Eileen de Villa's proposed successor as Toronto's medical officer of health will be named November 18.
After "an extensive search and interview process," a hiring committee had decided on a candidate, according to a letter from Ward 13 Coun. Chris Moise, who sits on the city's board of health.
De Villa, who announced her plans to leave the job in May, has held the city's top public health job since 2017.
She was at the helm during Toronto's most serious public health crisis since the 1918 flu epidemic, leading the city's response to the COVID-19 epidemic. When vaccines became available, Toronto's vaccination program was the largest in its history.
"This was not a decision that I took lightly," de Villa said in a video released in May. "However, after several months of heartfelt discussions with my family, and taking some time to think about and to reassess my future path, I'm ready to embark on the next chapter of my professional life and to spend more time with my family."
She will continue in her role until the end of the year.
"You navigated @TOPublicHealth through an incredibly difficult and uncertain time during the pandemic with integrity and compassion," Mayor Olivia Chow wrote on Twitter in May. "As mayor, I'm grateful for your work to keep our city healthy."
A report on De Villa's successor will be presented to the board of health's next meeting.
