19.01.2026
Meeting press release of the the Board of the Regional Assembly
The Regional Government of Northern Ostrobothnia met for its first meeting of the spring season on 19 January in Oulu. At the beginning of the meeting, Director General Jaana Korhonen presented the activities of the Northern Finland Vitality Centre.
Response to the Board of Governors' Initiative: Northern Ostrobothnia has improved the living conditions of migratory fish
The provincial government gave its response to the council's initiative Launching a study on migratory fish projects.
The ongoing process of changing fishing obligations in Iijoki largely determines the direction and responsibilities of the measures to be taken in Iijoki. Organisations other than the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia are primarily responsible for the measures related to the fishing routes of the Oulujoki River. Bypassing and dismantling smaller power plants is always done on a case-by-case basis and requires area-based activity. In practice, increasing the role of the Regional Council would require an increase in project funding, matching municipal funding and human resources.
The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia contributes to the implementation of the EU Restoration Regulation and the Water Framework Directive. However, the practical measures are largely carried out by other actors and the responsibility for monitoring lies largely with the state actors.
Many important measures have been taken in the province of Northern Ostrobothnia to improve the living conditions of migratory fish in recent years: river rehabilitation, fishing routes, watering of old riverbeds and measures to regulate fishing. The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia has played an important role in managing Iijoki's migratory fishing projects over the past few years. The role has been formed on the basis of the management of the Iijoki Otva project (Iijoki Water Vision). The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia considers it natural that the region's migratory fish projects have a wide range of implementers and that project activities are not concentrated on a single operator, such as the Regional Council of the Region. It is essential that the project activities are driven by local activity and knowledge.
The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia sees the recovery of migratory fish stocks in the region as important. Migratory fish play an important role both ecologically, socially, culturally and economically. Recovery work requires the long-term commitment of different actors. Migratory fish need high-quality breeding environments, so water quality plays an important role as a whole. In addition to bypassing/dismantling dams, water remediation and other measures, more effort will be needed in the future for measures to be taken in catchment areas. The EU Restoration Regulation should provide additional resources for this.
Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia prepares for Government Programme 2027
The next parliamentary elections will be held in April 2027. The aim of the long-term advocacy work is to ensure that the voice of North Ostrobothnia and the North is strongly heard in the preparation of the upcoming Government Programme. The Northern Finland programme forms the backbone of the key themes of influencing the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. In the first half of 2026, it is necessary to establish regional priorities, their communication and to draw up a strategic communication and advocacy plan. The provincial government held a discussion on the matter.
Suomen Terveystalo Oy joins the Finnish Association for Occupational Health Care as a service provider
The provincial government selected Suomen Terveystalo Oy as the occupational health care service provider for 2026-2032, whose offer was the most economically advantageous. The contract period for the service begins on 1 March 2026. The call for tenders was organised within Hansel's dynamic framework system for occupational health services. By the deadline, the tender was submitted by Aava and Pikkujätti Oy, Pihlajalinna Medical Centres Oy, Suomen Terveystalo Oy and Mehiläinen Oy. Aava and Pikkujätti Oy's tender was rejected as contrary to the terms of the invitation to tender.
The the Board of the Regional Assembly took note of:
- The description of the management and control system of the EU's Regional and Structural Policy Programme Renewing and Skilled Finland 2021-2027
- Responsibilities and tasks transferred from the human resources manager
- office-holder decisions for the period 10.12.2025-13.1.2026
- issued by the Office Opinions from 10.12.2025 to 13.1.2026
Agendas and minutes
Link to agenda: Agenda 19/01/2026
