March 2026 Board of Health Meeting - January 15, 2026 to February 14, 2026 Communications Update Information Report
PREPARED BY: Communications
DATE: 2026-03-12
SUBJECT: Communications Report February 2026
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE:
Provide regular marketing and communication updates to the Board of Health.
| SOURCE | January 15 – February 14 | December 15 – January 14 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| News Releases, Media Advisories and Statements, or Notices Issued | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Media Requests Received | 8 | 20 | -12 |
| Wechu.org pageviews | 91,219 | 77,756 | 13,463 |
| YouTube Channel Subscribers | 1,864 | 1,868 | -4 |
| Email Subscribers | 6,600 | 6,615 | -15 |
| Emails Distributed | 11 | 4 | 7 |
| Facebook Fans | 26,394 | 26,217 | 177 |
| Facebook Posts | 70 | 60 | 10 |
| Twitter Followers | 8,275 | 8,290 | -15 |
| Twitter Posts | 67 | 55 | 12 |
| Instagram Followers | 2,236 | 2,191 | 45 |
| Instagram Posts | 32 | 35 | -3 |
| LinkedIn Followers | 2,082 | 2,055 | 27 |
| LinkedIn Posts | 18 | 21 | -3 |
| Media Exposure | 116 | 110 | 6 |
Media Exposure Overview Graph
Notes: From January 15 – February 14, we experienced one main peak in media coverage (February 3) related student immunization enforcement on a provincial level. Three smaller peaks were noted (January 23 & 27, February 6) related to a cold weather warning, our news release on the student immunization program, and an update on respiratory illnesses in our region, respectively.
Website Overview Graph
Notes: Darker blue line is current timeframe. From January 15 – February 14, we saw a higher volume of web traffic compared to the previous month. This can be attributed to a high number of news releases which were issued, driving more traffic to our site.
Social Media Overview Graph (followers)
Notes: Lighter blue lines are the current timeframe. From January 15 – February 14, we saw a significant increase in followers on Facebook, a decline on X, and steady audiences on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Discussion – WECHU's New Strategic Plan
On February 4, the WECHU released its new Strategic Plan which outlines how we will complete our work for the next five years. Complete with a new Vision, Mission, and Values, it also includes five Strategic Priorities that will guide our work.
A variety of communication pieces were completed to inform the public and key stakeholders about the release, including two social media posts, emails to subscribers and media, and direct emails from members of the leadership team to key partners.
Between the two social media posts which were issued, they were seen by a total of 6,627 people on Facebook, with a total of 265 engagements. The email to those who subscribe to news releases was opened by 1,191 viewers (30% of the list), and the media had a 57% open rate. To date, the webpage with the full strategic plan has been visited 476 times.