SOLD OUT -- Building a World-Class Waterfront

Check-in and network with other guests before our event begins.

Speaker:

Giles Gherson, President & CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade

Giles Gherson is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, one of the largest and most influential business organizations in North America. Giles leads the Board’s efforts to advocate on behalf of our members and enhance the business competitiveness of our Region. He is charged with leading the implementation of the Board’s new strategic plan to renew our mission as a catalyst for a vibrant, globally competitive Toronto Region business community. 

Prior to joining the Board in 2022, Giles spent over 25 years in the private and public sector in progressively senior roles. He spent 15 years with the Province of Ontario, where he held multiple influential Deputy Minister roles – most extensively and recently as Deputy Minister, Economic Development. Previously, Giles has led the government’s economic growth and competitiveness policy, overseen the recent creation of two new agencies, Invest Ontario and IP Ontario, and worked to attract a wave of technology and manufacturing investments, including the retooling of the province’s auto sector for next generation battery electric vehicles. He currently sits on Ontario’s Advanced Manufacturing Council, working to boost the long-term competitiveness and resilience of this sector by attracting key investments and creating opportunities for businesses across the province.

Prior to his role in government, Giles worked as editor-in-chief of the Toronto Star, political editor of the National Post and editor of the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business. Giles is the immediate past President of the Board of Directors at the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, the country’s leading professional organization supporting excellence in the public sector.

Speaker:

Chief Stacey LaForme, Chief of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation

R. Stacey LaForme is the elected Chief of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation (MNCFN). Born and raised on MNCFN, Chief Laforme has served his community for over twenty years, being first elected to council in 1999.

Chief Laforme has participated in a number of committees and boards throughout his seven terms served as a Councillor, including involvement with the MNCFN’s Pan Am Games Secretariat (PAGS). As Chair of the PAGS Committee, Chief LaForme was instrumental in raising the profile of all First Nations through the recognition of the MNCFN as the first ever official Host First Nation of the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. Chief LaForme is committed to increasing involvement and communication between Elected Council and both on and off-reserve membership. He is very active throughout MNFCN’s traditional territory, which encompasses 3.9 million acres of Southern Ontario, not only as a Chief, but as a notable storyteller and poet. His best known poem is Remember. Its words are on the Veterans Memorial, and a reading of it is available on YouTube. His most recently published volume of poetry is titled Living in the Tall Grass: Poems of Reconciliation.

This session will unpack current plans for Toronto’s waterfront, from Villiers Island to Ontario Place; and what it takes to be a functional world class waterfront with economic benefits and a place to live, work, and play.

Speakers:

The Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario

Premier Doug Ford is a builder.

As a businessman, he built a successful company.

As a Toronto city councillor, he championed building subways and kept costs down for families.

As premier of Ontario, he is building roads, highways and transit for a growing province. He’s building a stronger economy with 700,000 more jobs and is attracting game-changing investments to build electric vehicles and batteries right here in Ontario.

Premier Ford is passionate about the Etobicoke neighbourhood where he grew up. He is a dedicated husband to Karla and a proud father of four daughters.

The Hon. Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure, Government of Ontario

Kinga Surma is the Minister of Infrastructure for the Province of Ontario and the Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Etobicoke Centre. She is dedicated to fighting for the people of Ontario and making sure they have the quality infrastructure that will support generations to come.

Minister Surma is committed to building and strengthening communities across the province and ensuring that shovels get into the ground promptly and that projects are built quickly and efficiently, all while guaranteeing the best value for taxpayers.

Previously, Minister Surma served as the Associate Minister of Transportation. Her mandate focussed on collaborating with partners to build a better, smarter and more integrated transit network and subway plan. This included the construction of the province’s major priority transit projects and the Transit-Oriented Communities program. 

She is a devoted community leader, who has comprehensive knowledge of all orders of government that allows her to effectively address concerns of Ontarians and support the people of Etobicoke Centre. 
Minister Surma came to Canada from Poland at the age of 4 years old. As a successful immigrant and Canadian citizen, she understands the challenges that newcomers face when beginning their life in Canada.

She holds a degree in Public Policy, Business and Commerce from the University of Guelph as well as Public Relations Designations from Ryerson University.

Moderator:

• Giles Gherson, President & CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade

Enjoy a delectable meal from our venue partner, Oliver & Bonacini.

The role of cities – especially their downtowns and waterfronts – has been changing. Prominent experts Richard Florida and Joe Berridge will guide you through this shift, showing how waterfronts have gone from mostly industrial zones to vibrant hubs that are closely tied to the heart of the city. In a special address, Richard Florida will outline that today, these areas are not just business centers -- they're also bustling places full of amenities that attract talented people, making for some of the most lively and dynamic spots in our cities and surrounding areas. This address will be followed by an open question and answer session moderated by Joe Berridge.

Richard Florida, Professor of Economic Analysis and Policy, Rotman School of Management

Richard Florida is the world’s leading urbanist and international best-selling author of Rise of the Creative Class. He is a pioneering researcher and University Professor at University of Toronto.  He is co-founder of The Atlantic’s, and now Bloomberg’s CityLab, the leading publication devoted to cities and urbanism. He is founder of the Creative Class Group, advising companies such as BMW, Audi, Starwood Hotels, Facebook, Instagram, Converse, Microsoft, and several others. Florida serves as a board member with many of the leading real estate, urban innovation and venture capital firms across the globe.

Joe Berridge, Partner, Urban Strategies

Joe Berridge, a partner at Urban Strategies, is an urban planner and city builder who has had an integral role in the development of some of the largest and most complex urban planning and regeneration projects in Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Asia. He has been strategic planner for the development of the city centres of Manchester, Belfast and Cardiff and for the waterfronts of Toronto, Singapore, Cork, London Docklands and Governors Island in New York City. He has prepared campus master plans for the University of Manchester, and Waterloo, Queen's and Western in Canada. He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto and a regular media commentator and writer on urban issues. Joe’s book ‘Perfect City’ was published by Sutherland House in April 2019. Urban Strategies are planning advisors to Infrastructure Ontario for Ontario Place.

This panel brings together key players from across the waterfront to capture the past, present, and future of Toronto's waterfront. Panelists will dive into how the waterfront's economic, tourism, social, environmental, and urban elements come together to create a vibrant, dynamic, and transformative economic district.

Opening Remarks: Tim Kocur, Executive Director, Waterfront BIA

Tim Kocur joined the Waterfront BIA in 2018 as Executive Director and initiated a successful boundary expansion to include the fastest growing neighbourhood in North America – the waterfront east of Yonge Street. The BIA has developed economic impact studies and joint advocacy statements in support of the Waterfront East LRT. The ‘Waterfront ReConnect’ vision for safer, improved north-south connections to the water has resulted in pilots and new public realm planning for the Gardiner Corridor. They are also a leader in supporting events and activations including the Waterfront Festival, an artist-in-residence tr38.

Moderator: Mary W. Rowe, President & CEO, Canadian Urban Institute

Mary W. Rowe is a leading urban advocate and civil society trailblazer who has worked in cities and with communities across Canada and the United States. Mary was President of the Canadian platform Ideas That Matter, a convening and publishing program based on the work of renowned urbanist Jane Jacobs, when a mid-career fellowship with the US-based blue moon fund led her to New Orleans. There she worked with national philanthropy, governments and community activists to support rebuilding through micro-investments in neighbourhood projects for seven years in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Prior to joining CUI as President and Chief Executive Officer, Mary lived in New York City and served as Executive Vice President of the Municipal Art Society (MASNYC), one of America’s oldest civic advocacy organizations focused on the built environment.

Panellists:

George Zegarac, President & CEO, Waterfront Toronto

George Zegarac is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Waterfront Toronto. He joined the Corporation in 2019 following a distinguished 33-year career in the Ontario Public Service in addition to a short period with the Federal Government at the beginning of his career. 

