Meet Shelley
Shelley got her start in politics as a parent-advocate when she saw the detrimental effects that education cuts were having on her own children. Her tireless defence of public education led her to be elected as a School Board Trustee in 2000 and earned her a Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal.
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Shelley was first elected to City Council in 2003. In 2006, Shelley was elected by her peers to serve as Chair of the Budget Committee. She utilized her financial background to deliver four balanced budgets in the thick of the global financial crisis, making Toronto financially sustainable for the first time since amalgamation.
Shelley’s focus in her current role as Budget Chief and the Mayor's Economic Development & Culture Champion is to facilitate a vibrant and inclusive economic and cultural recovery for the city, in partnership with Toronto’s vast network of businesses, artists, and social agencies. She serves on the boards of Toronto Global and Destination Toronto and co-chairs the City’s Economic Advisory Panel and Culture Panel.
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Shelley’s first and foremost duty is to her constituents. She has been a proud champion of increasing opportunities for direct democracy in her ward, including implementing Toronto’s first-ever Participatory Budgeting process. Shelley has also secured a number of improvements for her community, including additional park amenities, affordable housing spaces, numerous traffic and pedestrian safety improvements, and the new Ethennonnhawahstihnen’ Community Centre, the first community recreation centre and library branch in Toronto to be named in collaboration with the Huron-Wendat Nation.
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Shelley’s focus for this term is to continue working hand-in-hand with the community to build a Don Valley North that is liveable and affordable for generations to come.
