Southern Manitoba physician Joss Reimer to become Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer on April 1

A southern Manitoba physician with deep roots in the region is set to step into one of the country’s most influential public health roles. Dr. Joss Reimer will begin as Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer on April 1, bringing a perspective shaped by rural and regional practice in the Southern Health region.

Reimer described the move as both exciting and daunting. "It absolutely is exciting. A little scary as well, but I think it would be worrisome if I wasn’t a little scared about this big role," she said, adding that meaningful work often comes with mixed emotions.

Her appointment places a voice from southern Manitoba at the centre of Canada’s public health system. In the national post, she will advise the federal Minister of Health, monitor infectious diseases, and help guide strategies aimed at improving the health of Canadians.

Reimer said communication will be a central focus, particularly ensuring that people in rural and smaller communities can easily understand public health information. "One of my favorite things in all of my jobs is to take these complex topics and try to make them understandable for people," she said, noting she hopes to draw on experience from COVID-19 and work with the Canadian Medical Association.

She became a familiar face in Manitoba during the pandemic as medical lead of the province’s vaccine task force, regularly engaging with residents across southern Manitoba and other rural regions. That experience, she said, underscored the importance of clear, consistent messaging in places where access to care and information can differ from larger urban centres.

Reimer called misinformation one of public health’s biggest challenges. "Mis and disinformation, they existed before the pandemic, but they absolutely got exacerbated during the pandemic and with social media," she said. In rural and small-town communities, where people often rely on trusted relationships and local networks, misinformation can make already complex health decisions even harder, she added.

Her goal, she said, is to help create a more accessible and reliable information space. "Much like I've done in previous roles, (I want to) help to contribute to a source of trusted information," Reimer said. "Just helping to create a trusted space where evidence-based information is available to Canadians that they can go to." Despite relocating for the role, Reimer emphasized her continuing connection to southern Manitoba.

She noted she still has friends and family in the area and cares deeply about the community.