Work Experience
Director, Economic Growth, Culture and Entrepreneurship
City of Markham
February 2022 - Present
Chris leads a dedicated team of public servants focused on growing Markham's economy on a foundation of innovation, sustainability, arts and culture.
Director, Municipal and Stakeholder Relations
Municipal Property Assessment Corporation
May 2019 - February 2022
Chris led a dedicated team of public servants focused on helping Ontario municipalities manage their property assessment base to fund community services while building strategic partnerships focused on supporting local governments, their property owners and businesses.
Founder and Advisor
My main street
May 2021 - Present
In partnership with the Canadian Urban Institute and the Economic Developers Council of Ontario, Chris developed and launched a community economic development platform focused on revitalizing Ontario’s main streets. Chris continues to advise the program delivery team and support opportunities for expansion.
Director, COVID-19 Business Mitigation and recovery
City of Toronto
March 2020 - September 2020
As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, Chris re-joined the City of Toronto temporarily to lead their efforts to support businesses during the crisis. Chris led a team focused on developing short and medium-term programming to support businesses, while also developing strategies to support the recovery of Toronto’s business community.
CO-Founder and ADVISOR
DIGITAL MAIN STREET
June 2016 - October 2020
Chris co-founded and launched Digital Main Street, a program focused on helping locally-owned main street businesses adopt technology. Chris worked with the team to grow the program from a focus on Toronto’s main streets, to communities across Canada.
Manager, Special Projects
City of Toronto
December 2018 - May 2019
Chris led a number of priority initiatives for the City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture Division, including:
Collision - management and coordination of the City's support of the Collision technology festival that brought 30,000 international attendees to Toronto in May 2019.
Indigenous Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship - led the development of the world's largest Indigenous business incubator focused on assisting Indigenous entrepreneurs across Canada build their businesses, not-for-profits and social enterprises.
Business Growth Services Enhancement - oversaw a change management process to shift to a new working model for the City of Toronto's business services group.
Manager, Entrepreneurship Services
City of Toronto
May 2014 - December 2018
Chris worked within the City of Toronto's Economic Development and Culture Division, managing a number of the City's support systems for entrepreneurs. Chris oversaw Enterprise Toronto, the City's one-stop source for starting or expanding a small business, as well as the Business Incubation and Commercialization Program, which supported business incubation support for specific sectors within the City's economy.
Manager, Strategic Economic Initiatives
Regional Municipality of York
August 2012 - May 2014
Chris was responsible for a range of initiatives in the Economic Strategy Branch at the Regional Municipality of York, including: overseeing the management of the York Small Business Enterprise Centre and its delivery of services to the region's entrepreneurs; managing and coordinating the region's tourism promotion and product development initiatives; and guiding the development of innovation related infrastructure that supports the region's economy, including attracting post-secondary investments and partnerships, the creation of innovation hubs, and the realization of a regional broadband network.
Senior Project Manager, Partners in Project Green
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
April 2008 - August 2012
Chris was the Senior Project Manager for Partners in Project Green: A Pearson Eco-Business Zone. The initiative aims to transform Canada’s largest employment area surrounding Toronto Pearson International Airport into an internationally recognized eco-business zone. Partners in Project Green develops and delivers programming to help businesses collaborate to reduce energy and resource costs, identify new green business opportunities, and address everyday operational challenges in a cost-effective and green manner.
Lecturer
Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology
September 2009 - May 2011
Chris lectured on corporate sustainability as part of the graduate program in Green Business Management. The focus of his work was on assisting companies turn sustainability into a business opportunity.
Project Manager, Etobicoke and Mimico Watersheds
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
April 2007 - March 2008
Chris developed strategic relationships with governments, non-profits, volunteers and businesses to improve the health of the Etobicoke and Mimico watersheds. This included developing and managing the implementation of restoration ecology initiatives in the Etobicoke and Mimico watersheds and leading public-private partnerships to address local environmental issues.
Watershed Planner, Etobicoke and Mimico Watersheds
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
April 2006 - March 2007
Chris developed and implemented restoration ecology initiatives in the Etobicoke and Mimico watersheds, planned and coordinated community stewardship events, and managed watershed communications and stakeholder consultation.
City Councillor
City of Stratford
December 2003 - November 2006
During his time on Stratford City Council Chris Chaired the Planning and Heritage Committee, and the Energy and Environment Committee. Chris also served on the Community Services Committee, Public Works Committee, City Centre Committee, Heritage Stratford and the Stratford-Perth Museum.
Some of the projects Chris worked on included: authoring and implementing the city’s environment plan; promoting a user-pay model for stormwater control; authoring a long-term business plan for the Stratford-Perth Museum; assisting in the development of a new development charges regime; introducing tax-increment financing for downtown and brownfield redevelopment; shepparding a secondary plan process; and, development of a downtown beautification program.
Community Cable Television Host / Commentator
Rogers Communications
January 2004 - October 2006
Chris provided weekly political commentary for Rogers Television's community cable news program and hosted Politically Speaking, its monthly local politics round-table.
Editor / Publisher
What's Up, Chuck? Magazine
April 1997 - January 2001
As editor and publisher of this infamous monthly political satire and local entertainment magazine in Stratford, Ontario, Chris was responsible for coordinating writers, authoring and researching articles, selling advertising, evading libel litigation and walking his lawyer’s dog.
Owner
10 Day Cafe
April 1996 - April 1998
Chris owned and operated a live music cafe in scenic downtown Stratford, Ontario while finishing high school.
Education
Master of Public Administration, Local Government Program
University of Western Ontario
2005 - 2007
Research focus on policy development, local government, program evaluation and strategic planning. Chris' thesis provided an analysis of the political economy of land-use change in the City of London, Ontario. View a copy of it here - Land-Use Change in the City of London: An Analysis of Zoning By-Law Changes and the Predominant Forces in the Land-Use Change Process.
Bachelor of Environmental Studies, Planning
University of Waterloo
2001 - 2005
Graduated with a Honours in Planning with a focus on land development, policy formulation and economic development.