Item - 2016.CC20.6

City Council on July 12, 13, 14 and 15, 2016, adopted the following:

1.  City Council appoint Susan E. Opler as Ombudsman effective September 12, 2016 or the date upon which Ms. Opler enters into an employment agreement satisfactory to the City Manager whichever occurs last, for a 7 year non-renewable term ending on September 11, 2023. 

2.  City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate the standard employment agreement for Accountability Officers with Susan E. Opler and to execute any related documents as necessary. 

3.  City Council authorize the public release of the name and summary profile of the Ombudsman contained in Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (July 5, 2016) from the Chair, Ombudsman Selection Panel.

Summary Profile for Susan E. Opler

Susan has had a varied legal career spanning almost thirty years, working as a litigator and partner at McCarthy Tétrault, as a prosecutor with the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General and as an adjudicator. For the past fifteen years, she has been an adjudicator on the Consent and Capacity Board of Ontario where she has served as Vice Chair, senior lawyer member and leader. She has also been an adjudicator on the Law Society Tribunal, sitting in both the Hearing and Appeal Divisions. Susan has extensive experience in designing and delivering training to a range of professionals including judges, justices of the peace, university decision-makers and adjudicators in various contexts. For many years, she has been a lead instructor for the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators.

A trained mediator, she has used her mediation skills throughout her career as a lawyer and adjudicator to help resolve disputes of all types.

Susan was the recipient of the 2014 Laura Legge Award from the Law Society of Upper Canada, presented to a woman lawyer who has exemplified leadership in the legal profession.

Active in the community, she served until recently on the Board of Directors of University of Toronto Schools (UTS) and on the Research Ethics Board of the Hospital for Sick Children.

Susan holds a Bachelor of Arts (Great Distinction) from McGill University (1982) and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto (1985).

The balance of Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (July 5, 2016) from the Chair, Ombudsman Selection Panel remains confidential in accordance with the provisions of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, as it relates to personal matters about an identifiable individual and it pertains to labour relations or employee negotiations.