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Dianne Saxe

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Dianne Saxe
Toronto City Councillor
for Ward 11 University—Rosedale
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 15, 2022
Preceded byMike Layton
Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Ontario
In office
November 16, 2020 – October 29, 2022
LeaderMike Schreiner
Preceded byAbhijeet Manay
Succeeded byAbhijeet Manay
3rd Environmental Commissioner of Ontario
In office
2015–2019
PremierKathleen Wynne
Doug Ford
Preceded byEllen Schwartzel (interim)
Succeeded byPosition abolished[1]
Personal details
BornDianne Marie Shulman
(1952-11-27) November 27, 1952 (age 73)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
PartyIndependent
Other political
affiliations
Ontario Green
Spouse
Stewart Saxe
​
​
(m. 1972; died 2014)​
[2]
Children2, including Rebecca
Parents
RelativesD. Geoffrey Shulman (brother)
Education
Websitediannesaxe.ca

Dianne Saxe (née Shulman; born November 27, 1952) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who has represented Ward 11 University—Rosedale on Toronto City Council since 2022. She was elected in the 2022 municipal election. In August 2026, Saxe withdrew her candidacy for re-election in University—Rosedale and registered instead as a candidate in Ward 14 Toronto—Danforth in the 2026 Toronto municipal election, following the retirement of incumbent councillor Paula Fletcher.[3] She finished third in Toronto—Danforth, behind Sara Ehrhardt and Mary Fragedakis.[4]

Before entering municipal politics, Saxe practised environmental law and served as the third and last environmental commissioner of Ontario from 2015 to 2019. She was deputy leader of the Green Party of Ontario (GPO) from 2020 to 2022.

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Education

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Saxe studied law at Osgoode Hall Law School, earning a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree in 1974. She was called to the bar of Ontario in 1976 and earned a Ph.D. in law from Osgoode in 1991.[citation needed]

Career

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Prior to entering the government sector, Saxe worked in private practice with two major law firms and then ran an environmental law boutique firm for 25 years. Her early career focused on the intersection of environmental law and corporate liability, while her more recent practice has centred on climate change and related law. She has published widely on environmental issues. From 1975 to 1989, Saxe practiced law with the Government of Ontario.[5]

In 1991, Saxe moved into private practice. She represented the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) in their successful $115 million claim against Stewardship Ontario for the cost of Ontario's Blue Box program in 2014.[citation needed]

Environmental Commissioner of Ontario

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Saxe was appointed the environmental commissioner of Ontario in 2015 by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.[6] The commissioner was an independent officer of the legislature which monitored the Environmental Bill of Rights, and submitted annual reports on the province's progress on each of energy conservation, environmental protection and climate change.[citation needed] She was also permitted to deliver special reports. As commissioner, she delivered 17 reports to the legislature on topics including environmental injustice to First Nations,[7][8] electricity, waste and circular economy, endangered species, water pollution,[9] soil health and climate policy.[10][11]

On November 15, 2018, the Progressive Conservative (PC) government announced their intention to abolish the position of environment commissioner, transferring some of its functions to the auditor general.[12] Saxe had published reports critical of the incoming administration's environmental positions, including the absence of a climate change policy.[13] The decision to eliminate independent environmental oversight was widely reported on.[citation needed] More than 200 scientists and researchers sent an open letter to Premier Doug Ford calling for reconsideration.[14] Her last report was heavily critical of the Ford government.[15] After 25 years, the position of the environmental commissioner of Ontario ceased to exist when the Environmental Bill of Rights was amended on April 1, 2019.[16]

Return to private practice

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After her tenure as the environmental commissioner, Saxe reopened her SaxeFacts environmental law practice focused on climate issues.[17] She publishes articles and a blog and presents on climate issues.[18] She was a McMurtry Clinical Fellow at Osgoode Hall Law School from 2019 to 2020,[19] is a senior fellow at Massey College, and an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto School of the Environment. She hosts a podcast called "Green Economy Heroes" features interviews with green business leaders,[20] and has also been a public support to the youth climate strikes movement in Toronto.[21]

Political career

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2022 provincial election

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Saxe ran for the Green Party of Ontario in University—Rosedale. Her candidacy was confirmed along with the deputy leader role on November 30, 2020.[22] She has cited the "climate crisis" as a primary reason for her political run as well as the well-publicized conflict with Ford over the closure of her office.[23][24] The riding was one of a small number of ridings the Ontario Greens targeted to add to the single-seat caucus of provincial leader Mike Schreiner in the 2022 election; Saxe featured prominently in party campaign messaging and her riding was chosen for the platform launch.[24]

