Item - 2018.CC41.4
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on May 22, 2018 with amendments.
CC41.4 - Appointment of Public Members to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
City Council Decision
City Council on May 22, 23 and 24, 2018, adopted the following:
1. City Council appoint the following six candidates to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending May 25, 2020, and until successors are appointed:
- Debbie Douglas
- Linda Jackson
- Wendy Kelley
- Colin Lynch
- Nick Macrae
- Brian Smith
2. City Council appoint the following two candidates to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board as Tenant Directors, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending May 25, 2020, and until successors are appointed:
- Amanda Coombs
- Ubah Farah
3. City Council direct that Confidential Attachments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to the report (April 5, 2018) from the City Clerk remain confidential in their entirety as they relate to personal matters about identifiable individuals being considered for appointment to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board.
4. City Council request the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to conduct a briefing with the new Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board members on the City Council approved "Tenants First" strategy and related implementation reports by the end of the 2014 - 2018 City Council term
5. City Council direct the City Clerk to send a copy of City Council's decision on Item CC41.4 to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board members for their information.
Confidential Attachments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to the report (April 5, 2018) from the City Clerk remain confidential in their entirety in accordance with the provisions of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 as they relate to personal matters about identifiable individuals being considered for appointment to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board.
City Council Decision Advice and Other Information
Appointees' biographies
Amanda Coombs (Tenant Director)
Amanda Coombs is a Toronto Community Housing Corporation Tenant Rep in the Jane and
Finch community. She is currently obtaining a degree at York University in Psychology. She
works in Toronto's various shelters, group homes and mental health facilities across the city
providing crisis intervention and mediation. She is the Founder of Back2Basikz, a non-profit
organization that provides both academic, mental and social support to individuals that are
involved in the criminal justice system. Most of her free time is devoted to community
advocacy and outreach.
Debbie Douglas
Debbie Douglas is the Executive Director of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving
Immigrants. Through her work in the NGO sector and particularly at the Ontario Council of
Agencies Serving Immigrants, Ms. Douglas has highlighted issues of equity and inclusion
including race, gender and sexual orientation within the immigration system and promoted the
creation of safe, welcoming spaces within the settlement and integration sector. She was also a
member of the provinces’ Expert Panel on Immigration and Income Security Reform Working
Group.
Ubah Farah (Tenant Director)
Ubah Farah has over 20 years of experience in organizational development, project
management, and creative leadership. Her experience encompasses community advocacy,
policy analysis, operations management, financial management, facilitation and public
speaking. She has a diploma in Community Work from George Brown College and a degree in
Social Work from York University. Ms. Farah is a passionate housing worker, intervention and
high level civic engagement leader, and has built strong relationships with Somali-Canadian
and Muslim diaspora leaders in order to help them better their lives.
Linda Jackson
Linda Jackson is a social worker and health care leader with thirty years of experience in a
variety of health and social services settings. Linda is currently the Executive Director,
Academic Family Health Team and Program Director, Inner City Health at St. Michael's
Hospital. She was previously a Vice President at Baycrest Health Sciences and has served as a
member on and Chair of numerous volunteer boards, health planning committees, and is the
executive lead for a Toronto Health LINK. As a previous Toronto Community Housing
Corporation tenant, Linda recognizes the importance of housing on health and wellbeing.
Wendy Kelley
Wendy Kelley is a senior executive and lawyer with over 25 years of experience in private
practice and corporations. She has been a General Counsel and member of executive teams in
various industries, including financial services, pharmaceuticals, and consumer products,
involved in all matters of the businesses. She has significant expertise in corporate governance,
compliance and enterprise risk management. She is a graduate of Queen's Law and completed
the Harvard Business School, Advanced Management Program.
Colin Lynch
Colin Lynch is Vice President of Strategy and Growth of Greystone, a $32 billion investment
fund and the Managing Partner of Velocity Growth Partners, a private investment firm and
consultancy. Previously he was General Manager of Global Strategy at AIMIA, an Engagement
Manager at McKinsey and Company and an Investment Banker at Morgan Stanley. He is a
Trustee of Queen’s University and a Director of the Empire Club of Canada.
Nick Macrae
Nick Macrae is a Senior Portfolio Manager, Real Estate for Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan,
one of Canada’s largest pension plans with assets of approximately $70 billion. He and his
colleagues are responsible for managing all activities of the $12 billion global real estate
portfolio. Mr. Macrae earned degrees from the University of Toronto and Queen’s University.
Mr. Macrae sits on several non-profit boards of directors and committees, including
Community Living Toronto as Chairman.
Brian Smith
Brian F. C. Smith was the President and Chief Executive Officer of WoodGreen Community
Services from 1978 to 2014. He served as a member of the Mayor’s Task Force on Toronto
Community Housing Corporation, on the Ontario Expert Advisory Panel on Homelessness and
on the Consumer Council of Canada’s Residential Intensification Panel Report. Brian has a
Bachelor of Arts from Bishop’s University, a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from Trinity
College, a Master of Business Administration from Western University and a Non-profit
Certificate from the Institute of Corporate Directors. He has also received Ontario Non-Profit
Housing Association's Sybil Frenette Outstanding Leadership Award, the Canadian Urban
Institute City Leadership Award and is a Past President of Home Ownership Alternatives and
International Federation of Settlements.
Confidential Attachment - Personal matters about identifiable individuals who are being considered for appointment to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board
Background Information (City Council)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2018/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-115057.pdf
(April 5, 2018) Report from the City Clerk on Appointment of Public Members to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2018/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-115027.pdf
Confidential Attachment 1 - List of Candidates, Qualifications, Confidential Diversity Information Summary, and Applications for Appointment to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board (previously distributed with Item NC17.1)
Confidential Attachment 2 - Current Members' Interest in Being Reappointed (previously distributed with Item NC17.1)
Confidential Attachment 3 - Interview Schedule for the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Interviews on April 12, 2018 (circulated to Panel Members under separate cover)
Confidential Attachment 4 - Interview Questions for the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Interviews on April 12, 2018 and May 9, 2018 (circulated to Panel Members under separate cover)
Confidential Attachment 5 - Interview Schedule for the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Interviews on May 9, 2018 (circulated to Panel Members under separate cover)
(May 2, 2018) Report from the City Clerk on Appointment of Tenant Directors to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2018/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-115028.pdf
Confidential Attachment 1 - Names and Biographies of the Tenant Director Candidates Recommended for Appointment to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board (made public on May 11, 2018)
Communications (City Council)
(May 15, 2018) E-mail from Alana Smith (CC.Supp.CC41.4.2)
Motions (City Council)
That:
1. City Council request the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to conduct a briefing with the new Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board members on the City Council approved "Tenants First" strategy and related implementation reports by the end of the term.
2. City Council direct the City Clerk to send a copy of the City Council's decision on this Item to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board members for their information.