A group of volunteer scientists who have provided independent and often blunt advice throughout the COVID-19 pandemic will now be placed under the control of an arms-length government agency.

Public Health Ontario has announced that it is assuming “operation and oversight” of the Ontario Science Advisory Table, which was previously hosted by the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

It says that the move, which takes effect April 4, “will create a permanent home for the table which will help bolster its provincial resources and ensure it can continue its strong connections with the broader academic community.”

“PHO is excited to welcome the Science Advisory Table,” PHO Vice President and science table member Dr. Brian Schwartz said in a news release. “We look forward to continuing to support the table in providing credible and independent scientific and technical advice to inform the Ontario government as we transition towards recovery from COVID-19 and to help prepare for and respond to future public health emergencies.”

The 35-member science advisory table was formed in July 2020 and has consistently provided the Ford government with advice on its handling of the pandemic, as well as modelling.

The table has also produced reports on a myriad of pandemic-related issues, ranging from vaccine strategies to how to use rapid antigen tests most effectively.

The decision to fold the table into Public Health Ontario comes just days after departing scientific director Dr. Peter Juni told CP24 that Ontario is in the middle of a sixth wave that is largely the result of the province "throwing caution to the wind,” particularly with the lifting of its mask mandate.

“You can call it whatever you want, you know; whether it’s a resurgence of the Omicron wave we had or a sixth wave, the point is really to understand this is not a BA.2 wave,” Juni said on Tuesday night.

According to the release, the science table will continue to be comprised “of independent, volunteer and non-partisan experts.”

However, in a statement NDP Health critic France Gélinas accused the Ford government of undermining the table’s independence.

“The Science Advisory Table has been instrumental in giving Ontarians a clear picture of where we are in the pandemic without government rhetoric or political spin. Ontarians put their trust in the Science Table to tell us all about forecasts, and what the province needs to do to avoid the worst,” she said. “Doug Ford’s choice to weaken and undermine the Science Table’s independence has people worried, for good reason.”