Hon. Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Paul Calandra is the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Government House Leader, and the Member of Provincial Parliament for Markham-Stouffville. Before being elected to the Ontario Legislature in 2018, Paul was a Federal Member of Parliament, serving as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and later as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council. Before entering public service, Paul was a small business owner and insurance broker.

Paul is a community advocate in Markham-Stouffville. He often highlights the sacrifices others make in building our community, including honouring local veterans and community volunteers. One of Paul’s most significant accomplishments in the community was the creation of the Rouge National Urban Park. In securing lands previously expropriated for an airport, Paul helped protect local farmlands that had been farmed for over 200 years, a move that also ended the possibility of a new international airport in York Region.

Paul lives in Stouffville with his wife Melanie and two daughters, Natalie and Olivia.

MODERATOR
Mike Collins Williams
CEO, West End HBA

Mike Collins-Williams is a Registered Professional Planner with two decades of experience in the new home building and development industry. He is currently the CEO of the West End Home Builders’ Association and is a member of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute and the Canadian Institute of Planners. Mike brings not only an Ontario perspective to planning and development issues, but also trans-Atlantic experience as he has led several Canadian developer business delegations to Europe to learn from the most innovative development sites in Reykjavik, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Malmö, Vienna and Berlin.

Scott Aitchison
Shadow Minister for Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Conservative Party of Canada + MP for Parry Sound-Muskoka

A small town Mayor at heart, Scott Aitchison is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Parry Sound – Muskoka. Scott was twice elected Mayor of Huntsville Ontario, and was first elected as Huntsville Town and Muskoka District Councillor at the age of 21.

Scott’s passion for housing comes from a proven track record of getting the job done. He was the Chair of Planning in his community for over 15 years where he helped grow Huntsville into the booming town it is today. He is still a licensed REALTOR. He is a strong supporter of Community Living, Habitat for Humanity, and YWCA, where as Mayor and Councillor he helped housing providers build the social housing people needed in Huntsville and the District of Muskoka.

Parry Sound-Muskoka first elected Scott as their voice in Ottawa in 2019, and today he serves as the Shadow Minister for Housing and Diversity and Inclusion in the Conservative Party.

Hon. Rob Flack
Associate Minister of Housing
MPP Elgin Middlesex London

MPP Flack has an extensive background in both business and public service.

He has served as the president of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, chair of the London International Airport, and chair of St. Peter’s Seminary Foundation. He was a co-founder of the London Bishop’s dinner and the annual Charity Classic golf tournament which raises money for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Southwestern Ontario and Camp Trillium.

He was elected to the Ontario Legislature as the MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London in 2022. He served as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture before being appointed to cabinet as the Associate Minister of Housing in 2023.

As the Associate Minister of Housing he works with homebuilders, non-profits, municipal leaders and other stakeholders to help shape Ontario’s annual Housing Supply Action Plans.

He works closely with the Housing Supply Action Plan Implementation Task Force to put new policy ideas into action. He was also given a specific mandate on attainable housing and the use of modular homes and other innovative housing solutions, and held open consultations on modular and innovative housing that informed HSAP 5.0

MODERATOR
Jason Sheldon, MCIP, RPP
Executive Vice President, Land
The Remington Group Inc.
Past Chair, BILD

Jason is a Registered Professional Planner and Executive Vice President, Land at The Remington Group. Jason was also Chair of the Building Industry and Land Development (BILD) Association for the past 3 years and now sits as Past Chair.
Working in both the public and private sectors, Jason has over 25 years of experience in delivering housing and jobs.

Neil Rodgers
Interim CEO, Ontario Home Builders’ Association

Neil Rodgers is a seasoned industry leader with a remarkable track record of achievements and a profound commitment to advancing the home-building industry.

With a degree from the University of Waterloo, School of Urban & Regional Planning, and over 35 years of land use planning and development expertise, Rodgers’s journey has been defined by a relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence. Most recently, he served as Principal/President at Dumara Projects Ltd., showcasing his prowess in urban residential infill projects and employing cutting-edge building science and technology. Rodgers has worked in all facets of the industry, both public and private sectors and across North America.

Daniel Foch
Canadian Real Estate Investment Podcast

Daniel Foch is a real estate broker, housing analyst, and host of “The Canadian Real Estate Investor”, Canada’s #1 real estate podcast. Daniel has over 10 years of experience in complex real estate transaction, equity and capital stack advisory, and is regularly consulted by the media as a balanced and unbiased voice on real estate in Canada. This reputation has had Daniel featured as an industry expert and data source in international publications such as Reuters, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal.

