CAO named in Prince Edward County

It was a lengthy search, but Prince Edward County finally has their woman.

The municipality announced on Monday, November 18, they have named Marcia Wallace as their new chief administrative officer.

She has served as the assistant deputy minister with Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and has more than 20 years experience Ontario Public Service.

Wallace says Prince Edward County is a very unique municipality and while not without challenges, she sees incredible opportunity and is excited to join the senior staff contingent.

“We are thrilled Marcia has agreed to join us. She brings to The County a fresh perspective and a wealth of new ideas gleaned from her previous positions,” says Steve Ferguson, mayor, County of Prince Edward. “Marcia’s extensive knowledge of local municipalities and her policy background will allow her to find creative ways to tackle complex issues. We are confident that she will provide outstanding leadership across the corporation.”

She will begin her new role on December 16, taking over from Robert McAuley who has been acting CAO since April. McAuley announced his retirement at the end of the year last month.

The CAO recruitment committee and executive search firm Feldman Daxon Partners conducted a thorough search process over the past several months, which attracted applicants from across the country.

Council unanimously approved the committee’s recommendation to appoint Ms. Wallace.

In her role as assistant deputy minister, Ms. Wallace provided leadership to the division responsible for the ministry’s regional offices, the Building Code, and disaster recovery programs. Prior to this role, she led high profile policy and program initiatives at the ministries of Municipal Affairs, Housing, and Environment. Highlights from that work included designing site-specific solutions with municipalities in Central Ontario and sector-wide transformation of government services, in areas including brownfield redevelopment, energy projects, and environmental compliance approvals.

She holds a PhD in Urban Planning from the University of Waterloo and is a Registered Professional Planner with the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. She began her career as an assistant professor at York University in 1999 before joining the Ontario Public Service. She continues to lecture in the Local Government Diploma Program at Western University in London, Ontario.