Doug Downey

Doug Downey MPP
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte
Incumbent
Assumed office June 7, 2018
Preceded by	Riding established
Orillia City Councillor
In office 2000–2006
Personal details
Born	(1970-02-02) February 2, 1970
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Spouse	Jennifer
Children	2
Residence	Severn, Ontario
Occupation	Lawyer

Doug Downey is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario during the 2018 general election. He represents the riding of Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, and is a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. Downey was named Parliamentary Assistant to Finance Minister Vic Fedeli shortly after the government was sworn in.

Background

Raised in Bond Head, Ontario, Downey received a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University, a M.A. specializing in Judicial Administration from Brock University, a Law Degree from Dalhousie University and a Master of Laws in Municipal and Development Law through Osgoode Hall Law School. Downey practiced law as a Certified Specialist in real estate at nearby Orillia and served two terms on Orillia City Council. In 2007, he was appointed Chair of the Independent Panel on the Future of the Trent-Severn Waterway, which resulted in over $600 million federal funding for maintenance of the canal.

Law Related Background

Doug graduated from a M.A. specializing in Judicial Administration from Brock University. In 1994 Doug was a Court Registrar with the Ontario Court General Division, now the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Before that, he worked in family court administrations during the summers of 1992 and 1993. After attending law school at Dalhousie University, Doug articled with Crawford, McKenzie, McLean & Wilford at Orillia and was called to the Bar in February 1999. He started his own law firm in 2001: Lewis, Downey, Tornosky & Lassaline, now Downey, Tornosky, Lassaline & Timpano Professional Corporation. Doug Lewis was one of the founding partners.

Doug has been very active in the Ontario Bar Association. He was elected Secretary 2009-2010 and Treasurer 2010-2014. He served on several committees and remained active up until his election as MPP in 2018. Doug was Chair of Communications for the Canadian Bar Association from 2013 to 2015. He attended the Uniform Law Conference of Canada and was part of a working group on commercial leasing until his election as an MPP in 2018.

He was a member of the Law Society of Ontario Certified Specialist Board and was active as a mentor and sat on several committees.

He was appointed by the Provincial Minister of Government and Consumer Services as Member of the Expert Panel on the Regulation of Home Inspectors (2013); Expert Provincial Panel on Business Law Reform (2015); and Business Law Advisory Council (2016).

Doug also taught the law of contracts; property; torts; constitutional and Charter law for Laurentian University at Georgian College from 2005 to 2009.

He completed a Masters in Municipal and Development Law at Osgoode Hall Law School.

Doug created the first municipal conservation easement in Ontario (and maybe Canada), and completed the first court-ordered dissolution of a time-share Condo in Canada.

In 2008 he was awarded the 'Sam Delmar Award' - Lawyer of the Year - by the Simcoe County Law Association. In 2009 he was chosen as one of Canada's top lawyers under 40 by Lexpert. In 2010 he was recognized as a 'Lawyer to Watch' in the Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-border Corporate Lawyers in Canada.

Municipal Background

Doug was elected to the City of Orillia municipal council in 2000. He was successfully re-elected in 2003 and served until 2006. He was elected to the Ontario Small Urban Municipalities Board from 2003 to 2006. He served on several Boards and Commissions, including Finance, Downtown Orillia Management Board, Stephen Leacock Museum and the Orillia Opera House. He helped create the first municipal stand-alone 'Department of Culture' in Ontario.

He was a member of a joint Municipal Election Compliance Committee for New Tecumseth, Essa, Adjala-Tosorontio, Innisfil, and Bradford-West Gwillimbury from 2010 to 2018. He also served on the Barrie committee from 2010 to 2014.

Volunteerism

Doug is Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Orillia; Orillia & District Chamber of Commerce; and a region of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. He was Vice President of the Orillia & Area Community Development Corporation at the time of his election as MPP in 2018.

In January 2011 he hosted a weekly show on Rogers TV called Politically Speaking. In 2017 the show was replaced with 'Doug Downey's Community Insights'. At the time of his election as MPP in 2018 he had conducted approximately 300 interviews with politicians, academics and community leaders.

In 2006, he was honoured as the (Bill Swinimer) Business Leader of the Year by the Orillia Business Association. In 2012 he was awarded the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for contributions to Canada and Ontario. In 2014 Doug was entered into the Bertha Wilson Honour Society as a Dalhousie Law School alumnus. He was awarded the Order of Orillia in 2015 and in 2016, the Skid Watson Award for unselfish service.