James McKenzie

Associate Chair, Ontario Municipal Board

James McKenzie is the Associate Chair of the Ontario Municipal Board, a position to which he was appointed in February, 2017.  Previously, he served as a Vice-Chair of the Board following his initial appointment in July, 2007.

Mr. McKenzie has adjudicated matters arising under various provincial statutes, principally the Planning Act.  He has also successfully mediated numerous complex, multi-party land use development, property expropriation, heritage conservation, aggregate resource, development charge and educational development charge, sewage treatment plant expansion, and municipal ward boundary disputes.

Mr. McKenzie is also an Adjunct Professor of negotiation, mediation, and dispute resolution with the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Ryerson University through its Chang School of Continuing Education and with the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University, and formerly with the Peace and Conflict Studies Program at Royal Roads University and the Corporate Communications Program at Seneca College.  He has also instructed in mediation and negotiation programs offered by the University of Toronto, Osgoode Hall Law School, Queen’s University, and the Province of Ontario, and similar programs offered by private sector firms.

From 1994 to his appointment in 2007, he was the President of McKenzieParis Inc., a mediation services firm and negotiation consultancy.

Prior to 1994, Mr. McKenzie practiced as a professional planner in both the public and private sectors.onal planner in both the public and private sectors.

Programs: