Eileen de Villa's proposed successor as Toronto's medical officer of health will be named at some point "in the next week or two," Coun. Chris Moise told the city's board of health Monday morning.
However, the name of the candidate still remains confidential.
The appointment requires approval from provincial Health Minister Sylvia Jones.
If approval is not issued by Jan. 1, 2025, the board of health wants city council to appoint the candidate in an "acting" capacity by that date and for them to serve to serve in the acting role until a permanent medical officer of health is agreed upon by Queen's Park.
A hiring committee conducted an extensive recruitment process for the still-secret top doctor nominee. Thirty candidates applied for the position, which was winnowed to a long list of six and a short list of three, their report says.
De Villa, who announced her plans to leave the job in May, has held the city's top public health job since 2017.
"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 told the board Monday.
"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 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 pandemic. When vaccines became available, Toronto's vaccination program was the largest in its history.
"It's ... important to remember that behind every number or trend in our public health data are real people and real communities," she said.
She will continue in her role until the end of the year.
