Peel appoints health commissioner

Peel chair Emil Kolb is pleased to announce the appointment of Janette Smith to the position of Commissioner of Health Services. Smith has served as the Acting Commissioner of Health for the past 19 months.

"You need high quality employees if you want service excellence and Janette is a great example of this philosophy, coming up through the ranks in successive leadership roles during almost 18 years with the Region," said Kolb. "Strong succession planning and training at the Region of Peel allow our employees to build their capacity for providing the best possible programs and services to the community."

Smith's experience includes working in the public health and long-term care portfolios as director of chronic disease and injury prevention, director of long-term care and most recently acting commissioner of health. She also managed the Smoke-Free bylaw initiative with the area municipalities as well as the City of Toronto and York Region. Smith holds a Master of Health Science degree in Community Health from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies from the University of Waterloo.

"The citizens of Peel have already benefitted from Janette's leadership," said Peel CAO David Szwarc. "Under her direction, the department has expanded long-term care services from three to five homes and achieved a three-year Accreditation Award for all five Regionally-operated long-term care homes by the Canadian Council of Health Services Accreditation."