During his time with the provincial government, George served in eleven different portfolios including, Ministries of Infrastructure, Environment, Health and Education. He was a Deputy Minister for 11 years in five different portfolios. While he was the Deputy Minister for Ontario’s Ministry of Infrastructure, he helped negotiate the tri-government funding agreement to support Waterfront Toronto’s Port Lands Flood Protection Project. George led the development of the Provincial 10-year infrastructure plan and managed one of the largest real estate portfolios in the nation.

RJ Steenstra, President & CEO, Ports Toronto

Roelof-Jan (RJ) Steenstra joined PortsToronto in September 2022. Previously President and CEO of the Fort McMurray Airport Authority in Alberta, Mr. Steenstra is an accomplished executive leader who is recognized for driving businesses forward in challenging economic conditions by making smart and dynamic decisions and leveraging revenue diversification and lean principles to propel organizational refocus and change. His passion for airports is evident and he is recognized for developing innovative and fiscally-grounded solutions – without losing sight of the passenger and employee experience. This passion and approach will be applied to all of PortsToronto’s businesses including Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, the marine Port of Toronto, Outer Harbour Marina, and other properties and holdings within the organization’s portfolio.

Marah Braye, CEO, Harbourfront Centre

Marah Braye is the CEO of Harbourfront Centre, a leading international centre for contemporary arts, culture and ideas operating a 10-acre campus on Toronto’s central waterfront. Harbourfront Centre provides year-round programming 52 weeks a year, seven days a week, and supports a wide range of artists and communities. The centre champions contemporary Canadian artists throughout their careers, presenting them alongside international artists, and fostering national and international artistic exchange between disciplines and cultures. Each year, Harbourfront Centre presents more than 4000 events, 70 per cent of which are free.

Stretch your body and mind, and connect with other guests.

Waterfront Dialogues

This session will explore what principles Toronto should apply as the city looks to develop a world-class waterfront, drawing from lessons and learnings from local and global perspectives. Notable city-building and urban planning experts will provide their perspectives about the past and potential future of the waterfront.

Global perspective:

Kate Meyrick, Director, Urbis

Kate is a passionate urbanist and place maker with more than 30 years of international  experience working throughout Australia, Asia, Europe, Middle East and the USA.

She is globally respected for her expertise in visioning and positioning city scale precincts, working sensitively with stakeholders and the community to co-create powerful new futures for well-loved places. She has been influential in shaping thinking about the global competitiveness of Australian Cities, their future identity and quality of life.

A regular key-note speaker, panellist, conference moderator and writer; Kate is recognised as a thought leader in relation to urban performance, city shaping precincts and places and rail-led regeneration. Kate thrives on collaboration and works effectively in partnership with  government, community, non-profit and private sector stakeholders.

She has strong experience in conceptualising and delivering complex urban projects: working  with a diverse mix of stakeholders to curate a bold and innovative vision for future urban life that will deliver enduring shared value outcomes.

Local perspective:

Jennifer Keesmaat, Managing Partner, Markee Developments, and CEO, The Keesmaat Group

Jennifer Keesmaat is an urban planner named one of the “most powerful people in Canada” by Macleans, one of the “most influential” by Toronto Life, and one of the top Women of Influence in Canada. She spent half a decade as Toronto’s Chief City Planner, where she was celebrated for her forward thinking and collaborative approach to city-building. Keesmaat is a founding partner of Markee Developments. With veteran developer Jason Marks, she is now developing new communities across the GTA as sustainable, liveable places that prioritize access to high quality, affordable housing. A Distinguished Visitor in Residence Emeritus at the University of Toronto, Keesmaat continues to share her vision for cities of the future, through her WEBBY Award-winning podcast, Invisible City. Keesmaat is the Chief Architect of the 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities, which is a blueprint for adapting cities post Covid19 that has been adopted by cities around the world. Keesmaat is on the Advisory Board of the Urban Land Institute, Toronto, and is appointed to the International Panel of Experts, Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Jennifer is on the Board of Directors for May Mobility, and is on the President’s Planning and Growth Advisory Board and Design Review Panel for Ohio State University. Jennifer is recognized as one of the 100 most influential urbanists of all time, by Planetizen Magazine.

