Associate Professor, Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science | University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT)

Dan Hoornweg was a lead urban specialist in the World Bank’s central Urban Advisory Unit prior to moving back to Ontario in 2012. While at the World Bank, during almost twenty years, Dan worked with more than 400 cities. Dan was lead author on Canada’s first municipal Green Plan and helped start the first local government round table on sustainable development (City of Guelph). Dan’s research areas include energy and transportation systems, sustainable cities, risk identification and management, urban resilience and waste management. Dan is Senior Fellow at the Global Cities Institute, University of Toronto; a member of the Urban Strategy Council of GDF Suez and Philips Livable Cities Think Tank; and is on the Board of Directors of Waste Diversion Ontario. He is the Province of Ontario’s Cheif Safety Officer and received his PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto in 2015 (thesis: A Cities Approach to Sustainability). He was appointed the Richard Marceau Chair at UOIT in November 2015.

President, Saxe Facts | former Environmental Commissioner of Ontario

As Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner from 2015 to 2019, Dr. Dianne Saxe reported to the Legislature on Ontario’s environmental, energy and climate performance, and was the guardian of the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR). During her term, she improved the effectiveness of the Environmental Bill of Rights, increased public understanding of the urgency of climate change, and issued highly praised reports on a wide range of environmental, energy and climate topics.

Prior to her appointment, Dr. Saxe was one of Canada’s most respected environmental lawyers, with 40 years’ unparalleled experience writing, interpreting, and litigating Ontario’s energy and environmental laws. Dr. Saxe’s career began with the Ontario Public Service and two major Bay Street law firms. She then established one of Canada’s top environmental law firms.

A Certified Environmental Law Specialist, Commissioner Saxe was recognized by all major legal rating services, including acknowledgement as one of the world’s top 25 environmental lawyers by Best of the Best, 2008 and as Best Lawyers’ first Environmental Lawyer of the Year for Toronto. Her numerous honours include the Award for Distinguished Service, the highest honour granted by the Ontario Bar Association; and the Gold Key Award for exceptional lifetime professional achievement, granted by Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni.