Champlain LHIN CEO leaves post

The head of the Champlain Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), the agency that oversees health care in Ottawa and acrossa large swath of eastern Ontario, is leaving after eight years in the job.

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In an email Thursday, acting CEO Catherine Butler confirmed Chantale LeClercisno long with the organization, but thanked her for her contributions "in advancing the quality of health care in the region."

Butler said theLHIN,which serves 1.3 million people, will continue operating without disruption. That includes home-care services, Butler said.

LeClercearned $301,752 last year, according to Ontario's Sunshine List, which discloses public sector salaries over $100,000.

Neither Butler nor staff at Ontario's Ministry of Health have said whether Leclercwas fired or decided to leave. CBC has been unable to contact LeClerc directly.

In an email to CBC, Travis Kann, director of communications for Health Minister Christine Elliott, wrote:"While I cannot comment on internal human resources matters at the Champlain LHIN, I can confirm that Ms. LeClerc's leaving was not a result of a ministry decision or directive."

Jobs cut

The Ontario government introduced legislation in February creating acentralized agency, Ontario Health, to govern the province's $60-billion health-care system.

The government plans todissolve14 LHINs across the province and mergetheir duties with other health agencies including Cancer Care Ontario.

Last month, more than 400 health sector workers from the 20 agencies that will be collapsed into Ontario Health were laid off, and there areindicationsanother 400 vacantpositions will be eliminated.

Those who lost their jobs were described as "back office workers"such as communications, financial services and planning staff.

The government projects the merger will save $350 million a year by 2021-22.