Ottawa Board of Health appoints Interim Medical Officer of Health, begins recruitment process for permanent replacement

At a special meeting of the Ottawa Board of Health yesterday evening, the Board approved the appointment of Dr. Trevor Arnason as Interim Medical Officer of Health for Ottawa Public Health (OPH), effective February 1, 2025. This appointment follows the resignation of Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa’s Medical Officer of Health (MOH), effective January 31, 2025, as she transitions to her new role as President and CEO of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), starting March 3, 2025. Ensuring the Board’s commitment to the community’s health and well-being is upheld, Dr. Arnason will continue to ensure community members stay informed of pressing issues and news from Ottawa Public Health during his appointment. The Board of Health has also established a selection panel to oversee the recruitment and recommendation of a candidate for the permanent Medical Officer of Health position. This hiring panel is tasked to ensure a robust, fair, and effective recruitment process, reflecting the Board’s commitment to good governance, transparency and delivering results for Ottawa. The selection panel is comprised of Catherine Kitts (Chair of the Board of Health), Tammy DiGiovanni (Vice-Chair), Rawlson King (Councillor), and Brent Bauer (Community Member). The selection panel will be responsible for launching an executive search in the coming weeks and will provide regular updates to the Board of Health. “I would like to thank Dr. Vera Etches for her incredible contributions to Ottawa Public Health and the City of Ottawa. She became a household name during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting our city through the crisis. Over her 15 years at Ottawa Public Health, Dr. Etches advanced services ranging from the support of new parents, vaccination and dental clinics, infectious disease control, through to policies about how city planning promotes health, building trust and confidence within our community. I look forward to her continued public service at CHEO and the ongoing partnership between CHEO and OPH. On behalf of the Board, I welcome Dr. Trevor Arnason into this new role and appreciate his guidance and support as we search for a new Medical Officer of Health,” said Catherine Kitts, Chair of the Ottawa Board of Health Dr. Trevor Arnason was appointed Deputy Medical Officer of Health for OPH in May 2024 and has been an Associate Medical Officer of Health (AMOH) since 2019. As AMOH, Dr. Arnason was the physician responsible for immunization programs and served as the lead medical consultant for the City of Ottawa’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Taskforce. Dr. Arnason has extensive public health experience, having served as Halifax's Regional Medical Officer of Health and as Program Director for the University of Ottawa’s Public Health Residency Program.  As the Board of Health furthers this selection process, OPH continues to be guided by its Mission, Vision, Commitments and Strategic Plan. In 2025, OPH will continue to build on these foundations and further advance efforts to improve well-being and enhance equity-driven services that are informed by and reflect Ottawa’s diverse populations. Maintaining and strengthening strong community partnerships are key to advancing this work. The community’s perspectives will continue to shape how we plan, implement and measure progress, keeping us accountable and adapting our approaches as needed. For more information about the Ottawa Board of Health, please visit our website. You can also connect with OPH on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.  For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.