Provincial government confirms intention to name Dr. Kieran Moore as Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health

The Ontario government has now confirmed that on Monday, May 31, 2021, it will table a motion in the Legislature to appoint Dr. Kieran Moore as the province’s next Chief Medical Officer of Health to succeed Dr. David Williams upon his retirement on June 25, 2021. Once the motion is passed, Dr. Moore will assume office effective Jun. 26, 2021.

“Should this motion pass, Dr. Moore has agreed to take on this important role at a critical juncture in our fight against COVID-19. As we continue to vaccinate more Ontarians and embark on our Roadmap to Reopen in the coming weeks, Dr. Moore’s years of experience working in public health will be crucial as we begin to gradually lift public health measures,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “I would like to thank Dr. Williams for his dedication to safeguarding the health and safety of Ontarians during his many years of service. We are incredibly grateful for his experienced leadership at the helm of the province’s pandemic response to protect our communities from COVID-19 and its devastating impacts.”

Dr. Moore will work alongside Dr. Williams for a few weeks, starting Monday, June 7, 2021. The term of the Chief Medical Officer Health’s appointment is normally for five years, with the possibility of reappointment for an additional term or terms of 5 years.

Dr. Kieran Moore presently serves as the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health, and has also served as a Program Director for the Public Health and Preventive Medicine Residency Program at Queen’s University, as a Professor of emergency, family medicine and public health sciences, at Queen’s University, as an attending physician at Kingston General Hospital (KGH) and Hotel Dieu Hospital (HDH), and as a principal investigator at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research-funded Canadian Lyme Disease Research Network.

“Being considered for the role of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health is a great honour and one that I do not take lightly,” said Dr. Kieran Moore. “If appointed as the province’s next Chief Medical Officer of Health, I would remain steadfast in my commitment to fight COVID-19 and I would provide all necessary advice to the government to ensure the health and safety of all Ontarians.”

In a statement, the Ontario government said it thanks Dr. Williams for his dedicated service to the province, including the last five years as Chief Medical Officer of Health, a position he has held since February 16, 2016. “Dr. Williams has been at the forefront of Ontario’s pandemic response and his tireless work and measured advice have helped the government to keep Ontarians safe and informed. Dr. Williams had previously postponed his retirement to continue guiding the province through the pandemic and on November 23, 2020 was reappointed as Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health from February 16 up until September 1, 2021,” read the statement.

“It has been a pleasure and an honour to serve the people of Ontario as their Chief Medical Officer of Health”, said Dr. David Williams. “I have had the privilege to work with some of the most gifted and talented people over my career, and I want to thank them all for their contributions and dedication not only during this pandemic, but for all they have done for the health and well-being of Ontarians. I also want to thank the people of Ontario for the resilience they have displayed throughout this pandemic and for the support they have shown me in these challenging times.”