Meet the Speakers
Premier Doug Ford
Doug Ford is the Member of Provincial Parliament for Etobicoke North, elected in 2018. A lifelong resident of Etobicoke, Doug is a dedicated public servant, community leader, and successful businessman with Deco Labels. He previously served as a Toronto City Councillor (2010–2014), where he helped deliver significant taxpayer savings and held roles on key committees and boards, including Build Toronto and the Canadian National Exhibition. With over 20 years of community service through the Toronto West Rotary Club and as a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Doug continues a proud family legacy of public service in Ontario.
Ted Tsiakopoulos
Ted Tsiakopoulos is a Senior Economist at CMHC with decades of experience analyzing real estate and financial markets. A dynamic speaker and published author, Ted has led national housing policy projects and previously served as CMHC’s Chief Regional Economist, where his team achieved top forecasting accuracy. His insights have been featured in major media outlets including CTV, CBC, and BNN, and he's delivered presentations to key industry organizations across Canada. Passionate about financial literacy, Ted has chaired national committees, consulted for Junior Achievement, and taught housing economics at Toronto Metropolitan University. He co-authored the bestselling book Property Trendsetters and currently serves on the Board of the Toronto Association for Business and Economics. Ted holds a Master’s in Economics from York University and studied at the London School of Economics.
Dan Mader
Dan Mader is a founding partner at Loyalist Public Affairs, bringing deep expertise in policy, communications, and strategy. Prior to Loyalist, he served as Senior Vice President at NATIONAL Public Relations and held senior roles in the Government of Canada across departments including Environment, Transport, and Defence Procurement. Dan has led key Conservative Party campaign efforts at both the federal and provincial levels, including platform development and communications strategy. With a background in technology and management consulting, he holds an MBA from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School and a BMath in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo. Dan is also active in community organizations and public affairs networks.
Carl Haas
Carl Haas is a University Research Chair and professor at the University of Waterloo, specializing in construction productivity, modularization, supply chain management, and digitalization in the built environment. His research spans AI, human-robotic systems, and the circular economy, supported by extensive industry and government partnerships. From 2017 to 2022, he served as Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, leading major growth initiatives and launching the Architectural Engineering program. Carl holds degrees from the University of Waterloo and Carnegie Mellon University and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, ASCE, and the US National Academy of Construction.
Marlon Bray
Marlon Bray, the Executive Vice President is a chartered quantity surveyor by trade, with nearly 30 years of experience in the construction and development industry. He has contributed to over 7,000 projects across sectors including high-rise residential, education, transit, and infrastructure, ranging in scale from $100K renovations to $35B master plans. In recent years, his focus has shifted to residential, office, and industrial developments. A recognized voice in the industry, Marlon regularly provides thought leadership and market commentary, particularly on Ontario’s housing crisis and the complex challenges developers and builders face in navigating policy, economic, labour, and tax barriers.
Honourable Dan Williams
Dan Williams was first elected in 2019 and he was re-elected in 2023 in the riding of Peace River. He currently serves as Minister of Municipal Affairs, and previously served as Minister of Mental Health and Addiction.
Prior to being elected, Dan worked in the sand and gravel industry, and knows how important industry is to Alberta communities. As a Member of the Legislative Assembly, Dan has fought hard for the rights of Alberta families and businesses. A strong advocate for people, Dan voted to support affordability relief for Albertans, passed a private members bill to strengthen support for local charities, and supported measures to cut taxes for working people.
Ian Lee
Ian Lee is an Associate Professor at Carleton University's Sprott School of Business, where he has taught business strategy and economic public policy since 1988. Prior to academia, he spent nine years in banking, managing commercial and mortgage lending across Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. Ian has taught extensively abroad, delivering over 100 Executive MBA courses across Central and Eastern Europe, China, Iran, and Cuba. A regular media commentator on federal economic policy, he appears frequently on CTV, CBC, Global, and national radio. He has published more than 35 op-eds and testified before Parliament over 50 times on fiscal and public policy matters.
Tony Irwin
Tony Irwin is President & CEO of the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) and Interim President of the Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations (CFAA). He leads advocacy efforts for Ontario’s rental housing sector and represents over one million rental units nationally through CFAA. Tony previously served as President & CEO of the Canadian Consumer Finance Association and was Executive Director of the Justin Eves Foundation, supporting access to post-secondary education for disadvantaged youth. He has also held senior political roles, including Senior Advisor to an Ontario Premier and Executive Assistant to the Leader of the Official Opposition.
Corey Pacht
Corey Pacht is Partner and Executive Vice President, Operations at Fitzrovia, where he oversees Development, Construction, Asset, and Property Management teams. He ensures alignment and execution of business strategies across the platform. Formerly Head of Investments at Fitzrovia, Corey previously served as Vice President of Investments at Square Mile Capital, completing over $3 billion in U.S. commercial real estate transactions. He also worked in investment banking at Greenhill & Co., specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Corey holds an HBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, where he graduated as an Ivey Scholar.
Tobias Oriwol
Tobias Oriwol leads strategic oversight and investment management for Tricon Residential’s Canadian purpose-built rental platform, including acquisitions, capital raising, and portfolio growth. Prior to Tricon, he held roles at Forum Equity Partners and Brookfield Asset Management, where he focused on a range of residential asset classes across North America. Tobias holds a Master’s in Urban Planning from Harvard University and a BA in Urban Studies from Stanford University. A former elite athlete, he is also a two-time Canadian Olympian, competing in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Games.
Jason Mercer
Jason Mercer is the Chief Market Analyst and Director of Service Channels at the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB). He leads TRREB’s market analysis program and oversees the delivery of MLS® services and data products that support REALTORS® and their clients in understanding GTA housing trends. Jason brings both private and public sector experience from roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers and CMHC. He holds a BA from Simon Fraser University and an MSc in Planning from the University of Toronto. Jason is a Registered Professional Planner and a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and Lambda Alpha International.