Housing policy and sprawl—key policy battles in Greater Toronto—were a focus of Saxe's campaign to curb Ontario emissions.[23] The official party platform listed mental health, affordable housing, and the climate economy as its primary election pillars.[25]

Saxe came in fourth place, with 6,092 total votes for a share of 15.9 per cent; the riding was won by the incumbent, New Democratic Party (NDP) member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Jessica Bell.[26] Saxe nearly tripled the Green vote share achieved in the 2018 provincial election.[citation needed]

2022 municipal election

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Ward 11 University—Rosedale was left vacant for the 2022 election when Councillor Mike Layton announced he would not seek re-election. Saxe announced her candidacy for the 2022 Toronto municipal election, concluding on October 24, 2022.[27] Saxe stated that she was running as an independent municipally and would resign as deputy leader of the GPO if elected.

Saxe list housing, mobility, climate and sustainability, and a city in good repair as her primary platform planks.[citation needed]

She won with 8,614 votes and 35.37 per cent of the total vote, winning by only 123 votes over the second place candidate, Norm Di Pasquale.[28] She officially took office on November 15, 2022.[29]

City Council

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Saxe's first year on Toronto City Council coincided with the resignation of Mayor John Tory and the 2023 Toronto mayoral by-election that saw Olivia Chow assume the mayoralty. Saxe held a number of committee appointments across both administrations, often relating to her background in environment and law. Chief among her appointments is the powerful Infrastructure and Environment Committee. Under Mayor Chow she was also been appointed to the board of the Toronto Transit Commission and Toronto Hydro.[30]

Her full list of council roles:

  • Infrastructure and Environment Committee
  • Toronto and East York Community Council
  • Toronto Atmospheric Fund Board of Directors
  • Toronto Transit Commission
  • National Zero Waste Council Management Board
  • Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
  • Toronto Hydro Corporation
  • 58 Cecil Street Community Centre Board of Management
  • William H.(Bill) Bolton Arena Board of Management[31]

2026 municipal election

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Saxe initially registered to seek re-election in Ward 11 University—Rosedale in the 2026 Toronto municipal election.[3]

On August 21, 2026, the final day for nominations, Saxe withdrew her candidacy in University—Rosedale and registered instead to run in Ward 14 Toronto—Danforth. The change came two days after incumbent councillor Paula Fletcher announced that she would retire rather than seek re-election. Saxe's move also came days after former University—Rosedale councillor Mike Layton entered the Ward 11 race.[3]

Saxe's decision to change wards was criticized by Toronto Star contributor John Lorinc, who characterized it as political "carpet-bagging" and argued that her experience in University—Rosedale could not substitute for detailed knowledge of Toronto—Danforth's residents, businesses and community organizations. Lorinc contrasted Saxe's lack of local experience with that of two of her opponents: former councillor Mary Fragedakis, who represented the area from 2010 to 2018, and former local school trustee Sarah Ehrhardt.[32] In September, the Toronto Sun reported a resident's complaint that Saxe and the city had been unresponsive about rattling manhole covers in University—Rosedale.[33]

Saxe finished third in Toronto—Danforth, receiving 3,857 votes (8.38%). Sara Ehrhardt won with 22,440 votes (48.78%), followed by Mary Fragedakis with 10,425 (22.66%).[34]

Awards and recognition

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Saxe prior to throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a Toronto Maple Leafs game in 2026

Saxe is a recipient of numerous awards, including specialist certifications from The Law Society of Upper Canada,[6] Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni Gold Key for Achievement [35] and a 2020 Law Society Medal for exemplary leadership in environmental law.[36] In August 2020, Saxe completed her training to become an En-ROADS Climate Ambassador, a member in the international network that leads climate simulation events developed by Climate Interactiv and the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative.[37]

Saxe sat on a number of public and private boards, including Draxis Health, Solarshare,[38] WindShare and Evergreen,[39] helped to manage the endowment of the Ontario Bar Association and is recognized as board-ready by Women in Capital Markets.[40] In June 2022, she was awarded an honorary doctorate of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo.[41]

Personal life

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Dianne Marie Shulman was born in Toronto on November 27, 1952,[42][43] to Gloria (née Bossin) and Dr. Morton Shulman.[44] He was Metropolitan Toronto's Chief Coroner in the mid-1960s, dealing with such files as vehicle safety issues and deaths caused by clandestine abortions.[45] He then served in the Ontario Legislative Assembly from 1967 to 1975 as a New Democratic Party (NDP) Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). He represented the High Park electoral district, where his medical practice was located.[46]