Claire Basinski, RPP,
Chair, OPPI

Prior to holding the President position for OPPI, Claire served on OPPI Council for four terms. In her most recent term, she supported the organization as the President-Elect. Prior to her time on Council, Claire volunteered with OPPI in the Vice-Chair position for the Southwest Ontario District Leadership Team (DLT) for four years. Claire is a passionate planner and engagement specialist who has over 15 years of professional planning experience primarily focusing on master and strategic planning in transportation with a passion for active and sustainable transportation and equitable mobility. Claire is the Planning Principle for Alta Planning and Design in Canada.

Jesse Helmer
Senior Research Associate,
Smart Prosperity Institute

Jesse Helmer is Senior Research Associate at SPI, where he focuses on climate-friendly housing policy and the real costs of urban sprawl. Based in London, Ontario, where he has served two terms as a city councillor, including six years on the planning and environment committee, two years as deputy mayor (2018-2020) and eight years on the transit commission. He is particularly interested in the intersection of housing, mobility and climate policy and actionable strategies to build cleaner, greener and more affordable cities and communities. He was named one of London’s Top 20 Under 40 in 2019.
Jesse is a graduate of University of Waterloo (BA) and Queen’s University (MPA) and is currently a PhD Candidate in political science at Western University, where his research focuses on the political participation gap between homeowners and tenants (www.greatsuppression.ca). He teaches part-time at Western in the local government program and at Huron University College in the governance, ethics and leadership program. Jesse lives with his wife, Kate Graham, and their daughter, Flora, in Old North.

Marianne Meed Ward
Mayor of Burlington
Chair, Ontario Big City Mayors

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward was elected for a second term as the 30th mayor of Burlington, Ontario in October of 2022. She is also the second woman to hold that position in Burlington’s history and is now the longest serving female mayor of the city.

Mayor Meed Ward is the Chair of the Ontario’s Big City Mayors caucus and also represents Burlington as a board member of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s Large Urban Caucus. These seats afford her additional opportunities to advocate on issues of shared importance to large urban municipalities.

On her path to becoming Mayor, she served as a Burlington city councillor for two consecutive terms, from 2010 to 2018. Prior to her career in politics, she worked for 22 years as a journalist for clients including the Toronto Sun, Vision TV, the CBC, CHCH News, Chatelaine, Toronto Metropolitan University and more, committed to keeping people informed about the issues that impact their lives.

MP Chris Bittle
Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Chris completed his undergraduate degree at Queens University in 2002. Following graduation, Chris attended Law School at the University of Windsor. He then returned to St. Catharines to practice law as a civil litigator. In 2015 Chris was elected Member of Parliament as a first-time candidate for public office. He has worked hard to deliver results for residents of St. Catharines including the full rehabilitation of the Port Dalhousie Piers, historic investments in public transit and affordable housing and a meaningful reduction in the number of residents who live in poverty as a result of programs introduced by the Liberal government since 2015.

In 2017 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Chris Deputy House Leader of the Government in the House of Commons making him the youngest Member of Parliament to ever hold that office. In 2019, Chris was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transportation. Most recently he was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

MODERATOR
Paula Tenuta, MCIP, RPP
Senior Vice President, Policy and Advocacy
Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD)

Paula Tenuta is proud to serve as the Senior Vice President of Policy & Advocacy for the Building Industry & Land Development Association. Joining the association in 2001, Paula also served as the VP of Policy & Government Relations, as Director, Municipal Government Relations and Municipal Government Advisor for BILD, or the formerly known GTHBA-UDI and GTHBA (Greater Toronto Home Builders’ Association).

At BILD, her government relations and advocacy work takes her to understanding planning policy and government legislation at all levels, building relationships and liaising with politicians and staff in every municipality and Region of the Greater GTA in order to advance the interests of the home building and land development industry, and their consumers. She also works closely with the Ontario Home Builders’ Association in their advocacy efforts which affect the local association members.

She is a member of Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Urban and Regional Planning Program Advisory Council, and a member of the provincial Housing Supply Action Plan Implementation Team. When she’s not in work mode, you will find her in full hockey mom mode supporting her son in his ice adventures.

Conrad Spec, BAS, March, LGA Architectural Planning

Conrad is an intern architect at LGA Architectural Partners in Toronto with degrees from McGill and Waterloo. His graduate research proposed a building code change to allow for single staircase buildings and has evolved as CMHC-funded research project to change the National Building Code of Canada. He joined LGA as project manager for ‘ReHousing the Yellowbelt,’ a collaboration with the University of Toronto to study gentle densification and support multiplex zoning reform across residential neighbourhoods. He is well-versed in the design of “missing middle” and mid-rise residential buildings, having previously worked for architects in Toronto, Vancouver, Berlin, and Tokyo.

Brad Bradford is the City Councillor for Ward 19, Beaches—East York.

