Toronto (April 14, 2021) — PortsToronto today announced that Amanda Walton has been elected Chair of the PortsToronto Board of Directors effective April 16, 2021. Ms. Walton is the City of Toronto appointee and has served on the board since 2015. She has served as the Chair of the Governance and Human Resources Committee since 2017, and will become the organization’s second woman Board Chair
Currently an independent communications consultant, Ms. Walton was Senior Vice President and Partner at Advance Planning & Communications, formerly a leading Toronto communications and public affairs firm, and has more than 30 years of experience in communications strategy and public policy analysis. Previous Board experience includes serving as a Governor of Crescent School, President of the Albany Club of Toronto, a member of the Ontario Advertising Review Board, a member of the Board of Directors of Ontario Place, and a Director of the Canadian National Exhibition Association. A graduate of the University of Toronto (Victoria College) with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree, Ms. Walton also holds her ICD.D designation from the Directors Education Program at the Rotman School of Management.
Ms. Walton succeeds Robert Poirier, who was first appointed as a Director of the Board in September 2009, and became Chair of the Board in August 2015. Mr. Poirier’s term expires this month in accordance with the Canada Marine Act, and he is among the longest-serving Directors of PortsToronto. Mr. Poirier together with the Board of Directors has provided leadership during the COVID-19 crisis and on a number of critical and concurrent infrastructure development, community and sustainability projects. Mr. Poirier will continue to be involved in regional transportation as a Board Director at Metrolinx, serving as Chair of the Real Estate Committee, overseeing transit-oriented development, and as a member of the Capital Oversight Committee.
PortsToronto is a self-sustaining government business enterprise, accountable to the Federal Government through Transport Canada. It is guided by a Board of Directors composed of individuals appointed by all levels of government – municipal, provincial and federal. The City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario have a direct governance relationship with PortsToronto via their appointees to the PortsToronto Board of Directors. All individuals nominated by the Minister of Transport are appointed by the Governor in Council. For more information on the Board of Directors and Governance structure at PortsToronto please visit www.portstoronto.com.
About PortsToronto
For more than 100 years PortsToronto has worked with its partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to enhance the economic growth of the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. PortsToronto owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Marine Terminal 52, which provides transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port of Toronto. PortsToronto is committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities and has invested more than $12 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto's waterfront and beyond. PortsToronto operates in accordance with the Canada Marine Act and is guided by a nine-member board with representation from all three levels of government.
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Media Contact:
Deborah Wilson
Vice President Communications & Public Affairs
PortsToronto
E-mail: Deborah.wilson@portstoronto.com