Torontonians will have to wait a little longer to find out who’s replacing Dr. Eileen de Villa, the city’s medical officer of health, who is set to retire at the end of the year.
The city’s board of health has a new candidate in mind but voted to send the recommended replacement back to a board-appointed hiring committee for further study.
The candidate’s name has been confidential throughout the months-long process.
One of de Villa’s deputies will take over on Jan. 1, 2025, pending approval from city council at next week’s meeting.
That person’s name has also been kept from the public.
Monday’s development may mean the replacement process has hit a snag. In mid-November, board of health chair Coun. Chris Moise said he expected to announce the new hire in “the next week or two.”
The hiring process has been led by a board of health subcommittee that includes Coun. Moise, Coun. Amber Morley, Coun. Alejandra Bravo, two high-ranking civil servants, one citizen member of the board of health and a delegate from Mayor Olivia Chow’s office.
They’ll come back to the full board of health next year with an updated recommendation, which would also need to be approved by city council. Once the candidate has council approval, Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones will need to sign off before it’s official.
De Villa unveiled her plans to move on from the position in May after a seven-year tenure. She became a household name while guiding the city through the pandemic.
At the board’s November meeting, de Villa told members the medical officer’s job is more important — and harder — than ever.
"The recent U.S. election has brought global attention to critical public health issues, raising concerns about potential policy shifts, the mainstreaming of misinformation and uncertainty around future resources,” she said.
"These emerging challenges underscore the importance of strong health leadership and strong public health leadership, especially now, as we navigate a landscape where misinformation increasingly blurs the line between facts and falsehoods,” de Villa added.
After de Villa announced her retirement, the board of health struck the hiring committee, which had help from Phelps Group, an executive search firm, to find her replacement.
Phelps Group and the hiring committee worked for months throughout the summer and fall to find qualified candidates from across North America.
Thirty people applied for the position. The group was whittled down to a five-person shortlist. Three candidates were invited for a final interview.
Chow is scheduled to attend a farewell event for de Villa Monday evening at the Toronto Reference Library.
