Ontario Good Roads installs new exec
By On-Site Magazine
Asphalt Bridges Construction Infrastructure Roads association news bridges construction infrastructure OGRA Ontario Good Roads Association roads
For the first time in more than two decades, a representative from the City of Toronto will take the helm of the Ontario Good Roads Association.
Robert Burlie, Manager of Road Operations, Toronto/East York District, City of Toronto has been elected president of the association that represents the transportation and public works interests of municipalities through advocacy, consultation, training and the delivery of identified services.
In his speech to the membership, Burlie promised to continue to advocate on behalf of all Ontario’s 444 municipalities in the area of asset management and revenue tools.
Since 2010, Burlie has sat on the OGRA Board of Directors and in that time has served as the Vice Chair of the Policy Committee and a former Member of the OPS Pavement Committee serving for 22 years from 1992 to 2014. He is also heavily involved with the 2015 Minimum Maintenance Standards (MMS) Task Force Member 2nd year review, as well was a member of the 2013 MMS Review Task Force Committee and the 2010 review.
He brings 30 years of experience with the City of Toronto and the former Metropolitan Toronto and is a strong advocate for complete streets making them accessible for all users including the physically challenged, seniors, cyclists, pedestrians and transit. Rob also has a keen interest in helping the Aboriginal and Indigenous people of Ontario and getting the Ontario Provincial Standards back on track to assist all municipalities with consistent standards.
He is also excited about autonomous vehicles and how our highways and roadways in both urban centres and rural areas will adapt to this new technology as well as attracting young people to the profession of road and bridge building including the ever-emerging operations and maintenance.
Ken Lauppé, Manager, Road Operations, East District, Public Works for the City of Brampton was elected 1st Vice-President. And Luc Duval, Director of Public Works & Engineering, City of Timmins was elected 2nd Vice President.
Other members of the 2016/17 Board are:
| Immediate Past President: Rick Champagne, Councillor, Municipality of East Ferris | |
| Directors: | Paul Ainslie, Councillor, City of Toronto |
| Andy Bruziewicz, Councillor, City of Sarnia | |
| Dave Burton, Reeve, Municipality of Highlands East | |
| Rick Harms, Project Engineer, City of Thunder Bay | |
| Rick Kester, CAO, City of Belleville | |
| Bryan Lewis, Councillor, Town of Halton Hills | |
| John McKean, Mayor, Town of the Blue Mountains | |
| James Neufeld, Director of Infrastructure Services, Municipality of Wawa | |
| Virginia Ridley, Councillor, City of London | |
| Michael Touw, Director of Public Works, Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands | |
| Chris Traini, County Engineer, County of Middlesex | |
The mandate of the Ontario Good Roads Association is to represent the transportation and public works interests of municipalities through advocacy, consultation, training and the delivery of identified services.