Brad believes that as our City grows and prospers we must work hard to ensure the benefits are felt by everyone. By bringing a pragmatic, energetic and results-focused approach to local government, Brad supports community-led change throughout Beaches East-York.

Brad was first elected in 2018. At City Hall, Brad currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee, Chair of the Toronto Music Advisory Committee, and a member of the Toronto and East York Community Council (TEYCC), the Toronto Arts Council, the Toronto Parking Authority, the CreateTO Board, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Board of Directors.

With experience as an urban planner, he has a passion for tackling our housing crisis, strengthening local neighbourhoods, and building a safer, more affordable city that’s easier to get around.

Leith Moore
Co-Founder and Principal, Assembly

 Leith Moore co-founded Assembly (formerly R-Hauz) in 2018 by observing the ever growing need for mid-rise housing. Leith brings 40 years of industry experience. Leith also founded Waverley Projects Inc. in 2016 as a project management and development company focused on creative ground-oriented infill development and midrise transit-oriented development opportunities in the GTHA. Prior to this Leith was Vice President of Development for the Sorbara Group of Companies (1985-2014). Leith is a graduate of the School Planning at the University of Waterloo and continues his relationship with the school as an Adjunct Professor. He is also Director of Sustainable Buildings Canada, past Chair of BILD, past President of OHBA and past Chair of Evergreen. He has served on two Provincial Advisory Panels; the Golden Panel (Transit Investment Advisory Panel) and the Crombie Panel (Co-ordinated Land Use Planning Review).

MODERATOR
Mike Memme
Operations Manager, Mountainview Homes
1^st Vice President, OHBA 

Mike Memme is the Operations Manager at Mountainview Building Group in the Niagara Region. They have been building low rise homes in the Niagara Region since 1979 and over the last six years have branched into the midrise market as well. Mike has a Civil Engineering degree from the University of Waterloo, has been president of the Niagara Home Builders’ Association, sits on the Ontario Home Builders’ Association Code Committee and is currently First Vice President of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association. Mike was previously Chair of the Tarion Liaison committee and has contributed to the development of the Tarion Construction Performance Guidelines.

Ramtin Attar, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Promise Robotics

Ramtin Attar is the CEO & Co-Founder of Promise Robotics; a pioneering Canadian AI startup that enables the building industry to harness industrialized robotic automation to exponentially increase production of sustainable housing. Prior to founding Promise Robotics, Ramtin was a Distinguished Research Scientist, a founding member of Autodesk Research, and Head of Autodesk Technology Centre in Canada. During his 13-year career at Autodesk, he led the development of core technologies and strategies in the AEC sector while working with many internal teams and external customers across the globe. Before co-founding Promise Robotics, Ramtin also led Autodesk Moonshots in Industrialized Homebuilding and the expansion of Autodesk’s AI and robotics activities in EMEA. A technically savvy CEO, Ramtin is also an inventor and holds multiple patents related to BIM, IoT, Digital Twin, Robotics, and Simulation technologies.

Samara Young
Associate Dean, Building Systems and Sustainability, Mohawk College

Samara Young is the Associate Dean of Building Systems and Sustainability within the Marshall School of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship at Mohawk College. Samara is an accomplished leader in the field of skilled trades and apprenticeship training in Ontario — she has played a key role in positioning Mohawk College as a premium training provider in skilled trades and has led initiatives to foster the growth of trades training in Ontario.

Samara has over 17 years of experience in the college sector with extensive experience in workforce and training development and community engagement. Samara is an Executive Member of Ontario College’s Heads of Apprenticeship (HAT) Committee where she actively provides leadership, collaboration and insight to move important skilled trades and apprenticeship-related issues forward. Samara understands the needs of employers, apprentices and post-secondary students, recognizes the challenges they can face as well as the opportunities, and appreciates the important role that post-secondary training providers play within the development and modernization of skilled trades and apprenticeship training within Ontario.

Matt Farrell, CET, CBCO
President, Alliance of Canadian Building Officials Association (ACBOA)

Is the current President of the Alliance of Canadian Building Officials Associations (ACBOA) and a Past President of the Ontario Building Officials Association (OBOA). He currently represents ACBOA on the Advisory Council for Harmonized Construction Codes and has consulted with all levels of government on how to improve the development approvals process. Matt has 23 years experience as a Chief Building Official and a Manager of Building and Planning.

Sabrina Fiorellino
Chief Executive Officer
Fero International Inc.

A serial entrepreneur, Sabrina founded Fero in 2020 after completing the sale of a large private road-building company she founded in 2017 that achieved over $80 million in annual revenue. Sabrina also spent 10 years as counsel at two large firms on Toronto’s Bay Street. During her tenure there, Sabrina supported a large portfolio of clients across diversified industries on various transactions, including capital raises and M&A exceeding $1 billion.