Michelle Holland is a public policy and sustainability leader with a strong track record of advancing urban environmental initiatives. As a former Toronto City Councillor and Chair of the Parks, Forestry & Environment Committee, she helped shape the city’s environmental agenda—expanding green spaces, enhancing biodiversity, and leading key climate strategies.
In collaboration with Bee City Canada, Michelle led the effort to have Toronto recognized as the first official “Bee City” in Canada, launching pollinator-friendly initiatives that continue to enhance the city’s ecosystems. She also initiated and led the development of Toronto’s Ravine Strategy—a landmark plan created with local organizations and Indigenous communities to protect and restore the city’s vast ravine network. Michelle’s environmental leadership extended to the global stage when she represented Toronto at the 2015 Paris Climate Summit, advocating for strong urban climate action and international collaboration.
Currently, she serves as Senior Director at CGI Canada, leading digital transformation initiatives for municipal governments. As a leader on CGI’s ESG Council, she advances sustainability through technology and builds partnerships that align corporate responsibility with environmental and community goals.
Michelle lives in Toronto’s Bluffs area, where she’s deeply committed to conservation and biodiversity. She tends to her own pollinator gardens, creating and nurturing spaces that support pollinators and other wildlife.