In October 2007, Dr. Helena Jaczek was elected to the Ontario Legislature as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Oak Ridges-Markham and appointed Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health Promotion by Premier McGuinty. She is a member of the Health, Education and Social Policy Committee as well as the Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions.

Helena received her medical degree from the University of Toronto. In addition, she has completed a Master of Health Science (U of T), and received her MBA from York University. Helena practiced medicine for 11 years at the Etobicoke Medical Centre and Women’s College Hospital in Toronto.

For more than 18 years, Helena served as the Medical Officer of Health and the Commissioner of Health Services for York Region, where she was responsible for public health services, long term care programs, and Emergency Medical Services (Land Ambulance). In this role, Helena integrated six small ambulance services to form York Region’s Emergency Medical Services. She was also instrumental in expanding the range of available health promotion programs, including regular dental screenings, nutrition, and immunization programs within York Region Schools.

As an active member of the community Helena has served on many boards and committees including the Ontario Great lakes Renewal Foundation and the York Centre for Children, Youth and Families Capital Campaign Cabinet. Helena volunteered with the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council where she mentored foreign trained professionals to help facilitate their transition into life in Ontario. For this work, she was awarded the “Outstanding Alumni Mentor Award 2007” from the Public Health Sciences Alumni Association of the University of Toronto.

Helena has also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Association of Local Public Health Agencies, the Canadian Institute of Planners Award for Planning Excellence in Environmental Planning, and In Celebration of Woman Award, York Region for Medical Leadership.