The Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario (OCC) and Ontario Forensic Pathology Service (OFPS) is seeking physicians for appointment as Investigating Coroners. This role will afford you a unique opportunity to investigate deaths set out in the Coroners Act, including: sudden and unexpected, non-natural and those occurring in certain circumstances, institutions or occupations (e.g. in-custody, mining, construction). The role will also be responsible for contributing to the public safety mandate of the OCC/OFPS through the generation of recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths in future.

• Please note: these positions are NOT considered public service employees employed by the Ontario Public Service under the Public Service of Ontario Act, 2006. This recruitment posting is for on-call, fee-for-service positions funded through the OCC/OFPS, Ministry of the Solicitor General.

What can I expect to do in this role?

• Conduct investigations into non-natural deaths (homicide, suicide, accident, undetermined), and certain natural deaths (such as those which are sudden and unexpected; occurring in certain institutional settings; or in which there are concerns about medical care).
• Interact with families of those who have died, and provide them with appropriate and timely information about the conduct and outcome of your investigation.
• Work closely with a variety of stakeholders in death investigation, including forensic and other pathologists, forensic scientists, law enforcement personnel, Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management, Ministry of Labour, and other investigative agencies.
• Complete reports of your investigations which are shared with families, law enforcement personnel, the criminal justice system and other parties as set out under relevant legislation.
• You will be provided with initial and ongoing education in death investigation, as well as ongoing supervision and mentorship by an experienced Regional Supervising Coroner.
• Experienced Investigating Coroners may apply to preside at coroners' inquests.

How do I qualify?

Mandatory

• A licensed physician in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO)
• Licensed or eligible for independent practice by June 1, 2023.
• Flexibility within your work schedule to take on on-call duties (including evenings/weekends) and complete investigative reports within prescribed timeframes

Specialized Knowledge / Experience

• You have experience in the practice of medicine (primary care, or a medical or surgical specialty).
• You have a working understanding of pathophysiology and toxicology.
• You have an analytical mind, and an aptitude for problem-solving and logical thinking.
• You are able to accept supervision and direction from a senior coroner and to maintain currency with Best Practice Guidelines and other directives
• You are required to participate in initial and ongoing education in death investigation.

Communication Skills

• You have effective communication skills to interact with stakeholders, including medical and legal professionals, law enforcement agencies, and the public.
• You can demonstrate tact and diplomacy when communicating with grieving families, and maintain confidentiality regarding all investigations (coronial and criminal).
• You have effective written communication skills to prepare clear and concise reports and correspondence.
• For the Ottawa and Sudbury Regional Offices, proficiency in French is an asset.

Special Note to Applicants:

Successful applicants will be required to attend mandatory virtual online training on May 29th – June 2nd, 2023 (inclusive). It will also require the review of online course training modules/videos and quizzes that must be completed successfully in advance of the mandatory course.

For which area(s) is recruitment occurring? (Please note: under the provisions of the Coroners Act, you must be ordinarily a resident in the region in which you are appointed as a Coroner)

London Region:

• Grey County (e.g., Hanover)
• Windsor
• Chatham-Kent
• London
• Huron
• Lambton

Thunder Bay Region:

• Fort Frances
• Kenora
• Red Lake
• Dryden
• Sioux Lookout
• Atikokan
• Thunder Bay (City)
• Nipigon
• Terrace Bay
• Geraldton

Ottawa Region:

• Cornwall
• Ottawa

Hamilton Region:

• Hamilton
• Niagara
• Haldimand
• Norfolk
• Kitchener
• Waterloo

Sudbury Region:

• North Bay
• Small Communities

Kingston Region:

• Lindsay
• Kingston
• Belleville

Toronto Region:

• Greater Toronto Area

Central East Region:

• Durham Region
• Muskoka Region
• York Region

Central West Region:

• Brampton
• Halton North

Additional Information:

Note:

• This ad is also available in French.
• In accordance with the Ontario Public Service (OPS), Employment Screening Checks Policy (ESCP), the top candidate(s) may be required to undergo a security screening check. Refer to the above to determine the screening checks that are required for this position.
  
  Required security screening checks along with your written consent, will be sent to the Transition and Security Office (TSO), Corporate Talent Programs Branch, Talent and Leadership Division to evaluate the results. If applicable, the TSO, with your written consent, will request and obtain any additional employment screening checks that were not obtained directly by you.
  
  A record under the Criminal Code and/or other federal offence record(s) does not automatically mean you will be ineligible for the position. The employment screening check(s) will only be reviewed and evaluated by the TSO for the purpose of making a security clearance decision. The details of an individual's employment screening check(s) will be considered in specific relation to the duties and responsibilities of the position being filled. Employment screening check records will be maintained by the TSO and kept strictly confidential.
• The number of positions to be filled has not been identified at this time. This recruitment process will be used to create an eligibility list to fill upcoming opportunities within the next twelve months.
• Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
• The successful candidate will be required to: 1) undergo a criminal record check (Canadian Police information Centre – CPIC), and 2) provide a Certificate of Professional Conduct from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) prior to being considered for appointment as an Investigating Coroner,
• For inquiries related to this posting, please email OCC.Inquiries@ontario.ca and quote Job ID# 187472 in the subject line.