OTTAWA -- The federal government is passing on responsibility for steering the national logistical rollout of COVID-19 vaccines to Brig.-Gen. Krista Brodie, who The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has named the new vice-president of vaccine logistics and operations, replacing Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin.

The agency made the announcement on Monday evening after the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence issued a joint statement last Friday stating Fortin was stepping aside amid a military investigation.

CTV News has exclusively reported that, according to sources, Fortin is facing a historical sexual misconduct allegation that dates back to 1989. Fortin, through his lawyer Cmdr. Mark Letourneau with the Defence Counsel Services, has “completely” denied any wrongdoing.

Brodie was initially seconded to PHAC in November 2020 as part of the National Operations Centre alongside Fortin as part of a team of nearly 30 members of the Canadian Armed Forces including operational planners, pharmacists, health-care administrators, engineers, and IT experts.

According to the agency, Brodie briefly returned to the Canadian Armed Forces in February as the Commander of Military Personnel Generation Group, but has “played a pivotal role in the vaccine rollout.”

She comes into the role at a pivotal moment as COVID-19 vaccines are becoming increasingly available and arriving in larger quantities. Canada is set to receive and distribute 4.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines this week, and opposition MPs have said they’ll be watching closely to ensure that the distribution process isn’t impacted by the shakeup at the helm of the massive logistical campaign.

PHAC President Iain Stewart is promising a “seamless transition.”

“Moving forward, Canadians can rest assured that the work of the Agency will continue with the same focused attention to achieving our immunization campaign,” said Stewart in a statement.

According to Brodie’s military biography, she joined graduated from the Royal Roads Military College and joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1989. She has been deployed to Croatia, Bosnia, and Afghanistan and has served with both NATO and the United Nations, and is married with three children.

With files from CTV News’ Sarah Turnbull