UM alum Dr. Joss Reimer named Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer

When Canada looked for trusted, compassionate public health leadership, it called upon a Bison.

UM alum, Dr. Joss Reimer [MD/08, MPH/13], has been appointed Canada’s next Chief Public Health Officer, a role she will assume on April 1, 2026. 

Dr. Reimer returns to the national spotlight at a critical time, as Canada confronts resurgent vaccine preventable diseases, the ongoing toxic drug crisis, and the spread of health misinformation. It is the kind of complex moment where Bisons see what others overlook and help Canada find its way forward.

A widely respected public health physician and Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient, Dr. Reimer has been at the centre of major health decisions affecting Manitobans and Canadians for more than a decade.

As medical lead and spokesperson for Manitoba’s COVID‑19 Vaccine Task Force, she led one of the most effective vaccine rollout programs in Canada. She then served as Chief Medical Officer for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, and President of the Canadian Medical Association where she supported national conversations on physician wellness, access to care, and medical misinformation. Prior to this, she developed and led UM’s population health program that continues to shape future physicians. 

“I love being part of the solution,” she once told her alma mater. “The passion that I have for trying to make the world a better place really works well in public health.”