There will be a new face providing leadership to Yukon hospitals in the coming months.

Dr. René Soucy is set to join the territory as chief of medical staff for the Yukon’s three hospitals in June, taking over for Dr. Wayne MacNicol.

MacNicol, who was appointed in February 2015 and spent his years as an obstetrician/gynecologist, had taken over for a retiring Dr. Graham Henderson.

Now, three years later, MacNicol himself is retiring and spending more time with his wife, said a news release announcing the new appointment – making way for Soucy.

For his part, Soucy says he is up to the task.

“I’m truly excited and honoured, I feel privileged,” he told the Star Wednesday morning.

His appointment “came from a chance encounter from a physician from this community,” he added.

Soucy has worked as a general practitioner, and spent time in Quebec before moving to British Columbia.

He practised in communities like Surrey and Kamloops for 25 years, eventually moving to Ottawa as an advisor in 2008 to join the Canadian Medical Protective Association. He comes to Whitehorse after retiring from this position.

Soucy hopes to eventually focus his efforts on “two small issues that are close to my heart: one is the French language, so our ability to provide more services to that community. And our liaison with First Nations, we need to continue to improve that relationship.”

He also plans to try to improve services for French-speaking patients during his tenure.

Soucy acknowledged that there are also more immediate issues like the congestion of hospitals, as the Yukon has only three serving the entire territory.

With hospitals in Whitehorse, Dawson City and Watson Lake, the site in the capital has especially seen overcrowding, frequently exceeding 100-per-cent capacity.

“One of the main issues has been space and the flow of patients,” said Soucy.

While he hasn’t yet seen for himself the issue, he conceded, the initial comments he’s heard from staff will guide him to try to remedy this problem sooner rather than later.

The new $150-million Whistle Bend continuing care facility, set to open its doors to clients in October, will have 150 beds available.

The veteran practitioner said this should help in relieving congestion, a problem faced by many provinces as the country’s population begins to age.

“This is a significant issue, it’s not only for this community or this hospital,” he said, adding “it’s a problem through the country.”

Soucy added that new medical staff bylaws and working with the existing staff and resources are other priorities in the coming months.

“I think the resources I have in front of me right now are sufficient,” he said.

“If I think we need to adjust those resources based on what the bylaws allow me to do, I will do so.”

MacNicol is set to stay on throughout the transition period, which is expected to run through May.