Mayor’s Environmental Advisory Committee (MEAC)
The Mayor’s Environmental Advisory Committee (MEAC) was formed in 2006 at the direction of Mayor Sam Katz. The goal of MEAC is to provide independent advice that will assist the City of Winnipeg in providing leadership in conserving and protecting the environment.
In addition, MEAC provides the Mayor with a public perspective on how particular environmental issues impact the community and civic operations, recognizing that many of these issues are part of a larger regional, national or global concern.
Councillor Russ Wyatt and Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce Past Chairman of the Board Jeffrey Hartry were appointed as Co-Chairs of the Mayor’s Environmental Advisory Committee on Thursday, February 12, 2009. The Mayor’s Environmental Advisory Committee reports directly to the Mayor. Members of MEAC are appointed by the Mayor and include representatives of various organizations and citizen-at-large members.
MEAC Biographies
Councillor Russ Wyatt – Co-Chair
Born and educated in Winnipeg, Russ Wyatt was elected to Winnipeg’s City Council in October of 2002. He is a member of the Standing Policy Committee of Property and Development, the Winnipeg Housing Steering Committee, the Winnipeg – Genstar Joint Venture Corporation Board of Directors, and is the City of Winnipeg representative on the Association of Manitoba Municipalities.
As the City Councillor for Transcona, Councillor Wyatt also serves on the board of directors for the Transcona Historical Museum, the Transcona Business Improvement Zone, the Transcona Playground Renewal Association and the East Winnipeg Sports Association, the organization which governs the new Buhler Recreation Park. He is also a member of the East Kildonan – Transcona Community Committee.
In November, 2004, Mayor Sam Katz appointed Councillor Wyatt to chair the Rapid Transit Task Force and Advisory Council, which delivered its landmark report to Council in October of 2005 called ‘A Made in Winnipeg’ Rapid Transit Solution. He is a past member of the Winnipeg Convention Centre Board, the past representative for the city at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and the past Chairperson of the Standing Policy Committee on Downtown Development. Councillor Wyatt has also served as the Secretary of Strategic Infrastructure Renewal, and on the Mayor’s Executive Policy Committee.
Russ is an active member of the Transcona Trails Association, the Transcona Hi Neighbour Festival Committee, the Transcona Gardeners Club, the Latin American Arts Council of Manitoba, and the Transcona Anti-Graffiti Campaign. In another major community project, Russ organized a campaign with local residents and convinced City Council to preserve a 20 acre parcel of pristine prairie tall grass, now known as the Rotary Prairie Nature Park. He was also active with Transcona residents who successfully lobbied for a clean up of the contaminated Transcona Domtar site, now known as the Transcona Bioreserve and managed by the Fort Whyte Nature Centre.
Jeffrey Hartry – Co-Chair (The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce)
Mr. Hartry is the Past Chairman of the Board of Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Hartry is the Director of Quality Systems and Information at Cangene in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Cangene Corporation is a diversified biopharmaceutical company involved in the research, development, manufacturing and distribution of biologically derived parenteral therapeutics. It is a leading Canadian biopharmaceutical company in the business of developing, manufacturing and commercializing products and technologies for global markets.
Prior to joining Cangene, Mr. Hartry held a series of positions with, Winnipeg based, Apotex Fermentation, included roles in Analytical Chemist, Quality Assurance and the Management roles in Quality Control, Environment, Health and Safety, Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs.
Mr. Hartry began his career path conducting research in the Department of Chemistry at Queen’s University at Kingston where he received his BA and B.Sc.(Hons) in Chemistry. Later Mr. Hartry moved on to work with Toronto Research Chemicals before eventually moving west to Manitoba.
Mr. Hartry has previously been intimately involved with the Life Science Association of Manitoba (LSAM), previously Healthcare Products Association of Manitoba (HCPAM). He served on the board of directors from 1998 to 2007 and as President from 1999 through 2005.
Anders Swanson
Anders Swanson is the project coordinator for One Green City.
One Green City was created to open lines of communication and provoke serious dialogue to catalyze and accelerate action on one simple idea: the creation of a comprehensive network of safe & efficient bikeways, useful for every type of user, spanning all of Winnipeg, A.S.A.P. One Green City, an entirely volunteer project, liaises with cycling-related groups throughout the city (and spawns new ones) by encouraging them all to connect, to share information, and to contribute to the planning of an integrated network. This is being accomplished by:
- promoting a visually arresting vision of a new Winnipeg cycling route network (promoted via the www.onegreencity.com website, large-scale printed maps, documents);
- offering graphic design services to help advance new initiatives developed locally through community consultation and consensus;
- helping local organizations understand the municipal administrative process,
- keeping a database of potentially supportive partner organizations and pointing people in the right places;
- offering advice on the best ways to make their initiatives become reality.
