The Board of Directors is responsible for the Authority’s governance and overall strategic direction. The Board is accountable for the Authority’s compliance with its mandated objectives and responsibilities under legislation, and the operating agreement with the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
The Board’s roles and responsibilities include:
Strategic planning
Corporate governance and statutory compliance
Oversight of management and administration
Oversight of risk management
Oversight of internal financial and operational controls
Ensuring the appropriate accounting of financial matters
Appointing and evaluating the performance of the chief executive officer
Appointing and evaluating the performance of the registrar
Oversight of communications with stakeholders
Board Members
The Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks appoints five members to the Board of Directors, and may also appoint the Chair. The Board elects an additional six members to form the full 11-member Board. There is currently one vacancy.
Robert was elected Chair of the Authority’s Board on June 24, 2020.
Robert (ICD.D) has his designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and serves as a Finance and Technology executive. He also chairs the Toronto Port Authority, a federal agency that includes Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, and serves as a board director of Metrolinx where he also serves on two industry committees. Robert was previously the Managing Director of the Alternative Investments Division at State Street and served as a Senior Advisor to members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce from 1992 to 1999.
Robert was re-elected to the Board effective October 2021 and his term ends in October 2024.
Tom is the former Chair of the Board for both the Condominium Authority of Ontario, and the Bereavement Authority of Ontario. Prior to this Tom served as CEO and Registrar of the Real Estate Council of Ontario and, from 1991 to 1997, he was the Information and Privacy Commissioner for the Province of Ontario. A graduate of Queen’s University Law School, Tom was called to the Ontario Bar in 1975.
Tom was re-appointed to the Board effective January 2021 and his term ends in January 2024.
Ken is a Chartered Professional Accountant with over 20 years of public and private sector experience in financial management, technology and operations. Ken retired in October 2017 from his position as chief technology and innovation officer at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) where he developed WSIB’s first information technology strategy and IT policy framework.
Prior to joining WSIB, Ken was assistant deputy minister and chief information officer, Enterprise Financial Services and Systems for the Ministry of Government Services, and the chief information officer, Labour and Transportation I&IT Cluster for the Ministry of Transportation. He has also worked for various private corporations including The Cumis Group Limited, Scotiabank and UPS Canada. Ken has served on a variety of boards including Niagara Health, Oakville Arts Council and the Trafalgar Township Historical Society.
Ken was re-elected to the Board effective July 2020 and his term ends in July 2023.
Mary has over three decades of public policy, management and government relations experience gained through a distinguished public sector career. She was formerly an assistant deputy minister and (Interim) Fairness Commissioner in the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade. Mary also served as an assistant deputy minister with the Ontario Ministry of Intergovernnmental Affairs, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal. She has extensive experience with board governance and the administrative authority model, having served on the boards of Vintners Quality Alliance Ontario, the Real Estate Council of Ontario, and the Technical Standards and Safety Authority. She also served as vice-chair of the board of Trinity College in the University of Toronto. Mary holds an ICD.D designation.
Mary was re-elected to the Board effective November 2020 and her term ends in November 2023.
Saqib is a Partner with BCM Partners LLP, an accounting and management consulting firm based in Mississauga. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant and a Chartered Director. He also holds a Certified Practicing Accountant designation from Australia. Saqib has extensive experience in finance, strategic planning and business management, including as chief financial officer with Specialty Data Systems Inc., a Toronto-based broadcasting management software firm. Saqib also has extensive board experience, including as a director with the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network and as Board Chair of Compassion Society of Halton, a food bank and referral agency. He has volunteered with Futurpreneur Canada as a mentor for young entrepreneurs. Saqib is also member of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants and the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Saqib was re-elected to the Board effective October 2021 and his term ends in October 2024.
Tanweer is an Information Technology professional with 20 years experience in software development and records management. She is currently a Solution Analyst at Hatch Engineering, where she provides expert advice to management and stakeholders, and designs and implements systems solutions. As a project manager and implementation specialist, Tanweer has worked across the engineering, pharmaceutical, hospitality and education sectors.
