Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association

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Conference Agenda

NOMA is pleased to present our exciting agenda for the 2021 Conference & AGM!

You will discover the presentations aim to align with our theme "Governing Through a Pandemic & the Road to Recovery". The presentations will provide you with useful knowledge to address some of the issues you have or will face through this pandemic and recovering from COVID-19.

Please click on the link below to access the agenda:

2021 NOMA Conference & AGM Agenda

All presentations have been confirmed and more details are available below. Please note that times are subject to change. The link to the agenda will be amended as changes are made. If you are registered, you will receive an email with an updated agenda.

Our agenda includes presentations from the following organizations:

The following ministers have confirmed their participation in the Ministers Forum on April 30th from 12:30 - 1:30pm:

Hon. Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing

Hon. Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development & Mines & Indigenous Affairs

Hon. Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade

Hon. Jeff Yurek, Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

Hon. Laurie Scott, Minister of Infrastructure

Hon. Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation

Hon. John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry

Hon. Michael Tibollo, Ministry of Mental Health

Hon. Bill Walker, Ministry of Energy

Hon. Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Tourism & Culture

Once registered for the conference, you will be provided a link to submit questions to the ministers.

To register for the conference please click on the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/141371496953/

Registration will close on April 27th at 2pm (EST).

Below you will find a description to some of the presentations included in the agenda!

Hydro One

Fireside Chat: Supporting Northwestern Ontario’s Growth Potential

Presenter: Jason Fitzsimmons - Chief Corporate Affairs and Customer Care Officer

Description: Please join Hydro One's Jason Fitzsimmons to learn more about our commitment to northwestern Ontario, our work across the region, including the Waasigan transmission line, our customers and COVID-19 relief efforts, as we journey towards economic recovery. Following brief remarks, Wendy Landry will moderate a question and answer session with Jason to address questions that have come in related to future growth, broadband, and other regional developments. Live questions will be taken during the session.

Presenter Biography: Jason Fitzsimmons is the Chief Corporate Affairs and Customer Care Officer of Hydro One. In this role, held since August 2018, Mr. Fitzsimmons has oversight of the company’s customer service, external relations, communications and marketing, sustainability and Indigenous relations functions. Prior to his current role, he served as the company’s Vice President of Labour Relations. With more than 25 years of experience in the electricity sector, Mr. Fitzsimmons is a highly regarded leader with a proven track record for executing large-scale transformations and building strong relationships with key stakeholders. Before joining the company in 2016, Mr. Fitzsimmons was the Chief Negotiations Officer at the Ontario Hospital Association and held a number of executive roles at Ontario Power Generation, including Vice President of Human Resources for its Nuclear division. He is a Certified Human Resource Executive known for his broad experience in labour management, as well as his passion for health and safety in the workplace. He is a former member of the Advisory Board for Ryerson University’s Centre for Labour Management Relations and has served on the Board of Directors for the Electrical Power Sector Construction Association.

Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO)

Implementing Reconciliation

Presenter: Bob Watts, Vice-President of Indigenous Relations & Strategic Programs

Description: This presentation details the importance of building respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples and why Reconciliation is important not only to Indigenous peoples but all Canadians. In order to achieve a better tomorrow, we must co-create a better today.

Presenter Biography: Bob Watts A graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and fellow at the Harvard Law School, Bob Watts has been involved in Indigenous issues for more than 30 years. He is the Vice-President of Indigenous Relations & Strategic Programs at the Nuclear Waste Management Organization. He is an Adjunct Professor and Distinguished Fellow at Queens University in the School of Policy Studies. Previously, Bob was Chief of Staff and Chief Executive Officer for the Assembly of First Nations and Interim Executive Director of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He was also an Assistant Deputy Minister with the federal government. Bob is well known for his commitment to reconciliation and Indigenous knowledge. Bob is of Mohawk and Ojibway ancestry.

Enbridge Gas Inc.

