renew your membership via cheque, or Credit Card.

Please note that if you choose payroll deduction, or intend for your employer to remit payment on your behalf to pay for your dues (whether this is due to payroll deduction, lump sum cheque for your office, or for your employer to pay as a benefit to you), you will need to contact your HR department to set up a payment to be sent to the National Office.

How long does it take to process my membership renewal through the MSC?

Upon completion of the membership renewal process online you will be given immediate full access to the MSC. This happens regardless of which payment option you select (cheque, payroll deduction or credit card). For the cheque and payroll deduction option, your membership status will be listed as “pending” until the office confirms full payment. For online credit card payments, your status will be “active”, and you will be sent an e-mail confirmation of payment.

What should I do if I forgot my MSC username or password?

If you have forgotten your username or password for the MSC or you are having difficulty accessing the site please contact the CIPHI Office at office@ciphi.ca or 1-888-245-8180.