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Dr. Roger Perrault has been charged with four counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm and one count of common nuisance endangering the public.
His trial in Toronto could last for several months.
More than 1,000 Canadians were infected with HIV and as many as 20,000 contracted hepatitis C after receiving tainted blood products in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Dr. Roger Perrault. (File photo)
Perrault and other medical officials at the Red Cross and Health Canada have been accused of failing to screen blood products and not stopping people with HIV from donating blood.
Lawyers for Perrault, 68, had tried to convince the court that he wasn't well enough to stand trial. But in August, Justice Mary Lou Benotto rejected the arguments.
Perrault has had two heart attacks and open heart surgery. However, Benotto said the public interest requires that a trial go ahead.
Control of the Canadian blood supply was taken away from the Red Cross, and Canadian Blood Services was established in 1998.
Last May, the Red Cross apologized to tens of thousands of Canadians infected with AIDS or hepatitis C and pleaded guilty to distributing a contaminated drug, a violation of the Food and Drug Act. In exchange, charges of criminal negligence causing bodily harm and common nuisance were withdrawn.
The charity paid a $5,000 fine and agreed to give $1.5 million to the University of Ottawa for a research endowment fund and scholarship for the families of those affected.
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