Pickering has appointed Christine Doody-Hamilton to fill the vacant seat of City Councillor Ward 2, at Thursday night’s special meeting of council.
Councillor Doody-Hamilton will bring a strong and proven environmental ethos to the council and committee meetings, which will help strengthen and guide the city’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. She obtained a Master of Environmental Studies at York University, and has worked for the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, focusing on watershed management. In addition, she has also committed herself to public service by volunteering with a number of organizations including the DEAC (Durham Environmental Advisory Committee), LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests), and previously the Duffins Creek Watershed Taskforce, said a city media release.
Further, Councillor Doody-Hamilton has extensive project management skills and budgeting experience, which will be advantageous as the city commences its budget discussions in March. Coupled with her strong understanding of the municipal planning process, her colleagues on council felt that she would be able to ‘hit the ground running’ and make immediate, informed, and meaningful contributions to council’s deliberations, as well as the public discourse, it said.
As a former professor of 30 years in the School of Environmental and Civil Engineering Technology at Seneca College, Councillor Doody-Hamilton is passionate about educating and engaging with a diverse community of students and youth. She also served as the college’s coordinator of ‘Women in Technology’ outreach initiatives to promote STEM and the School of Civil Engineering Technology to teenage girls.
“I am honoured and very humbled to have been selected for this very important role,” said Councillor Doody-Hamilton. “There are many challenges facing Ward 2 and the City of Pickering, and I give you my solemn promise that I will work to the best of my ability to help the residents of Ward 2 and the larger Pickering community. I look forward to working with you all as we build this great city of Pickering.”