Our Energy Transition at Enbridge Gas Inc

Presenters: Luke Skaarup, Director Operations, Northern Region & Nicole Lehto, Operations Manager, North West

Description: • Who we are at Enbridge • Expanding access to natural gas • Energy landscape in Ontario • Energy transition • Opportunities to work together • Q & A

Presenter Biography: Luke Skaarup is director of northern region operations at Enbridge Gas Inc. In this role, Skaarup is accountable for all operations, maintenance, additions and abandonments of operating assets in the northern region while ensuring continued safe and reliable operations. The northern region spans from Oro-Medonte to the Manitoba border along highways 11 and 17 going north and west and provides natural gas service to nearly 100 communities in this territory. Luke is a graduate of Lakehead University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and holds his license as a Professional Engineer. He is currently completing a Masters Degree through Queens University for Earth and Energy Resource Leadership. In his 18 year career with Union Gas and Enbridge, Luke has held several roles in engineering and distribution operations. He has relocated to North Bay, Cambridge, Fort Frances, Thunder Bay and Chatham to take on new roles and challenges across the company. Luke was born and raised in the Township of O’Connor (Thunder Bay area) and currently resides in North Bay along with his wife Nicki, and their four children: Brayden, Gabrielle, Logan, and Charlotte.

LAS

Working for Communities in a Post Pandemic World

Presenters: Jeff Barten, Energy & Asset Services Manager & Eleonore Schneider, Program Manager

Description: Municipalities have been working hard to overcome pandemic challenges and LAS has been supporting you in every way we can. As we look towards emerging from lockdowns, travel restrictions and quarantines, we invite you to hear about the exciting things we’ve been working on while we were apart. Join LAS to explore opportunities to make your life easier and help your communities work better in a post-pandemic world.

Presenter Biography: Jeff has extensive experience in project and energy management from both the private and public sectors in Ontario. He understands the unique challenges faced by Ontario’s municipalities having worked in this sector for over 17 years. At LAS, he and his team create energy conservation and asset related services used by hundreds of municipalities. His track record includes the popular LAS LED Streetlight Program and more recently, the launch of LAS’ Municipal Group Buying Program.

Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC)

MPAC Updates

Presenters: Carmelo Lipsi, Vice President & Chief Operating Officer & Mary Dawson-Cole, Regional Manager, Northern Ontario

Description: Join MPAC's Carmelo Lipsi, Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, and Mary Dawson-Cole, Regional Manager, to learn about the important work we do, including a review of assessment totals for NOMA area municipalities. The session will include updates on key MPAC initiatives, the launch of the new Municipal Connect platform, and work underway to support Ontario’s transition to digital building permits and plans. As always, there will be time for your questions.

Presenter Biographies: CarmeloLipsi is MPAC’s Vice-President, Valuation & Customer Relations and Chief Operating Officer, responsible for delivering quality assessments and exceptional customer service to Ontario property owners. He also leads the Municipal and Stakeholder Relations team that is responsible for strengthening relationships through proactive engagement with municipalities and stakeholders. Over his 25+ years in property assessment, Carmelo has applied his broad range of experience in operations and strategy development to provide innovative leadership to numerous corporate initiatives including the framework for the 2020 Assessment Update and 2020 Stakeholder Engagement Strategy. Carmelo has a Bachelor of Arts degree from York University and a Certificate in Real Property Assessment from the University of British Columbia. He has an M.I.M.A. Accredited designation from the Institute of Municipal Assessors.

Mary Dawson-Cole has been a Regional Manager with Municipal and Stakeholder Relations since 2016. She leads a team of stakeholder relations professionals responsible for establishing, developing and maintaining key account relationships with hundreds of municipal stakeholders in 130 municipalities in Northern Ontario, the largest of all MPAC’s seven geographic zones. Mary is also the provincial lead for MPAC’s Agricultural portfolio. A native of the City of Greater Sudbury, Mary has over 24 years of property assessment experience with MPAC in the Sudbury Office. She joined MPAC as a Quality Service Manager followed by her role as Manager, Valuation and Customer Relations. Mary holds a BA, (Honours), Law and Justice/Political Science from Laurentian University and an A.I.M.A. designation with the Institute of Municipal Assessors (IMA). She also completed a Senior Leadership Development Program at the Rotman School of Business, University of Toronto. She has served as past District Director, IMA and a Board Member of Health Sciences North Foundation, where for nine years she has been committed to inspiring donors to raise funds to support health care excellence through purchasing essential equipment, building facilities and advancing life-saving research.

