News veteran Lisa LaFlamme has been tapped to anchor CTV National News, the broadcaster announced on Friday, shortly after long-time newscaster Lloyd Robertson announced his retirement.

LaFlamme will regularly be seen in the anchor chair during a year of transition before she assumes full-time hosting duties of CTV’s flagship newscast in mid-2011.

The 22-year news veteran started her career in 1988 at CTV’s CKCO affiliate as a copy writer and became reporter and news anchor in 1991. She also worked as a news anchor for CTV News Channel and parliamentary correspondent for CTV News, before assuming co-hosting duties on Canada AM in 2001.

For the past seven years, LaFlamme has been national affairs correspondent for CTV National News, and has covered events including the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the south Asia tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and the recent World Cup in South Africa.

Robertson steps down after 35 years as host of CTV National News.