Anders works as a bicycle mechanic, painter and artist. He rides a hand-built, single-speed commuter bike year-round and has not owned a car since 2002.
Amanda Dunnigan, HBAS, LEED® A.P.
Amanda Dunnigan is a LEED® Consultant and Production Director for Sustainable Solutions Inc. She manages various building projects through analysis, integrated design processes and documentation for all stages of design and construction. This involves energy modeling, analysis of all design components and continuous collaboration with project teams to identify sustainable strategies. Topics involve site selection, water-use reduction, energy efficiency, material selection, life-cycle costing, daylighting, environmental construction policies and utilization of innovative technologies.
She holds an Honours Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the University of Waterloo. While attaining her degree, she tree-planted in Northern Manitoba and Ontario where her she first found her love for the environment. She began to focus her interest in sustainable building design while working at Manasc Isaac Architects Inc. in Edmonton, AB where she assisted in the LEED® documentation process. It was later developed as LEED® Coordinator at NumberTEN Architectural Group in Winnipeg where she attained her designation as a LEED® Accredited Professional. She is now a member of the Emerging Green Builders and also the Saskatchewan Chapter of the Canadian Green Building Council. She does not own a vehicle and claims that Winnipeg Transit is one of the best systems in Canada, although cycling often beats both methods of transportation.
Kelsey McCuspey
Kelsey McCuspey is the Sustainable Development Coordinator at Manitoba Liquor Control Commission (MLCC). During her time in this position, Kelsey has spearheaded environmental initiatives within the MLCC and is the chair of MLCC’s Sustainable Development Committee, United Way campaign and a member of the integrated design team. Kelsey is also a current member of the Manitoba Going Green Procurement Working Group which is developing recommendations for public sector procurement.
Kelsey graduated from the University of Manitoba in May 2008 with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies, specializing in Management for Sustainable Development. As part of her degree, Kelsey co-authored and presented an economic analysis of water conservation options for the Sustainable Water Management Forum at the University of Manitoba in April 2008.
Kelsey also holds the Canadian Environmental Practitioner in Training (CEPIT) designation. The CEPIT certification enables practitioners with fewer than five years of work experience to develop the skills and knowledge required to excel as environmental practitioners.
Prior to joining MLCC, Kelsey spent time volunteering at Green Manitoba.
Dr. Michael Mehta
Dr. Michael D. Mehta is Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Winnipeg and was founding Principal of Richardson College for the Environment. He specializes in environmental and health risk issues and has spent the past 20 years exploring the intersection of science and society. Prior to his arrival in Winnipeg, Dr. Mehta was Executive Director of the Population Research Laboratory at the University of Alberta. He has held other administrative and academic appointments at the University of Saskatchewan, Queen's University and York University. He holds a BA in Psychology, a Masters in Environmental Studies, a PhD in Environmental Sociology, and completed four years of post-doctoral training in Environmental Policy.
Dr. Mehta is the author and editor of five books on topics including nanotechnology, nuclear safety, biotechnology, risk and regulation, and environmental issues. He is the co-founder of the Environmental Studies Association of Canada and is on numerous editorial boards and research management committees.
Dr. Mehta is the recipient of the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal and Health Canada's Chief Scientist Distinguished Lecturer Award. He is a former Director of Canadian Blood Services (National Board), SaskPower, SaskPower International and NorthPoint Energy Solutions. .
William Dowie
William is an independent environmental management consultant and has been self-guiding his business interests since 1993. As a purposeful generalist, William has worked with industry, government, and non-profit organizations helping them implement pollution prevention tools into their day to day operations. His business and conference writings and presentations have led him around North America and a study tour of northern India.
William grew up in sunny St. James and attended St. Paul’s High School where he went forward to complete his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Manitoba in applied economics and applied math. William obtained his Applied Management Certificate through the U of M, specializing in Non-Profit Governance, and completed his Masters Certificate in Project Management through the Schulich School of Business (York and University of Winnipeg). William plans to obtain his Project Management Professional (PMP) designation in 2010, having acquired his LEED-AP status in 2009. William continues to add to his skill-set by working with professors in the faculties of Engineering, Architecture, and Environment - and when the stars align, he plans to complete graduate degrees in environmental management.
William was involved with student governance through St. Paul’s College and the Graduate Students’ Association. He served on the Environment Committee of the 1999 Pan Am Games, and is a member of the Green Team of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. William is an active member and volunteer of the Manitoba Chapter of the Canadian Green Building Council. William stays young at heart by advising in the after-school program of Junior Achievement. He continues working with an eclectic collection of clients, and is now honing his strategic systems thinking as part of his company's speciality.
