Item - 2025.NC27.2

The Corporations Nominating Panel recommends that:

1.  City Council appoint the following public members:

Bruce Davis; and

Allison Mendes

a. to the CreateTO Board, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending on December 19, 2029, and until successors are appointed; and 

b. to the Boards of Directors of Build Toronto and the Toronto Port Lands Company, at the pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending on December 19, 2027, and until successors are appointed.

2. City Council re-appoint Sheerin Sheikh:

a. to the CreateTO Board, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office starting on March 29, 2026, and ending on December 19, 2029, and until a successor is appointed; and 

b. to the Boards of Directors of Build Toronto and the Toronto Port Lands Company, at the pleasure of Council, for a term of office starting on March 29, 2026, and ending on December 19, 2027, and until a successor is appointed.

3. City Council appoint Bruce Davis as Chair of the CreateTO Board. 

4. City Council re-appoint Marcie Zajdeman from the CreateTO Board to the Boards of Directors of Build Toronto and the Toronto Port Lands Company, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending on June 16, 2027, and until a successor is appointed.

5. City Council direct that Confidential Attachments 1a, 1b, 1c and 2 to 4 to the revised report (December 4, 2025) from the City Clerk remain confidential in their entirety as they relate to personal matters about identifiable individuals being considered for appointment to the CreateTO Board.

The Corporations Nominating Panel recommends that:

1.  City Council appoint the following public members:

Bruce Davis; and

Allison Mendes

a. to the CreateTO Board, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending on December 19, 2029, and until successors are appointed; and 

b. to the Boards of Directors of Build Toronto and the Toronto Port Lands Company, at the pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending on December 19, 2027, and until successors are appointed.

2. City Council re-appoint Sheerin Sheikh:

a. to the CreateTO Board, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office starting on March 29, 2026, and ending on December 19, 2029, and until a successor is appointed; and 

b. to the Boards of Directors of Build Toronto and the Toronto Port Lands Company, at the pleasure of Council, for a term of office starting on March 29, 2026, and ending on December 19, 2027, and until a successor is appointed.

3. City Council appoint Bruce Davis as Chair of the CreateTO Board. 

4. City Council re-appoint Marcie Zajdeman from the CreateTO Board to the Boards of Directors of Build Toronto and the Toronto Port Lands Company, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending on June 16, 2027, and until a successor is appointed.

5. City Council direct that Confidential Attachments 1a, 1b, 1c and 2 to 4 to the revised report (December 4, 2025) from the City Clerk remain confidential in their entirety as they relate to personal matters about identifiable individuals being considered for appointment to the CreateTO Board.

Candidates' Biographies

Bruce Davis, as Chair

With over 30 years experience in government, politics, business, development, real estate and civil society, Bruce Davis is a relentless advocate for access to housing and community building. Bruce has led communications, outreach and strategy for more than ten Rapid Housing projects across Ontario since 2020, playing various roles, from site selection to project management to community engagement to operator selection. He is President of Public Progress, a consultancy serving non-profit and municipal clients.

Beyond housing, Bruce has helped shape policy on public health, environmental justice and youth violence, and for ten years served as a trustee for the Toronto District School Board. Honoured with both the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the King Charles III Coronation Medal, Bruce’s career is a testament to what’s possible when passion meets purpose. Bruce and his family have lived in Etobicoke’s Long Branch neighbourhood for almost forty years.

Allison Mendes

Allison is Chair of board at CreateTO, the City of Toronto's real estate and development investment corporation. She is also a certified Corporate Director (ICD.D) and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the Schulich School of Business.

She is a Board member with over 10 years of experience in both private and public sector, across Healthcare, Retail, Financial Services and Real Estate organizations. 

Allison Mendes has over 18 years of Capital Markets experience. Most recently, she was Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager at Manulife Asset Management.

Sheerin Sheikh

Sheerin Sheikh has a passion for public service and social justice. Her results-driven work ethic is demonstrated by her extensive senior level real estate asset management expertise and service on various boards and committees. CreateTO has a critical role in supporting the City of Toronto to move forward wisely and expeditiously in becoming the city that we all can aspire to live in as would our future generations. She will be a significant team player to assist the board in meeting its responsibilities.

Marcie Zajdeman                     

Marcie Zajdeman worked for international law firms before joining Hydro One, specializing in real estate and Aboriginal law. Marcie was Vice President, Legal and Regulatory with Brookfield Infrastructure, part of the senior executive team of Great Lakes Power and Brookfield’s representative on the Ontario Energy Association and the Association of Power Producers of Ontario boards. Marcie developed and taught a course on Energy Law for Osgoode Hall Law School. She continues to practice law, representing mostly First Nations. She serves on the Grandbridge Energy Board.

The Corporations Nominating Panel will conduct interviews and recommend two public member candidates to City Council for appointment to the CreateTO Board. One of the two public members will be recommended for appointment as Chair.