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Co-chair – Mayor of the City of Ottawa
Mayor Watson has dedicated most of his career to public service in Canada’s capital. First elected as a Councillor in 1991, re-elected in 1994 and three years later, he was elected as the youngest Mayor in Ottawa’s history. In 2000, Mayor Watson was appointed the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Tourism Commission, a federal corporation dedicated to promoting Canada as a tourism destination. In 2003, he was elected as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa West-Nepean, a riding he would represent until 2010. Over the course of his two mandates at Queen’s Park, he served as Minister of Consumer and Business services, Minister of Health Promotion and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Following his time in provincial politics, Watson was elected Mayor of the City of Ottawa in 2010. In his first term, Mayor Watson oversaw the beginning of construction of the Confederation Line LRT. He also presided over the opening of the Shaw Centre, the EY Centre, TD Place and the revitalized Lansdowne Park. In 2012, Mayor Watson was recognised for his support of the tourism industry by being named Ottawa Tourism Leader of the Year. Jim Watson was re-elected Mayor of the City of Ottawa in 2014 with more than 76% of the popular vote.