Ministry of Health
December 2024

Objectives

  • Support a level of consistency in Ontario Health Team (OHT)-led public communications, building on the work OHTs have already done.
  • Ensure each OHT is recognized as an OHT – an entry point to the Ontario health care system – while retaining its own unique local identity.
  • Promote partnership and collaboration between OHTs, Ontario Health and the Ministry of Health.
  • Provide clarity on roles and responsibilities for public-facing communications.

Naming

  • All approved OHTs should have “Ontario Health Team” and/or “Équipe Santé Ontario” as part of their name and logo.
  • It is up to each OHT that is affected by this new requirement to decide how best to incorporate this change, building on their existing visual identity standards, in accordance with any applicable accessibility requirements or standards. OHTs are free to use their own fonts, colours and other developed visual elements.
  • Support for affected OHTs includes a “no waste approach” and ample time to implement.
  • Any print material should be used as is until out of stock. Updated name and logo should be used when reprinting any public communications material.
  • Change can be made over time, OHTs should prioritize public facing material (websites, news releases, patient facing material, social media presence).

Acknowledgement

  • OHTs should acknowledge the support of the Government of Ontario in their public communications material. This requirement is applicable to all programs and initiatives OHTs are funded by the Province.
  • If the Government of Ontario funding provides 100 per cent of funds, acknowledgement can be either:
    • Text: “Funded by the Government of Ontario”.
    • Text and Ontario logo. Examples included in the appendix.
  • If the government of Ontario provides less than 100 per cent of funds to the OHT, acknowledgment can be either:
    • Text: “Funded in part by the Government of Ontario”.
    • Text and Ontario logo. Examples included in the appendix.
  • The Ontario Trillium Logo is not to appear independently on materials, without funding acknowledgment language present. An instance where the funding line would not appear with the logo is when the Ontario logo is positioned with other funder logos and the funding is acknowledged to all funders.
  • If using Ontario logo, OHTs should follow the standards set out by the Government of Ontario. Visual Identity guide for the use of Ontario logo is included in the appendix.
  • If using Ontario logo, OHTs should share the use with their regular Ontario Health regional communications contact. Ontario Health will then share with the ministry for review and approval of the appropriate use of the Ontario logo.
  • In any OHT publications, whether written, oral or visual, OHTs should acknowledge that the views expressed in the publication are the views of the OHTs and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Ontario.

OHT-led public communications planning and implementation

  • OHTs continue to identify public communications needs in their local communities and lead associated planning and development.
  • OHTs continue to lead local stakeholder communications.
  • OHTs lead public communications as an OHT (not on behalf of/replacing individual members public communications).
  • OHTs may ask their members to include a standard acknowledgement line in their communications - “Proud member of [name of Ontario Health Team] Ontario Health Team”. This is voluntary.
  • All communications requirements from the Path Forward document are still in place, including:

Ongoing Ministry of Health-Ontario Health-OHT collaboration

  • The primary communications contact for OHTs remains their Ontario Health regional communications contact.

Media protocol

  • OHTs should continue to direct any media questions about provincial programs and policies to Ontario Health who will follow existing media protocols with the ministry.

Sharing information for stronger partnerships and alignment

  • OHTs are not required to ask for formal ministry/Ontario Health approval or review of their communications plans or products.
  • OHTs are asked to flag any public communications related issues or contentious items to Ontario Health for awareness.
  • OHTs are asked to share any planned paid public marketing and planned announcements/ news releases for awareness and possible alignment with provincial and Ontario Health communications activities as soon as possible.
  • MOH and Ontario Health will establish regular touch points between MOH, Ontario Health and OHTs to share updates, ideas, provide support and keep each other in the loop, leveraging existing meetings and community of practice.
  • MOH and Ontario Health will provide available supports, such as key messages and products/assets, for health-related public education and for specific topics for OHTs involved in specific projects (for example, seasonal flu, home care leading projects, integrated clinical pathways, etc.) for OHTs to align their public communications.

Support for OHTs: overarching key messages about OHTs

Overarching key messages

  • To support consistent understanding of OHTs’ role in supporting connected and convenient care, OHTs should use the following key messages when describing what an OHT is and patient benefits.
    • Ontario Health Teams are a new way to organize and deliver health services, bringing together multiple health care providers as one collaborative team to provide patients with better connected and more convenient care, closer to home.
    • Ontario Health Teams serve as a one-stop shop where every entry point leads to care that is seamlessly coordinated. People are supported through their health care journey with one patient record and one care plan following wherever they receive care.
    • It’s automatic and you don’t need to sign up. Patients will continue to access care from their existing care providers and will always be able to choose where and who they access care from.
    • Ontario Health Teams bring together health care providers from across health and community sectors as one team, including primary care, hospitals, home and community care, mental health and addictions services, long-term care and connections to social services and public health.
    • Ontario Health Teams work together with patients, families and caregivers with a shared record and care plan to coordinate and deliver integrated care, understand their health care history, make seamless transitions from one provider to another, directly connect people to the right care at the right time and provide 24/7 help in navigating the health care system.
    • Health care providers in these collaborative partnerships have simplified access to more information, resources and services to better connect their patients to care.

Appendix: additional resources

Ontario Style Guide

The Ontario Style Guide web page also includes links to editing and design guides, the Ontario digital service standard and the Ontario government terminology guide (ONTERM)

Funding Acknowledgment Examples

Funding Acknowledgment Examples

Ontario Logo Usage

Please refer to the Ontario Logo Usage Guidelines included in this package.