Is housing a sleeper issue in the 2022 Ontario municipal elections?
Join PAAC Ontario on Tuesday, February 22 at 11am to hear about how housing policy will impact upcoming municipal elections in Ontario.
Municipal elections are on the horizon this fall across Ontario, and a number of subjects will emerge as key policy issues that will influence upcoming campaigns. Housing policy affects every municipality across the province and may be one of the most important topics communities grapple with during the election period. The pandemic has exacerbated Ontario’s housing crisis, with a huge surge in home prices – both in the GTHA and rural communities. Additionally concerns with how to address issues of homelessness and the shelter system are top of mind.
On February 22, join PAAC Ontario and a diverse panel of elected officials and Public Affairs professionals for an engaging discussion on issues related to housing policy, and how it will impact municipal election campaigns across the province this fall.
Date:
Tuesday, February 22 from 11:00 am - noon
Moderator:
Andrew Pask, Professor, Municipal Government Relations Management, Seneca College
In addition to his consulting practice as the Principal of AP Public Affairs, Andrew also developed and teaches the Municipal Government Relations Management course at Seneca College. Andrew has over 30 years of public policy, campaign management and political experience. He has served as a Cabinet Minister’s Special Assistant on Parliament Hill, a political staffer for MLAs and is also known for his tenure at Toronto City Hall. Private sector service includes being Manager of Municipal Affairs for a national telecommunications company and as an Account Director of Public Affairs and Vice President of Municipal Affairs for government relations firms. Being very active in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) community, Andrew has worked well with FCM Executive Members, the Board and Staff as a Corporate Partner, Sponsor, and supporter of the organization. He has represented firms and associations before Standing Committees, Municipal Councils and Public Consultations in cities & towns from BC to Atlantic Canada with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA), FCM and the Alberta, Ontario, and Federal governments. Andrew currently is a member of the Public Affairs Association of Canada, the Urban Land Institute, the Canadian Council on Public-Private Partnerships, the Toronto Region Board of Trade, the Government Relations Committee of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce, a Federal EDA Director and a Provincial Riding President. Various past community involvement includes the GTAA Consultative Committee, the GTAA Noise Management Committee, the Mississauga Board of Trade's Policy & Government Affairs Committee, Community Police Committees in Toronto and Oakville, the Board of the Public Affairs Association of Canada, the Health & Safety Committee of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) and the FCM Right of Way Working Group. Andrew studied Political Science at Mount Royal College and has also completed the Executive Management Program at McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business.
Panelists:
Ana Bailão, Councillor, City of Toronto
Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão serves as City Councillor for Ward 9 (Davenport). She has been a member of Toronto City Council since 2010 and was re-elected in 2018 with the support of well over 80% of the residents of her community, the largest margin of victory for any Councillor in the City of Toronto.
At the commencement of the new term of office in 2018, Ana was re-appointed as Deputy Mayor as well as a member of the Mayor’s Executive Committee and as Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee, one of the City’s four critical decision-making standing committees that reports to City Council. She was also re-appointed as the City’s Housing Advocate and serves on the boards of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation and “CreateTO,” which manages all of the City’s real estate assets and is a member of the City’s Collective Bargaining Sub-Committee. She served on the City’s Special Committee on Governance which worked to address the challenges created as a result of the significant changes to City Council’s structure in this term of office. Ana also represents the City at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and is Chair of the FCM Social Economic Development Committee.
Ana commenced her academic studies as a student at West Toronto Collegiate before studying Sociology at the University of Toronto. She has also completed the Directors Education Program, a joint program of the Institute of Corporate Directors and the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, knowledge she now brings to the boards upon which she serves on behalf of the City of Toronto.
Ana has deep roots in the cultural diversity of the Davenport community and retains the strong work ethic that has characterized her life since she first arrived in Canada from Portugal at fifteen years of age. Remembering the challenges and opportunities she personally experienced as a newcomer to Canada, she has always been a champion for lower-income families and individuals, a strong voice for women and a person dedicated to assisting new Canadians within the Davenport community and across the City
Ana’s dedication to new Canadians was manifested in her decision to serve as President of the Federation of Portuguese Canadian Business and Professionals as well as President of the Working Women Community Centre, an organization serving immigrant and refugee women and their families.