She was married for 42 years to Stewart Saxe until his death in November 2014.[47] Their daughters are MIT neuroscience professor Rebecca Saxe,[48] and University of Toronto civil engineering professor,[49] Shoshanna Saxe.[47]

Publications

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Books

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  • Saxe, Dianne (1990a). Environmental Offences Corporate Responsibility and Executive Liability. Aurora, ON: Canada Law Book.[50]
  • Saxe, Dianne (1990b). Ontario Environmental Protection Act Annotated. Aurora, ON: Canada Law Book Inc.[51]
  • Saxe, Dianne (1994). A Buyer's Guide to Contaminated Land. Toronto: Edmond Montgomery.[52]

Electoral history

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2026 Toronto municipal election, Ward 14 Toronto—Danforth
Candidate Votes Vote share
Sara Ehrhardt 22,440 48.78%
Mary Fragedakis 10,425 22.66%
Dianne Saxe 3,857 8.38%
Susan Chapelle 1,675 3.64%
Maria Voutsinas 1,658 3.60%
Caryma Sa'd 986 2.14%
Maqsood Ahmad 847 1.84%
Denise Walcott 651 1.42%
Peter De Marco 594 1.29%
Michael Connor 591 1.28%
Christiane Tetreault 520 1.13%
George Fawcett 433 0.94%
Michael Mitchell 328 0.71%
John Kladitis 287 0.62%
Jason Stevens 268 0.58%
Devyn Stackhouse 169 0.37%
Dennis Corcoran 149 0.32%
Robb Dagenais 128 0.28%
Source: City of Toronto[4]

2022 Toronto municipal election, Ward 11 University—Rosedale

Candidate Vote %
Dianne Saxe 8,614 35.37
Norm Di Pasquale 8,491 34.87
Robin Buxton Potts 2,156 8.85
Peter Lovering 1,321 5.42
Andrew Layman 683 2.80
Ann Rohmer 589 2.42
Adam Golding 481 1.98
Alison Pang 465 1.91
Axel Arvizu 463 1.90
Diana Yoon 415 1.70
Michael Borrelli 245 1.01
David Fielder 177 0.73
Pierre Therrien 169 0.69
Heather Shon 82 0.34
2022 Ontario general election: University—Rosedale
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticJessica Bell13,96137.55−12.11$96,148
LiberalAndrea Barrack10,17227.36+5.30$120,103
Progressive ConservativeCarl Qiu6,53517.58−3.53$43,740
GreenDianne Saxe5,90415.88+10.51$118,893
New BlueJames Leventakis4691.26 $47
Stop the New Sex-Ed AgendaJohn Kanary1400.38 $0
Total valid votes/expense limit 37,18199.49+0.45$121,100
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 1890.51−0.45
Turnout 37,37043.20−13.43
Eligible voters 86,192
New Democratic hold Swing −8.71
Source(s)
  • "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023.
  • "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023.