Lakehead University

Employing New Immigrants: Community and Organizational Inclusion Challenges in Northwestern Ontario

Presenters: Dr. Kathy Sanderson, Ryan Hron, Julia Whitney - Faculty of Business Administration

Description: As the population growth in Northwestern Ontario is stagnant, new employee pools are being explored to ensure a qualified workforce exists. While recruitment of new immigrants presents a challenge in itself, the way organizations and communities welcome new members plays a vital role in their retention. The complexities of inclusion and transition include micro and macro-organizational and societal barriers and opportunities. Using a multi-methods approach, WelcomeNWO.ca research team has been working with the communities of Atikokan, Sioux Lookout and Thunder Bay to explore organizational and community welcoming. Over 35 interviews have been completed with new immigrants, business, and community leaders to determine the challenges associated with newcomer relocation to remote and rural communities. In addition, a survey was conducted that captured a wider view of community and organizational welcoming. The results of the interviews and survey will be presented, as well as preliminary recommendations for increasing new immigrant inclusion.

Presenter Biography: Dr. Kathy Sanderson is an Assistant Professor of Human Resources and Organizational Behaviour in the Faculty of Business Administration at Lakehead University. For the past three years, Sanderson has been conducting research focused on reducing pain at work. Her areas of focus are emotional abuse and coercive control at work, workplace ostracism, and job rejection. She has an ongoing research projects that explore gender and non-traditional occupations, welcoming and onboarding of new immigrants, and recruitment strategies for women and Indigenous people. She is a Registered Psychotherapist (Ontario), and has provided mental health and addictions counselling, and workplace crisis interventions for over 20 years while holding managerial positions. For eight years, she was the Coordinator of the Cultural Care Program for the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Hospital, conducting cultural assessments and training. With a focus on human resources and change, Dr. Sanderson works with employers to address sensitive and trauma-informed organizational responses for both groups and individuals.

CMHC Outreach

Affordable Housing and the Local Economy

Presenter: Arlene Etchen

Description: Many communities across Canada are challenged with finding affordable housing for their residents. The rising cost of housing and the lack of affordable housing options, strongly impacts economic growth as employers try to find workers for their jobs and communities try to find homes for their residents. Add COVID to the mix and things get even more challenging, While we don’t know how COVID will play out, we do know that Investments in affordable housing are good ones – that can go beyond providing a home. They can produce benefits in the form of jobs, wages, government revenue, local purchasing power and neighbourhood vitality. This session will share the benefits of creating affordable housing in your community, provide examples of projects funded under Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) and discuss how communities can access NHS funding to create affordable housing.

Presenter Biography: Arlene Etchen is an Outreach Specialist in Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Partnerships and Promotions Team. She has been working in the urban planning and real estate sectors for more than 20 years. In her role, Arlene is focused on engaging with professionals in the housing industry, non-profit housing providers and provincial and municipal governments to ensure access to the latest and most relevant housing information from CMHC.

Colliers Project Leaders

Dealer's Choice: Project Methodology Selection

Presenter: Gord Wickham

Description: Most municipalities are familiar with the conventional Design-Build-Build approach. However, alternative delivery methods such as Design-Build, Construction Management and Integrated Project Delivery may offer benefits depending on the scope, funding source, and required timelines. This session will introduce attendees to alternative delivery methods and describe the benefits of each capital project delivery method. You will learn how to apply considerations including project objectives, cost, scope, quality, schedule and risk to determine which method may be best for your capital project.

Presenter Biography: Gord Wickham is the Vice-President of Northern Ontario and Senior Project Manager in the Thunder Bay office. He has 32 years of experience in the professional consulting industry with a special focus on work with municipalities and Indigenous clients. Throughout his career, Gord has developed a reputation for offering a strategic value-added approach to various large infrastructure projects with Indigenous communities. Gord has been involved in a variety of project roles throughout his career, including feasibility analysis, business plan development, design, project management, cost control, and contract administration. Gord has a broad background in large commercial and institutional projects, including water treatment plants, schools, community centres, health centres, and a full range of environmental remediation and community infrastructure projects. In his previous work, Gord owned his own consulting engineering and project management firm where he built on his previous work for various consulting engineering firms where he served in senior leadership roles. Gord’s focus is on building and leading the required team to successfully deliver value-added solutions to project challenges. As Vice President, Northern Ontario for Colliers Project Leaders, Gord is responsible for ensuring that our resources are efficiently applied to all projects undertaken in the region and that all projects are effectively delivered. Gord also believes in community involvement and has served on numerous Boards and Committees in the Region. Currently, he is a Board Member of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre.