Prior to public service, Ana achieved considerable success within the private sector, developing leadership and consensus building skills while serving in senior roles within the banking and healthcare IT sectors.
In addition to her work on affordable housing issues, Ana continues to be a strong advocate for the arts including serving on the boards of Artscape and the Toronto Arts Council. She has championed locally based projects such as the Toronto Media Arts Centre, the Theatre Centre and new and affordable live and work spaces for Toronto’s artist community.
With her return to Toronto City Council in 2018, Ana continues her central role within the City’s government where she is recognized as a decisive, innovative and compassionate decision-maker at Toronto City Council while remaining devoted to serving the Ward 9 (Davenport) community where she grew up and continues to live.
Amina Dibe, Manager of Government and Stakeholder Relations, RESCON
Amina Dibe is RESCON's manager of government and stakeholder relations handles all government relations activity for RESCON and advocates on behalf of members to municipal, provincial and federal levels of government on issues such as, but not limited to, the skilled trades, health and safety, digitization and immigration. Amina is also the Chair of the Anti-Racism Roundtable. Amina recently completed her Masters in Washington, DC and has experience working for political campaigns in both the United States and Canada. She is also an alum of the Seneca College Government Relations program and sits on the board of the Government Relations Alumni Association. In 2021, she was rated one of Toronto City Hall's top lobbyists.
Tim Tierney, Councillor, City of Ottawa
Tim Tierney has been active in ensuring his community continues to grow and thrive as an integral part of Ottawa. His dedicated commitment to Beacon Hill-Cyrville includes many years of volunteering for a variety of local development projects, sports and recreational groups, schools, social services, and community organizations.
First elected in 2010, Tim continues to be involved, and enjoys supporting community issues and events, including Celebrate Summer, neighbourhood BBQs, and arts and recreational activities. He is especially proud of the new Richcraft Sensplex that was opened in 2014.
With an education in Business Administration/Information Systems, Tim has a strong background in both business and technology which he has and continues to apply throughout his career.
Since Tim joined City Council in 2010, he has served on the following Boards and Committees: Chair, Information Technology Sub-Committee; Community and Protective Services Committee; Ottawa Community Housing Board; Ottawa Public Library Board; Planning Committee; Transit Commission; and Transportation Committee. As well, Tim was the City of Ottawa’s representative and board member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and sat on the following Committees: Vice-Chair, Ontario Caucus; Community Safety & Crime Prevention; Increasing Women’s Participation in Municipal Government; Municipal Finance & Intergovernmental Arrangements; and Municipal Infrastructure & Transportation Policy.
Tim was re-elected on October 27th, 2014 as Councillor of Beacon Hill-Cyrville. During the 2014-2018 term of Ottawa City Council, Tim was a member of the following Boards and Committees: Chair, Ottawa Public Library Board; Vice-Chair, Planning Committee; Information Technology Sub-Committee; Ottawa Police Services Board; and Transit Commission. Tim will continue his role as the City of Ottawa’s representative and board member to FCM, and will sit on the following Committees: Chair, Ontario Caucus; Committee on Conference Planning; Community Safety & Crime Prevention; and Municipal Finance & Intergovernmental Arrangements.
Tim was re-elected on October 22th, 2018 as Councillor of Beacon Hill-Cyrville.
Tim is the son of Shirley Lavergne and the late Allan Tierney, and a long-time resident of Beacon Hill with his wife Jenny and children Crystal, Keely, Liam and dog Abbott.
Members: Free
Non-Members: $15.00
THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT PARTNER:
SENECA GOVERNMENT RELATIONS (GRM)
Thank you to Seneca Government Relations for partnering with us on this event. Endorsed by the Public Affairs Association of Canada and the Government Relations Institute of Canada, the Seneca Government Relations eight-month graduate certificate program features specialized practical government relations training that will prepares students for careers in government relations.
