City Council selects Steve Kanellakos as next City Manager

Ottawa City Council has appointed Steve Kanellakos as the City of Ottawa’s next City Manager at a special meeting this afternoon. Mr. Kanellakos is a former City of Ottawa Deputy City Manager with more than 30 years of experience overseeing key municipal services and projects.

“We are delighted to have Mr. Kanellakos return to Ottawa City Hall to continue his great work on behalf of Ottawa residents. He is a trusted leader and consummate public servant with impeccable credentials in the planning and delivery of a broad range of municipal services,” said Mayor Jim Watson, the Chair of the hiring panel. “The City of Ottawa is undergoing unprecedented growth with the expansion of light rail transit, a new Innovation Centre, new cultural landmark facilities, and other city-building projects. Our Council, residents, employees, and stakeholders will be well served by the dynamic and prudent management style of Mr. Kanellakos as the City moves forward with its challenging, ambitious priorities.”

On September 23, 2015 City Council approved a recruitment process that saw the Finance and Economic Development Committee act as the hiring panel for the new City Manager. All Members of Council were consulted on their expectations and the desired qualifications for the ideal candidate. Following an extensive search, the hiring panel reported back to City Council today with the recommended candidate.

Mr. Kanellakos first began his career with the Gloucester Police Department in 1985. Over the ensuing three decades, he devoted his entire professional life to building a stronger national capital.

Mr. Kanellakos served as a member of the City of Ottawa Executive Management Team between 2000 and 2015. As Deputy City Manager for City Operations, Mr. Kanellakos was responsible for the majority of the City of Ottawa’s employees and front-line service departments including: Parks, Recreation and Culture; Public Works; Emergency and Protective Services; Transit Services; Community and Social Services; Environmental Services; ServiceOttawa; Human Resources; and Information and Technology Services. Most recently, he was involved in key city-building projects such as the Arts Court redevelopment and Ottawa Art Gallery expansion, Shenkman Arts Centre, two Sensplex arena facilities, and a new paramedic headquarters.

Mr. Kanellakos holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Public Administration from Carleton University. He has served as a volunteer on the board of directors of local organizations such as the United Way and Crime Prevention Ottawa.

Mayor Watson took a moment to recognize the significant contributions of current City Manager Kent Kirkpatrick. He led the City of Ottawa in a period characterized by a great number of complex and challenging city-building issues such as the Lansdowne Park revitalization and the construction of the Confederation Line.

Mr. Kanellakos is currently the City Manager for the City of Vaughan. He will assume his new post on May 2, 2016.