Canada’s chief veterinarian has left the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to serve as the new associate deputy minister for Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada.

Dr. Harpreet Kochhar’s new appointment is listed in the federal government’s employee directory and was confirmed for iPolitics by the agency and industry officials.

Canada’s deputy chief veterinarian Dr. Jaspinder Komal will serve as acting chief veterinarian, CFIA said.

Kochhar was appointed Canada’s chief veterinarian in January 2014 and has served as CFIA’s associate vice-president of operations since May 2015.

Prior to his appointment, he worked as a senior animal biotechnology policy specialist at CFIA and as the agency’s executive director of western operations. He is an expert on animal biotechnology for the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

Kochhar was responsible for Canada’s response to several disease outbreaks, including several outbreaks of avian influenza and last fall’s bovine tuberculosis finding in southern Alberta. He appeared regularly in front of the House agriculture committee to provide MPs updates on emerging situations or ongoing outbreaks.

Canada’s chief veterinarian is responsible for monitoring the country’s plant and animal health environment and ensure industry and governments can respond efficiently and effectively to foreign, emerging and future disease threats. They work closely with Canada’s provincial chief veterinarians, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the CFIA president, the country’s agriculture and health ministers and foreign plant and animal health agencies.