Ontario top health advisor fired after vacation to Dominican Republic

A member of Ontario's COVID-19 science table has been fired from his job after it was discovered that he travelled to the Dominican Republic from December 18 to January 5.

St Joseph's Health System CEO Dr. Tom Stewart was relieved of his duties Tuesday evening. A statement released by the hospital says they encourage vacation time be taken while "following public health advice."

“We recognize and value the efforts of all our staff who have been working tirelessly and with great dedication. We encourage and support our staff taking vacation time while following public health advice,” said St. Joseph’s Senior Vice President Brian Guest in a statement to CTV News.

"I regret this non-essential travel and I’m sorry," an apology from Stewart said. "I recognize everyone should be avoiding non-essential travel now, including me."

"As a health system leader, my actions in no way reflect the tireless dedication and commitment of the staff at St. Joseph’s Health System, who continue to live the legacy of our organization every day."

The Ministry of Health also confirmed Stewart's departure from the health table.

“Helen Angus, Ontario’s Deputy Minister of Health, has accepted Dr. Tom Stewart’s resignation from the Health Coordination Table, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, and the LTC Incident Management System Table," a statement from the ministry states. "The people of Ontario have made countless sacrifices during the pandemic and it remains critically important that everyone continues to follow public health advice. We all have a part to play to stop the spread of COVID-19."