Tanweer was appointed to the Board effective January 2021 and her term ends in January 2024.
Andrea is a Partner and Executive Director at Rally Assets, where she works to accelerate the shift of capital towards social and environmental solutions by helping organizations and individuals align their assets with their values. Andrea has an accomplished career in strategic philanthropy, impact investing and social innovation. As the founding president and CEO of Inspirit Foundation, Andrea led her team to launch a series of critically needed programs focused on youth, media and arts, and the Foundation’s first roadmap towards a 100% impact-investing portfolio. In 2017 she received a Governor General’s Meritorious Service Award for her contribution to inclusion in Canada. Prior to Inspirit, Andrea spent 15 years as the president and CEO at PTV Productions, creating socially impactful, award-winning broadcast and interactive media. She began her career in change making running social marketing campaigns at Adbusters Media. Andrea serves on the boards of the Centre for Social Innovation, the Story Money Impact Foundation and Challenge for Change.
Andrea was elected to the Board effective November 2017 and her term ends in November 2022.
Rajesh has over 23 years of experience in financial services, specifically in corporate and investment banking products, trade and export finance, and client coverage. He is currently providing financing and business strategy advice to Canadian corporates and SMEs, and strategic advice to government sector clients. Rajesh was formerly senior vice-president at Export Development Canada and previously worked with Ontario Hydro International.
Rajesh was elected to the Board effective November 2017 and his term ends in November 2022.
Marnie Silver (MBA, CPA, CA, CBV, CFF, ABV) is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Accountant, Chartered Business Valuator and Accredited Business Valuator with over 20 years’ experience in the areas of business valuation and damage quantification. Marnie is currently Vice President at Fruitman Kates LLP, a Chartered Professional Accounting firm in Toronto, where she leads the valuation and litigation support practice covering a diverse range of industries including manufacturing, software and technology development, communication and media, pharmaceutical, automobile, retail, professional practices and service firms. Throughout her career, Marnie has prepared and assisted in the preparation of numerous expert reports and has appeared as an expert witness in the Ontario Superior Court at trial and mediation proceedings.
Marnie was appointed to the Board effective May 2021 and her term ends in May 2024.
Jeffrey Steiner (ICD.D) is a senior executive, experienced board director and lawyer resident in Toronto. He is the President & CEO of New Franchise Media Inc., formed to create film & television productions based on the novels of Jeffrey Archer. Mr. Steiner has broad governance experience on private and public-sector boards at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. He recently completed two terms on the Board of Export Development Canada (EDC) and as lead independent Director of FinDev Canada, an EDC subsidiary for development finance which applies a gender-lens to investing. Jeff currently serves on the board of directors of the Toronto Parking Authority (GreenP) and is independent chair of Evanesce Packaging Solutions Inc. Earlier in his career, Jeff was the founding President of the BC Paint Care Association, one of Canada’s first industry-led product stewardship programs.
Jeff was appointed to the Board effective March 2021 and his term ends in March of 2024.
Board Committees
The Board has established the following committees:
Audit and Risk Committee
Assists the Board in fulfilling its oversight of the Authority’s standards of integrity and behaviour, reporting of financial information, risk management oversight and management control practices.
Finance and Technology Committee
Assists the Board in providing effective oversight of the Authority’s financial and technological resources. The Committee oversees the preparation of the annual business plan and operating and capital budgets.
Governance Committee
Addresses governance issues related to the effective functioning of the Authority, its Board and committees, including Board policies and protocols, Directors’ Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest, and Board and committee evaluations.
Human Resources Committee
Ensures that qualified candidates are nominated as Board and committee members and oversees the Authority’s human resources management.
WDTA Transition and Oversight Committee
Assists the Board in its oversight of the organization’s activities relating to waste diversion programs operating under the Waste Diversion Transition Act, 2016, including program performance, transition and wind up.