References

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  1. ↑ Loriggio, Paola (March 15, 2019). "Five losing jobs as Ontario's environment commissioner's office folds in with auditor". CBC News. Toronto: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  2. ↑ Saxe, Dianne (January 30, 2015). "Lives Lived: Stewart Saxe, 67". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Bond, Meredith (August 21, 2026). "Toronto municipal election: Councillor Saxe switches wards as registration deadline passes". CityNews Toronto. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  4. 1 2 "2026 Municipal Election Results". City of Toronto. Retrieved October 27, 2026.
  5. ↑ Rushowy, Kristin (October 8, 2021). "Political parties are aligning their stars for next year's Ontario election". The Toronto Star. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Dianne Saxe '74, '91 (PhD) appointed Environmental Commissioner of Ontario". Osgoode Hall Law School. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Environmental Commissioner of Ontario calls upon province to take action in Chemical Valley". Ecojustice. October 25, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Environmental Commissioner of Ontario's Report". Dragun Corporation. November 8, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Raw sewage overflowing into waterways at alarming rate: Ontario watchdog". Global News. November 13, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  10. ↑ Saxe, Dianne. "ECO Reports and Environmental Policies in Canada".
  11. ↑ "Reports by Topic: Environment". Office of the Auditor General of Ontario. 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Opinion | Eliminating Ontario's environmental commissioner a short-sighted move". thestar.com. November 19, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  13. ↑ "The environmental commissioner shows why the powers Doug Ford just eliminated are so important". TVO.org. November 22, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Scientists' letter to Ford on the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario". Evidence For Democracy. December 4, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Ontario environment commissioner exits warning of 'frightening' policies". March 27, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Law Document English View". Ontario.ca. July 24, 2014.
  17. ↑ Saxe, Dianne. "Climate Change Toronto and the Climate Crisis". Saxe Facts.
  18. ↑ Saxe, Dianne. "Informative Climate Law Articles".
  19. ↑ "Meet the McMurtry Fellows". Osgoode Hall Law School.
  20. ↑ Saxe, Dianne. "Green Economy Heroes Climate Podcast".
  21. ↑ ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Environnement-. "Outiller les jeunes pour la lutte contre les changements climatiques". Radio-Canada.ca (in Canadian French). Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Dianne Saxe named Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Ontario". Green Party of Ontario. November 16, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  23. 1 2 Appel, Jeremy (April 8, 2022). "Environmental lawyer Dianne Saxe credits Jewish values and concern for the planet for her role in Ontario's Green Party". Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  24. 1 2 Powers, Lucas (May 11, 2022). "Green Party campaign platform includes $65B for 'new climate economy,' major health-care promises". CBC. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  25. ↑ "The Green Plan". Green Party of Ontario. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Ontario Votes 2022". Encyclopedia of Things. CBC. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  27. ↑ "List of Candidates & Third Party Advertisers". City of Toronto. August 20, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  28. ↑ "2022 Municipal Election Results". City of Toronto. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  29. ↑ "2022 Candidates' Guide – Ontario municipal council and school board elections". ontario.ca. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  30. ↑ Ryder, David; Hasham, Alyshah; Spur, Ben (April 14, 2024). "Dianne Saxe: The Stickler". Toronto Star. Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. p. IN6. Archived from the original on April 17, 2024. Retrieved November 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ "Councillor Dianne Saxe". City of Toronto. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  32. ↑ Lorinc, John (August 26, 2026). "Running for city council in a hand-me-down ward makes knowing people's concerns even more important". Opinion. The Toronto Star. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  33. ↑ Holmes, Justin (September 26, 2026). "Toronto resident says councillor, city let manholes rattle for months". Toronto Sun. Retrieved September 28, 2026.
  34. ↑ "2026 Municipal Election Results". City of Toronto. Retrieved October 27, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Alumni Gold Key Recipients". Osgoode Hall Law School.
  36. ↑ "Law Society announces 2020 award recipients". Law Society of Ontario. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  37. ↑ "Meet our Ambassadors". Climate Interactive. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  38. ↑ "SolarShare". SolarShare. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  39. ↑ "Home | Evergreen". www.evergreen.ca. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  40. ↑ "WCM Board Ready Directory". Women in Capital Markets. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  41. ↑ "Inspiring leaders will receive honorary degrees from University of Waterloo". University of Waterloo. May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  42. ↑ "Births: Shulman". Toronto Daily Star. November 29, 1952. p. 35. Retrieved July 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ↑ "Births: Shulman". Toronto Daily Star. July 8, 1954. p. 36. Retrieved July 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  44. ↑ Dempsey, Lotta (April 13, 1967). "Meet Mrs. Morton Shulman". Toronto Daily Star. Toronto. p. 65. Retrieved July 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  45. ↑ Wencer, David (July 21, 2012). "Historicist: Introducing Dr. Morton Shulman". Torontoist. Toronto: St. Joseph Communications. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  46. ↑ Downey, Donn (August 19, 2000). "Morton Shulman: Cult-hero coroner made millions". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. A16. ProQuest 1125636623. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  47. 1 2 "Death Notice: Stewart Saxe". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. November 25, 2014. p. S5. ProQuest 1942960163. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  48. ↑ Keller, Julia C. (August 16, 2021). "Jacqueline Lees and Rebecca Saxe named associate deans of science". MIT News. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  49. ↑ Pinto, Fahad (December 16, 2020). "Shoshanna Saxe Associate Professor Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering". UofT Engineering News. University of Toronto. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  50. ↑ Saxe, Dianne (1990). Environmental Offences: Corporate Responsibility and Executive Liability. Aurora, Ontario: Canada Law Book Inc. Retrieved July 18, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
  51. ↑ Saxe, Dianne (1990). Ontario Environmental Protection Act Annotated (1st ed.). Aurora, Ontario: Canada Law Book Inc. ISBN 0888041128. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  52. ↑ Serne, Kenneth P. (1996). "Book Review – A Buyer's Guide to Contaminated Land". Dalhousie Journal of Legal Studies. 5. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Schulich School of Law: 302–304. Retrieved July 18, 2024 – via CanLII.
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