David J. McFadden, QC

Chair of the Board
Ontario Centres of Excellence

 

Professional Experience

David McFadden is Chair of Gowlings' National Energy and Infrastructure Industry Group. He acts for corporations, municipalities and utilities involved in the generation, distribution, marketing and financing of energy. He also acts for clients involved in infrastructure development, management and renewal. He has acted as counsel in a variety of infrastructure projects including toll highways and tunnels, light rail systems and health care facilities.

Research and Development Background

Mr. McFadden became Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc. ("OCE Inc.") in 2004 when OCE Inc. has assumed the management and operation of Ontario’s Centres of Excellence. Prior to becoming Chair of OCE Inc., Mr. McFadden was Chair of the Ontario Government's Advisory Committee on the Centres of Excellence from 2000 to 2004. Under Mr. McFadden’s leadership, OCE Inc. launched the new Centre of Excellence for Energy in 2005.

Mr. McFadden served as a member of the Ontario Research and Innovation Council from 2006 to 2008. As mandated by the Premier, the Council developed and submitted a long-term innovation strategy for the Province of Ontario.

Power Industry Background

Mr. McFadden has played a key role in a number of initiatives relating to the power industry.

Since October 1996, he has been Chair of the Stakeholders Alliance for Electricity Competition and Customer Choice, a broad coalition of business and energy-related organizations including the Association of Major Power Consumers, Association of Exporters and Manufacturers, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Electricity Distributors Association of Ontario, the Ontario Energy Association and the Association of Power Producers of Ontario.

Mr. McFadden was appointed by the Government of Canada to serve as a member of the Electric System Working Group, which was part of the Joint Canada-U.S. Task Force established to investigate the power blackout that hit Ontario and much of the Northeastern United States in August 2003. The final report of the Task Force, issued in April 2004, set out a blueprint to enhance the reliability of the North American electricity grid. The Energy Policy Act passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Bush this past summer enacted many of the recommendations of the Task Force.

In June 2003, Mr. McFadden was appointed to the Ontario Government';s Electricity Conservation and Supply Task Force. The Task Force, which issued its final report in January 2004, provided a comprehensive strategy to meet the future energy demands of the province which has formed the basis of the Ontario current energy policy.

Mr. McFadden was appointed by the Government of Jamaica to co-lead an investigation into the July 15th , 2006 blackout which cut off electricity supply to the entire Island. The report on the investigation submitted in December 2006 provides a blueprint for the enhancement of the reliability of Jamaica’s power system.

Board Experience

Mr. McFadden serves on the Board of Directors on a number of business corporations. He is Chair of the Board of PCI Geomatics Inc. and Vice Chairman of the Board of Macquarie Canadian Infrastructure Management Limited. He is also a director and Chair of the Audit Committee of 407 International Inc. and a director and Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee of Atlantis Systems Corp. and a director of the COLLUS Power Corp., Sanyo Machine Works Inc. and Anthony Domtar Inc. He also serves as Chair of the Advisory Panel of LPF Infrastructure Fund. He previously served as President and Chairman of the Board of Environics Research Group.

Mr. McFadden was appointed by Toronto City Council to the Board of Toronto Economic Development Corporation in 2002 and was re-appointed for a further term in 2006. He currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee of TEDCO.

Business Community Involvement

Mr. McFadden has been active in business community organizations for many years.

He served as a director of The Toronto Board of Trade, Canada’s largest Board of Trade or Chamber of Commerce, from 1993 to 2001. He served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Toronto Board of Trade from 1999 to 2000 after serving as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors from 1996 to 1999, as Chair of the Governance Committee from 1997 to 1999, as Chair of the World Trade Committee from 1993 to 1996 and Chair of the Infrastructure Finance Task Force from 1999 to 2001. He currently serves as a member of the Audit and Infrastructure Committees of the Board of Trade, as well as on the Board’s Electricity Task Force.

Mr. McFadden currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships and is Chair of the Communications Committee of the Council.

Community Organizations

Over the years, Mr. McFadden has played an active role in a number of community and educational organizations. He has served as Chairman of the Boards of Directors of Second Mile Club of Toronto, the Dundas Bay Centre and Eglinton United Church. He is also a past President of the Alumni Association of University College of University of Toronto.

Education

Mr. McFadden was born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He secured his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, his law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1972. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1983.