Meet the judges

Chris Fonseca

Chris Fonseca

Councillor, Ward 3, Mississauga
FCM Board Member

Chris Fonseca was elected in October 2010 as Councillor for Ward 3 in Mississauga. She currently sits on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Standing Committees on Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development, Increasing Women's Participation in Municipal Government and Social-Economic Development. She is involved in regional committees such as the Intergovernmental Relations Advisory Committee and the Enterprise Programs and Services Section of the Debt Issuance Committee, and she chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. She also sits on the Community Environment and Noise Advisory Committee at Toronto Pearson as well as Partners In Project Green at the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).

Previously, Chris ran her own successful business in the health and wellness sector. She has also worked extensively with not-for-profit organizations that understand the importance of responsible fiscal planning and management. While an undergraduate and master's student at the University of Toronto, Chris volunteered with many local charities throughout Mississauga.

Today, Chris lives in Ward 3 (Mississauga) with her husband and twin boys. She enjoys running, walking and cycling on the many trails in Ward 3.

Joanna Eyquem

Joanna Eyquem

Managing Director, Climate-Resilient Infrastructure, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, University of Waterloo

Joanna Eyquem is an internationally recognized leader in climate adaptation, natural hazard management, and nature-based solutions, with over 20 years experience in Europe, North America and Western Africa. Her work at the Intact Centre focuses on practical measures to reduce flooding, erosion and heat risk, in particular working with nature and the financial sector. Joanna is currently leading efforts to develop climate-resilient standards and mainstream nature-based solutions across Canada. She is completely bilingual and is regularly interviewed as a subject matter expert by anglophone and francophone media. Joanna also serves on over 30 boards and committees, including supporting the National Adaptation Strategy, the National Research Council of Canada, CSA Group, the Government of Quebec’s Expert Group on Adaptation, and as Vice Chair of the Board for the Natural Assets Initiative.

Irfaan Hasham

Irfaan Hasham

Principal (Founder), Simply Sustainable Energy Solutions

As the founding Principal at Simply Sustainable Energy Solutions, Irfaan has developed a great deal of experience in both the consulting and utility worlds. He is a professional engineer and holds a bachelor of engineering (B.Eng) in electrical engineering from Toronto Metropolitan University. With several years of experience working with or for government entities, he has a solid understanding of the current market and political landscape with respect to electricity, GHG emissions and asset management. He is an Energy Coach at the Cooperative Housing Federation of Canada, where he is helping co-ops get started on improving energy efficiency. Irfaan has been involved in delivering complex multi-million-dollar conservation/asset management plans and projects for several utilities and clients across the province.

Donna Chiarelli 

Donna Chiarelli

Owner and Principal, Planet A Consulting

Donna Chiarelli is the owner and principal of Planet A Consulting. With over 20 years of experience helping to build healthy, prosperous and resilient communities, her consulting work focuses on strengthening decision-making of local governments and the people they work with, related to asset management, environmental sustainability and climate action. She is working on multiple projects with the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative to support communities across Canada to integrate natural asset management into infrastructure management and decision-making. She is the co-author of an asset management practice guideline published by Engineers and Geoscientists BC and has developed multiple tools and workshops to support learning and progress on asset management. She is also an associate of the Climate Risk Institute, where she supports the development and delivery of training on asset management and climate resiliency.

Prior to consulting, Donna worked for 15 years for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, where she managed and contributed to dynamic teams for FCM’s international and domestic programs, including GMF. Previously, Donna coordinated the Canadian component of an international, multi-stakeholder training program for mid-career professionals called Leadership for Environment and Development, delivered through the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. Donna is a lifelong advocate of women’s empowerment, global equality and environmental sustainability. She has been privileged to study or work in many countries and has lived briefly in Kenya, India and the United Kingdom.

Kim Fowler

Kim Fowler

Manager, Long Range Planning, Sustainability and Energy, Regional District of Nanaimo

Kim Fowler is a professional planner and sustainability expert with over 30 years’ experience working with local governments in Canada. She is best known for project managing the redevelopment of the Victoria Dockside lands, which were awarded the highest LEED™ Platinum point total in the world for the first two development phases by the successful land sale developers. She has authored a book on Dockside Green’s 18-year innovative project history.

