U of T President Meric Gertler to help guide city's economic recovery as part of board of trade group

University of Toronto President Meric Gertler will join a 19-person steering committee assembled by the Toronto Region Board of Trade to help guide the city’s economic recovery from COVID-19.

President Gertler, a renowned expert on urban economies, will represent U of T and other universities in the Toronto-Waterloo corridor on the panel, which comprises business and labour leaders, representatives of government agencies and experts on education and innovation.  

“As Canada’s economic engine, it is important that the Toronto region be a leader in recovery efforts,” said Jan De Silva, president and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, in a statement. 

“As each level of government puts forward its plan for recovery, they will have the benefit of the business community's point of view.”

The steering group, named Reimagining Recovery, will “provide valuable insight into how government needs to plan and adapt to the post-COVID world,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory.

The group’s work is split into different tracks ranging from how to safely re-open the economy to how to resume international trade.

President Gertler, one of Canada’s most highly cited geographers, has written extensively on the geography of innovative activity and the economies of city regions. He has advised local, regional and national governments in Canada, the United States and Europe, along with international agencies such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Union.