Frank Cowan Company

Risk Mitigation and COVID-19

Presenter: Jessica Jaremchuk, Director Risk Management Services

Description: Municipalities across Ontario are reopening facilities and programs while faced with complex and unique challenges. This session will look at the dynamics created by COVID-19, broad themes of reopening, and risk and liability considerations in the ‘new normal’. It will explore some of the key issues that municipalities will likely be faced with over the coming months and discuss risk mitigation strategies for public facilities and playgrounds.

Presenter Biography: Jessica Jaremchuk is the Director, Risk Management Services with expertise in risk consultations, and contract and legal reviews. Jessica has been with Frank Cowan Company since 2011, holding previous roles that included Regional Account Manager, Marketing and Manager, Risk Management Consulting Services. Jessica has delivered many educational seminars on various risk issues in both Ontario and the Atlantic Provinces and has been a keynote speaker at various association conferences. She has been involved in the development and implementation of the Company’s Risk Management Centre of Excellence.

Ombudsman Ontario

Electronic Meetings: How to keep virtual municipal meetings open and accessible.

Presenter: Lauren Chee-Hing, Legal Council

Description: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the province of Ontario has been in various stages of lockdown since March 2020, requiring municipalities to adapt to ensure the public is able to participate in their open meetings. Many municipalities have turned to electronic meetings, including via teleconference, Zoom, or other webcasting tools. The Ombudsman has investigated complaints about these virtual meetings and has developed some best practices for municipal meetings to remain accessible and open to the public. Join Legal Counsel Lauren Chee-Hing as she walks through some of these cases and offers tips for municipalities to ensure the public is able to participate, no matter the platform.

Presenter Biography: Lauren Chee-Hing is counsel with the Ontario Ombudsman’s Office, where she deals primarily with municipal law matters. Prior to joining the Office of the Ombudsman, Lauren worked as a lawyer at Aird & Berlis LLP where she practiced municipal and land use planning law. Lauren has appeared before tribunals such as the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, as well as before the Ontario Court of Appeal. While at the Ombudsman’s Office, Lauren works on individual complaints, municipal closed meeting investigations, and systemic investigations.

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO)

Tourism & Municipalities - Working together in the North

Presenter: Chris Bloore, VP Policy & Government Affairs Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

Panel: Rick Layzell – Executive Director – Boating Ontario, Kevin Eshkawkogan – President & CEO – Indigenous Tourism Ontario, Isabelle deBruyn – Tourism Manager – SEO, David MacLachlan – Destination Northern Ontario & Laurie Marcil – Nature and Outdoors Tourism Ontario

Description: Join Chris Bloore, Vice President, Policy & Government Affairs – Tourism Industry Association of Ontario as she provides an overview on the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry for the province. Chris will address issues faced inclusive of Resource-based tourism, TIAO’s advocacy initiatives on behalf of the industry, and how working directly with Municipalities can aid in this effort. Chris is joined by a panel of experts to share how through knowledge gathering, collaboration and communication, the industry is positioning itself to rebuild beyond the pandemic.

Presenter Biographies: Christopher Bloore is the Vice-President of Policy and Government Affairs at TIAO. Prior to joining the TIAO team in March 2020, Christopher spent 15 years working in political communications at the House of Commons in the United Kingdom and was elected four times as a City Councillor for his home town in the West Midlands.

Laurie was appointed to the role of Executive Director in 2014. She is no stranger to the organization or the industry, having spent the last twenty three years in various staff roles at NOTO. Beginning as the bookkeeper, she soon took on additional responsibilities and has been the Membership Services Manager for the last several years. In this role she has been the voice and face of NOTO to our members. Laurie takes great pride in her work. She is dedicated to the needs and concerns of tourism operators across the province and works hard at developing strong and lasting relationships within the industry and government. She is committed to working with the Board, staff and members to shape NOTO into a strong united voice and community. Laurie lives in North Bay with her husband John and son Jonathan. In her spare time she likes baking elaborate cakes and treats, spending time enjoying our northern wilderness and opening her house to family and friends.