Kim is currently the Manager of Long-Range Planning, Sustainability and Energy with the Regional District of Nanaimo. The Planning Institute of BC awarded Kim the Individual Outstanding Achievement Award for Innovation and Advocacy in 2022.

Christina Seidel

Christina Seidel

President, Sonnevera International Corp.

Christina holds a PhD in Engineering Management and has an extensive background in circular economy and waste reduction. She operates Sonnevera International Corp., a waste reduction consulting firm, and was the Executive Director of the Recycling Council of Alberta for 30 years, where she has been very involved in the waste management policy development arena. Christina has worked on LCAs for used oil management and tire recycling programs and has led Circular Economy and EPR advocacy efforts. She was also a member of the National Zero Waste Council and the Canada Plastics Pact, chaired the Canadian Standards Association Plastics Recycling: Definitions, Reporting and Measuring technical committee, and was a member of Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada Catherine McKenna’s Plastics Advisory Group. Christina has spoken across Canada and internationally on waste issues and is also well-known for her project management and facilitation abilities.

Sylvain Ouellet

Sylvain Ouellet

Municipal Councillor, Montreal

Sylvain Ouellet has been a municipal councillor at the City of Montreal since 2013. Having completed studies in business administration, environmental science and transportation, he takes an interest in many aspects of municipal life such as taxation, public transit and climate change adaptation.

During his second term in office, he was the vice-chair of the executive committee and the lead person for water and infrastructure issues. During his third (and current) term, he was appointed to sit on the boards of directors of FCM, the Société de transport de Montréal and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. He has also been a member of the executive committee of the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal since 2017 and has been sitting on many boards since 2013.

Cécile Lecoq

Cécile Lecoq

Senior Transportation Planner, National Capital Commission

As a Senior Transportation Planner at the National Capital Commission (NCC), Cécile provides policy and strategic advice in the field of transportation planning with a focus on active mobility and public transit. Prior to joining the NCC, she was Transportation Lead for the FCM’s GMF, where she played a key role in the redesign of the Core funding offer. Cécile’s career also includes a 10-year stint at the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO), where she held progressive roles culminating as Lead, Strategic Watch and Innovation. A passionate advocate for sustainable mobility, Cécile has happily embraced car-free living, having replaced the family car with an electric cargo bike.

Daniel Arbour

Daniel Arbour

Rural Director, Baynes Sound

Daniel Arbour is the elected Rural Director for Baynes Sound, Denman and Hornby Islands at the Comox Valley Regional District in British Columbia. He started his career at Ecotrust Canada, where he worked for seven years in community development and sustainable forestry. He is a past Chair of the Canadian Model Forest Network. He then worked as a consultant and economic development officer in his home community of Hornby Island. Daniel was elected to the FCM Board in 2021. He also currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Vancouver Island Regional Library and on the board of the Island Corridor Foundation, on Vancouver Island. He has a master's degree from the School of Environmental Studies at Royal Roads University and a certificate in public policy from the London School of Economics.

Dale LittleJohn

Dale Littlejohn

CEO, Community Energy Association (CEA)

Dale uses his 30 years of experience with climate change initiatives every day as he leads a team of 50 professionals (up from three when he started) at the Community Energy Association (CEA). Dale is a senior advisor to local governments developing actions, calculating their impacts, and implementing plans to save energy and emissions in their operations and across their communities.

Prior to joining the CEA, Dale was a Senior Manager in the consulting practice of Deloitte where he led corporate strategy, technology strategy and sustainability projects globally.

Kateri Beaulne-Bélisle

Kateri Beaulne-Bélisle

Environmental advisor, RECYC-QUÉBEC

Kateri has been an environmental advisor for the municipal stream at RECYC-QUÉBEC since 2021. She has 15 years of experience in municipal waste management and holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Université de Montréal and a master’s degree in environmental sciences from UQAM. At RECYC-QUÉBEC, her main role is analyzing the compliance of projects to implement regional waste management plans and to support municipal organizations in the area of waste management.