Lambert out at Group Health Centre days after CEO's convoy donation brought to light

The president and CEO of the Group Health Centre is leaving his job after SooToday revealed he made a private donation to the trucker convoy camped out near Parliament Hill.

In a statement issued this afternoon, the board of the Group Health Association said “it was the right timing to bring new leadership to the organization.”

Group Health CEO Alex Lambert confirmed to SooToday on Tuesday that he supports protesters who believe vaccine mandates should end, after his name showed up on a hacked list of those who donated to the convoy via crowdfunding site GiveSendGo.

Lambert, who donated $50 to the cause, told SooToday it was his choice not to implement vaccine mandates at Group Health. The story prompted Group Health Centre to issue a statement of its own on Wednesday, clarifying the organization's support of vaccines and that it does not support the trucker protest.

"I firmly believe in vaccination choice and bodily autonomy and everything that goes with that informed consent. That's a choice I made in the organization and I am happy with that," Lambert said on Tuesday.

Lambert has been with the Group Health Centre since May 2012 when he took on the role of Chief Financial Officer and was promoted to CEO in June of 2014.

Following is the full statement from the Group Health Centre:

Dr. David Fera, Chair of the Group Health Centre Board, has announced that Alex Lambert will be leaving the Group Health Centre as President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Fera and Mr. Lambert agreed that it was the right timing to bring new leadership to the organization.

Mr. Lambert started with Group Health Centre as Chief Financial Officer in May 2012 and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in June 2014. The Board thanks Mr. Lambert for his contributions over the last decade.

The Board is working to engage an interim Chief Executive Officer to assist the organization during a formal leadership recruitment process. In the meantime, the remaining members of the Senior Leadership Team will report directly to the Board.

The Group Health Centre serves over 80,000 patients in Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma District with a combined total of over 300,000 visits across our 8 sites in Sault Ste. Marie.