A born naturalist, and a practising Master Composter, William is proud to utilize his Permaculture Design Certificate skills in creating select urban properties that are based on landscape ecology principles - so as to enhance community biodiversity while balancing the client's aesthetic needs. William’s family properties are landscaped solely by hand with minimal petrochemical inputs. One such property is quintuple certified as a naturalized wildlife habitat, and has been featured on the Nature Manitoba and Free Press garden tours - as well as on CBC radio. .
George Toth
George Toth was born and educated in Winnipeg and recently graduated from CDI College of Business Technology Health Care with a diploma in Business Administration. He is multi-talented in a diverse range of skills, and experiences in computers, manufacturing and distribution. George is a small business owner, an entrepreneur looking at best practices and emerging ideas. George’s strengths are in research and product development with innovative ideas, especially his environmental focus. George hopes to bring forth co-operatively through the other members of the Environmental Committee, new ideas to improve our city, and its neighborhoods. He envisions helping our environmentally focused communities with developing, improving and implementing new ideas and goals.
George is active involved with many on-line gardening groups and represents taking the environment to the city's Green-space, and the backyards. Focusing on green initiatives that are practical, easy, inexpensive and sustainable, he likes to trade plants and seeds with other gardener enthusiasts. He enjoys grafting, gardening, landscaping, tree planting, and all of nature’s marvelous wonders.
Mr. Toth is married to Flora with 3 younger children Lukas, Zaneta, Vidalia, and has a golden retriever called Ruby.
George’s primary goal on this committee will be to listen to our fellow citizens to find out Winnipegers' ideas, suggestions and needs through wider and more open communication.
Stephanie White-Willits
I am originally from Southern Ontario. My family moved to the Winnipeg area in 2003 when my partner and I purchased the Canadian Tire Franchise in Selkirk, Manitoba. In 2006, we moved into the city and we’re proud to call Winnipeg our home. We are so fortunate to benefit from the excellent quality of life this great city has to offer and I am looking forward to giving back to my community. One way I intend to give back is by contributing my skills and expertise to the Mayor’s Environmental Advisory Committee, for which I was selected in March 2009.
In 1994, I graduated with a Masters of Environmental Studies degree from York University in Toronto where I specialized in land use and environmental planning. During my years in graduate school, I co-chaired the East Gwillimbury Environmental Services Committee in a small municipality outside of the Greater Toronto Area. This committee was the first of its kind in the area and our mandate was primarily to implement waste management and recycling strategies and procedures; concepts which were still quite new to the rural area. While in East Gwillimbury, I was involved in the church community where, for three years, I served as the Chair of the United Church Women’s group of the Mount Albert United Church. This was a demanding role as there were four UCW sectors – all of which were very active.
Before my partner and I purchased our Canadian Tire franchise in Ontario, I held various research/consulting positions with regional and municipal governments in Ontario, where I focused on issues such as the benefits of shared services between local and regional governments and issues surrounding the challenges of land use planning around core urban areas. “Sustainable Development, in terms of local land use planning, was a phrase that was just starting to catch on.
For the last ten years I’ve been working in the family business and I am now eager to develop my own professional and career interests. In January of this year I completed the fourth and final course of the internationally-recognized Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) program and I recently completed the first phase of the Manitoba estate licensing program and will presently enroll in phase two. It is my goal to become more involved in green, commercial development initiatives in Winnipeg.
Miriam Cohen-Krajden
Born in Toronto and educated in Toronto and Winnipeg, Miriam was called to the Manitoba Bar in June, 2008. She is currently working as an associate lawyer at a local law firm where she represents First Nation survivors of Canada's residential schools. Miriam is excited about her appointment to the Mayor's Environmental Advisory Committee and eager to help her like-minded colleagues make Winnipeg an even better place to call home.
Neil Cunningham (ex-officio)
Neil Cunningham graduated from the University of Manitoba with a degree in economics; which was followed by three-years of work with the Prefectural Government of Shimane, Japan. Upon his return to Canada, Neil completed a masters degree in Landscape Architecture, where his thesis research focused on green infrastructure design. Following this, Neil worked on a multi-stakeholder project developing design standards for rehabilitation hospitals. Neil began his career with the Manitoba government in 2003 and has worked for a diverse range of departments including Intergovernmental Affairs, Manitoba Conservation, the Civil Service Commission, and Manitoba Finance. Neil is currently Acting Director of Energy and Climate Change, Priorities and Strategies Branch, in the department of Science, Technology, Energy and Mines.