Rick Layzell is the CEO of the Boating Ontario Association. Since 1967, Boating Ontario has proudly served Ontario’s recreational boating industry and the needs of their 500++ member companies. Beginning in 1990, a 3-year run with the Canadian National Sportsmen’s Shows kicked of Rick’s career in the marine industry. This was followed by a short stint with Grew boats, 19 years of commitment managing Yamaha Motor Canada’ marine division, a brief period with Gordon Bay Marine, several years with MD Marine Insurance and a new beginning with Boating Ontario in 2017. Volunteering has been a constant in his career, firstly with Boating Ontario (formerly OMOA) serving on multiple Boards & Committees and the National Marine Manufacturers Association over an 11-year period including six years as Board Chair. Additionally, Rick served on the Canadian Discover Boating Board. Rick’s humble academic path includes a diploma in Sales Strategies from Humber College and a myriad of continuing training over his career. Rick and his partner and their 5 kids are all avid boaters spending all available summer hours on Lake Simcoe on their 1997 32’ Regal Commodore.

Isabelle de Bruyn is a Project Manager for the Tourism Sector at la Société économique de l’Ontario (SÉO). She received her B.A.h. from North London University and has a Master of Engineering in Tourism from Université de Savoie, France. She emigrated to Canada in 2000 where she started a career in local rural economic development. After sixteen year, she returned to the Tourism sector and joined SÉO to develop and promote Francophone & bilingual tourism in Ontario. Among other projects, she drives Ontario’s Champlain Tourism Route, a provincial wide tourism development venture funded by the Ministry of Tourism since 2015. She is also actively involved with the Francophone Tourism Corridor Project in Canada. A strong advocate for tourism as a sustainable economic driver for Francophone communities, she sits on TIAO’s Policy Advisory Committee and participates actively in industry lobbying activities.

Kevin is an Anishnabek and is a member of the M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island. Kevin has been a key player in the development of Indigenous cultural tourism in Ontario since 2003. Kevin was an integral part of the development and growth of the Great Sprit Circle Trail (GSCT) on Manitoulin Island, one of the country’s most renowned Indigenous tourism organizations that provides culturally authentic Indigenous experiences to visitors along with marketing support to Indigenous operators. He has provided leadership to GSCT for over 15 years and has imparted his guidance to countless individuals throughout Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada, and beyond. Kevin works tirelessly to unite Indigenous tourism providers, grow market reach and bring meaningful employment opportunities to the region. Kevin is a mentor and visionary who works closely with his community to ensure sustainable and organic growth within the Indigenous tourism industry. In 2015, Kevin was named the Tourism Champion of the Year by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. He has also been recognized by numerous media outlets for his accomplishments within the industry. Kevin sits on a variety of boards including the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) and Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO). He has also helped establish ITO, ITAC, Northeastern Ontario Tourism, Destination Northern Ontario, the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre, and many other tourism organizations and businesses. He also sits on the Destination Ontario Sector Advisory Committee, Tourism Skillsnet Ontario Council, and the Trans Canada Trail Indigenous Advisory Committee

Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF)

Building a Resilient Non-Profit sector in Ontario

Presenter: Katharine Bambrick, CEO

Description: OTF’s presentation will cover the impacts that COVID-19 has had on the non-profit sector across the province, the ways that OTF and the Government of Ontario have worked to support organizations and thoughts on what the long-lasting impacts may be.

Presenter Biography: Katharine Bambrick is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Based on the more than 30 years of experience in leadership and organization development for nonprofits and charities locally, provincially and nationally, she was appointed in September 2017 to lead one of Canada’s largest granting organizations. OTF is an agency of the Government of Ontario and its mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Before joining OTF, Katharine was the Executive Director of Food Banks Canada, a national charity that supports a network of over 500 provincial and local food bank organizations. During her ten years there, she led the organization through transformational change, and significant growth enabling the organization to better achieve its mandate of relieving hunger in Canada. Prior to that, Katharine was the Executive Director of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, and held positions at Food and Consumer Products of Canada and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Katharine is an experienced Board Director with extensive volunteer involvement, including serving on The Global FoodBanking Network Board of Directors and on the Advisory Committee for the Center for Effective Philanthropy. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Guelph.

Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM)

NOSM Update: Rural Physicians

Presenter: Dr William McCready, Special Advisor and Senior Associate Dean , Thunder Bay Campus

Presenter Biography: Dr. William McCready Special Advisor and Senior Associate Dean Dr. William McCready is a clinical nephrologist who has provided specialized kidney care to the patients of Northwestern Ontario for 38 years. He is especially proud to have helped to establish the multi-discipline renal team at what is now the Thunder Bay Regional Academic Health Sciences Centre and to have advocated for and overseen the start of satellite dialysis units in Sioux Lookout and Fort Frances. He has taught medical students and residents since the first year he arrived and went on to have administrative roles in the Northwestern Ontario Medical Program, including serving as its last chair before the arrival of NOSM. Dr. McCready was formerly NOSM’s Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Senior Associate Dean at Lakehead University. The experience he gained at NOSM lead to his serving as interim President and CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre for nine months. Bill has also served on the board of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and continues to sit on their Discipline, Fitness to Practice and Quality Assurance committees.

Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)

Strengthening Municipalities Through Energy Choices

Presenter: Terry Young, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, IESO

Description: Ontario’s electricity system is changing in a way that is creating new opportunities for communities to contribute to meeting their own energy needs. The historically top-down nature of the electricity system is shifting to a more decentralized system, with more decisions being influenced by community priorities. Looking ahead, this shift will be accelerated as emerging technologies and a need for new electricity supply converge, creating more opportunities for communities and businesses to leverage these changes to achieve economic development and sustainability goals. Join this discussion to hear more about how communities are getting more involved in Ontario’s electricity system, and the outlook for the future.

Presenter Biography: Terry Young is Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. Under Mr. Young’s leadership, the IESO oversees the safe and reliable operation of Ontario's bulk electricity system, ensuring affordable electricity is available when and where people need it. The IESO also operates the wholesale electricity markets, plans and prepares for Ontario’s future electricity needs, delivers energy efficiency and demand management programs, provides data, information and advice to facilitate informed decision-making, and works with partners to foster innovation in support of system cost effectiveness and reliability. In his previous role as Vice President of Policy, Engagement and Innovation, Mr. Young was responsible for stakeholder and community engagement, communications, regulatory affairs, Indigenous relations, conservation, and other programs necessary for the implementation of effective energy policy. A well-known spokesperson with 30 years of experience in the electricity industry, Mr. Young started his career as a journalist with Canadian Press-Broadcast News. He also served as President, Ontario Branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada. Mr. Young has been with the IESO since 2002.

Ontario Northland

Transportation Update

Presenter: Corina Moore, President and CEO, Ontario Northland

Presenter Biography: As Ontario Northland’s President and CEO, Corina has shaped a resilient organization that is focused on delivering best-in-class transportation throughout Ontario. Recognized as an inspirational leader and catalyst for change, Corina has shifted the business lines of Ontario Northland to be data-driven, customer-focused, lean, and strategic. She has cultivated a team that is focused on building integrated and impactful transportation services, including rail freight, passenger rail, motor coach transportation, rail repair/remanufacturing services and a boutique hotel. Since taking the helm of the organization in 2014, revenues have increased, costs have been significantly contained, and services have been reimagined and expanded. New and diverse customers within each business line now provide long-term security for employees and communities. She has attracted confidence and investment, most notably a robust $500 million capital program and a motor coach service expansion that reaches from Ottawa to Winnipeg (an additional 700,000 km per year). Corina passionately and tirelessly promotes the benefits of an integrated and seamless transportation network that connects rural Ontario to major centres across North America, which in turn has positive impacts on economic development, tourism, road safety, the environment, and quality of life. She frequently speaks at conferences and gatherings on organizational change, authentic leadership and transportation. Corina has many notable achievements including: • First woman President and CEO of Ontario Northland since its inception in 1902 and the first woman President of a Canadian Railway. (2014) • Appointed as an Honorary Colonel for the Canadian Armed Forces, 21 Aerospace Control & Warning Squadron. (2020) • Recognized by Progressive Railroading and the League of Railway Women as North America’s Outstanding Woman of the Year. (2018) • First woman to be appointed to the Railway Association of Canada’s Board of Directors since inception in 1917. (2017) • Selected by Railway Age as one of ten women who are visionaries in the rail industry in North America. The first woman to appear on the front cover of Railway Age Magazine since its inception in 1856. (2017) • Influential woman of the year by Northern Ontario Business. (2017) Corina is a graduate of Waterloo University in Systems Design Engineering and Business Administration and Management.

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