Since 1982, Pam McConnell has served the residents in downtown Toronto, first as a school trustee for 12 years and currently as the City Councillor for Ward 28, Toronto-Centre Rosedale. Pam has focused her public service on working to create a healthy and safe city for all Torontonians.
Now in her fifth term as a City Councillor, Pam McConnell is a member of the Executive Committee, which is responsible for setting the priorities for Council. In addition, she is Chair of the Toronto and East York Community Council, a member of the Government Management Committee, and is Vice-Chair of the Police Services Board, the Employee and Labour Relations Committee, and the Affordable Housing Committee. Pam is also on the Board of Directors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), and chairs FCM's Standing Committee on Increasing Women's Participation in Municipal Government.
As a City Councillor, Pam continues to oversee the redevelopment of Regent Park, is working with local residents and Waterfront Toronto on the development of the West Don Lands and East Bayfront neighbourhood, and is leading community members on improving the St. Lawrence Market Precinct. She has played a key role in bringing the First Parliament Site into public hands and continues to support local residents in the fight to close the Island Airport. In 2005, Pam celebrated the opening of the Wellesley Community Centre, the first community centre built in Toronto since amalgamation in 1998.
Some of Pam's initial work as a Councillor centred around children. As a member of the Children and Youth Action Committee, she led the campaign against user fees in City recreation centres and developed the Children's Report Card.
As Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board from 2004 to 2005, and now as Vice Chair, Pam has worked to address racial profiling in the Service, challenging the police complaints system to ensure independent civilian oversight, and bringing community policing back to the City's neighbourhoods.
In her time as school trustee, and as Chair of the Toronto Board of Education in 1992, Pam was well known as an advocate for children living in poverty. Her accomplishments during that time include helping to found Parents for Better Beginnings in Regent Park, the Brighter Futures - St. James Town health project, and the Student Nutrition Coalition, which began the breakfast and lunch programs in Toronto schools. In 1997, she received an award from the Duke of Edinburgh for her work with inner city youth.
Pam lives in Cabbagetown with her family.