Moderator: Giles Gherson, President & CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade

Once only known for its scenic views and industrial operations, Toronto's waterfront is morphing into a bustling commercial hub, enticing businesses and work communities to lay their foundations by the water. This panel convenes prominent organizations located at the waterfront to discuss why it has become an alluring business location and how it can build on its success to date.

Panelists:

Joe Cressy, Senior Vice-President, External Relations, Communications and Real Estate Development, George Brown College

As Senior Vice-President, External Relations, Communications and Real Estate Development, Joe Cressy advances George Brown College’s unique role in serving local communities, promoting regional economic opportunities, and engaging in partnerships that benefit our students, industry, and the greater community. He also leads investment in new facilities and infrastructure that enhances learning opportunities, promotes career-oriented education and job creation, and strengthens community and corporate collaboration.

Joe joined the college in 2022, and his portfolio includes Marketing, Communications, Government Relations and the Strategic Partnerships Office, as well as a team dedicated to real estate development projects and initiatives. In previous senior leadership roles and through other experiences in the nonprofit and public sectors, Joe has proven himself as a values-driven and effective leader.

Between 2014 and 2022, Joe served two terms as Toronto City Councillor for Spadina-Fort York, where he championed investments to create a more livable city, including affordable housing and childcare, public transportation, bike lanes, and efforts to combat the city’s overdose crisis. He also served as Chair of the Toronto Board of Health — the largest public health unit in Canada — during the COVID-19 pandemic, working to ensure the city’s response was comprehensive, equitable and effective. He was also a member of the Toronto COVID-19 Strategic Command Team and Immunization Task Force. During his time on council, Joe contributed to other vital city organizations as a member of the City of Toronto's Economic and Community Development Committee, the Waterfront Toronto Board of Directors, and the Art Gallery of Ontario Board of Governors.

And Joe brings a wealth of experience in the nonprofit sector to his role at George Brown. He led literacy programs in fly-in indigenous communities in Northern Ontario with Frontier College, worked on the frontlines of the fight against HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, served as the Director of Campaigns and Community Outreach with the Stephen Lewis Foundation, and led national campaigns for the Ottawa-based Polaris Institute.

Joe earned a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management from Carleton University.

Vic Gupta, CEO, CreateTO

As CEO of CreateTO, Vic Gupta is focused on managing the stewardship of the City of Toronto’s real estate assets and optimizing the portfolio to deliver city-building benefits, enable City program solutions and ensure cost-effective program delivery. He served as Principal Secretary to Mayor John Tory during the Mayor’s first term in office. Prior to his time at City Hall, he ran Prime Strategies Group, a public affairs consulting business that he founded in 1999. When the company was acquired in 2011 he ran for elected office, twice as a candidate for the Member of Provincial Parliament in the riding of Richmond Hill. He has an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Western Ontario.

Moderator:

Marcus Gee, Columnist, The Globe & Mail

Marcus Gee is a columnist for The Globe and Mail. Born in Toronto, he graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1979 with a degree in modern European history, then worked as a reporter for The Province, Vancouver's morning newspaper. He spent four years in Asia in the early 1980s, the first three in Hong Kong as an editor, writer and correspondent for Asiaweek magazine, and the last as a reporter for United Press International in Manila and Sydney.

He joined The Globe in 1991 as an editorial writer and served as Editorials Editor from 2003 to 2006. He has also served as international-affairs writer, Asian business reporter and Toronto columnist. Among the issues and events he has covered are the war in Kosovo, the upheaval in East Timor and the Rob Ford scandal in Toronto. Marcus has won six National Newspaper Awards for his writing, three of them for his sustained coverage of Canada’s ongoing opioids crisis.

Speaker:

• Giles Gherson, President & CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade

End your day with a delicious cocktail and mingle with other guests.