Jamaal Myers

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Jamaal Myers

| image = File:JamaalMyers.png

| imagesize =

| caption =

| office = Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission

| predecessor = Jon Burnside

| term_start = August 11, 2023

| office1 = Toronto City Councillor
for Ward 23 Scarborough North

| status1 =

| term_start1 = November 15, 2022

| term_end1 =

| succeeding1 =

| succeeded1 =

| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|lawyer}}

| predecessor1 = Cynthia Lai

| birth_name = Jamaal Michael Anthony Myers

| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|39|2022|10|24}}

| birth_place = Scarborough, Ontario, Canada

| website = {{url|https://www.jamaalmyers.com/}}

| education = University of Western Ontario (BA)
London School of Economics (MSc)
New York University (JD)

}}

Jamaal Michael Anthony Myers (born 1982 or 1983) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who has been the chair of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) since August 11, 2023. Myers has represented Ward 23 Scarborough North on Toronto City Council since November 15, 2022. Before entering politics, he worked as a corporate lawyer.

Early life and education

Jamaal Michael Anthony Myers{{Cite web |title=Jamaal Michael Anthony Myers |url=https://lso.ca/public-resources/finding-a-lawyer-or-paralegal/directory-search/member?MemberNumber=76326D |website=Law Society of Ontario}} was born in 1982 or 1983{{Cite news |last=Fleguel |first=Jordan |date=October 24, 2022 |title=Jamaal Myers elected in Ward 23 – [sic] Scarborough North after Cynthia Lai's passing |url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/jamaal-myers-elected-in-ward-23-scarborough-north-after-cynthia-lai-s-passing-1.6123540 |access-date=December 2, 2024 |work=CTV News}} in Scarborough to Jamaican parents and raised in Toronto Community Housing.{{Cite news |title=Jamaal Myers is running for City Council because "Toronto's in trouble' |url=https://thecaribbeancamera.com/jamaal-myers-is-running-for-city-council-because-torontos-in-trouble/ |work=The Caribbean Camera}}

He attended the University of Western Ontario, graduating in 2006 with a bachelor's in political science, before completing a master's in comparative politics and research methodology at the London School of Economics in 2007. Myers earned a law degree from the New York University School of Law in 2013.{{Cite web |title=Jamaal Myers {{!}} LinkedIn |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamaal-myers-50203622/ |website=LinkedIn}}

Career

Myers was previously employed at TD Bank and was promoted to senior legal counsel in 2020, with his work focusing on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG).{{Cite news |title=Jamaal Myers leverages his skillset to focus on ESG reporting matters at TD Bank |url=https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/practice-areas/esg/jamaal-myers-leverages-his-skillset-to-focus-on-esg-reporting-matters-at-td-bank/364994 |work=Canadian Lawyer Magazine}}

He served as vice-chair of TAIBU Community Health Center and director of the Scarborough Business Association. Moreover, he was a volunteer with HousingNowTO and Scarborough Transit Action.

Political career

Myers was elected to Toronto City Council during the 2022 Toronto municipal election, replacing the late incumbent Cynthia Lai who died days before the municipal election on October 21, 2022.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-21 |title=Toronto councillor Cynthia Lai, running for re-election, dies |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/10/21/toronto-councillor-cynthia-lai-running-for-re-election-dies.html |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=thestar.com |language=en}} Due to her death, Lai's votes were not counted.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-24 |title='I'm going to work to earn their trust': Scarborough North has new councillor as Cynthia Lai supporters mourn |url=https://www.toronto.com/news/im-going-to-work-to-earn-their-trust-scarborough-north-has-new-councillor-as-cynthia/article_95b84dcc-b352-5510-9107-15401cb309ad.html |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=toronto.com |language=en}}

Myers ran on a platform of affordable housing, easier access to healthcare, increased funding and more buses for the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) in wake of the Line 3 Scarborough closure, as well as maintaining the ActiveTO program.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-21 |title=I Believe in Scarborough. |url=https://www.jamaal4scarbto.com/vision |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=jamaal4scarbto.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Ward 23 — Scarborough North |url=https://thelocal.to/ward-23-scarborough-north/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=thelocal.to|date=15 September 2022 |language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Ward 23: Scarborough North |url=https://www.ttcriders.ca/scarbnorth |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=ttcriders.ca|language=en}} He was endorsed by the Toronto Star, Toronto & York Region Labour Council, and Progress Toronto.{{Cite web |title=Progress Toronto Progressive Champions|url=https://www.progresstoronto.ca/jamaal|access-date=2022-10-24 |website=progresstoronto.ca |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-10-21 |title=The Star's endorsements for Toronto Council in Wards 17 to 25|url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2022/10/21/the-stars-endorsements-for-toronto-council-in-wards-17-to-25.html |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=thestar.com|language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2022 Municipal Election|url=https://www.labourcouncil.ca/municipal2022 |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=labourcouncil.ca|language=en}}

Myers began his first term on council by releasing a statement alongside other councillors opposing the Better Municipal Governance Act, 2022, which is a controversial provincial legislation which would give the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa the power to pass local bylaws with only a third of city council’s support.{{Cite news |title=Five former Toronto mayors call on Tory to 'soundly' reject strong mayor legislation |url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/five-former-toronto-mayors-call-on-tory-to-soundly-reject-strong-mayor-legislation-1.6162448 |work=CTV News Toronto}}

Myers was appointed as chair of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Board on August 11, 2023, by Mayor Olivia Chow.{{cite web |url=https://www.ttc.ca/en/about-the-ttc/the-board |title=The Board |publisher=Toronto Transit Commission |accessdate=August 11, 2023 }}

Electoral history

class="wikitable" \|+2022 Toronto municipal election, Ward 23 Scarborough North ! style="background:#ddf; width:200px;" \|Candidate ! style="background:#ddf; width:50px;" \|Vote ! style="background:#ddf; width:30px;" \| %
Jamaal Myers \|5,315 \|51.09
Phillip Francis \|2,755 \|26.48
Virginia Jones \|2,333 \|22.43
Cynthia Lai{{efn\|Lai died on October 21, 2022. As the ballots were already printed prior to her death, she will still appear on the ballot, however will not get any votes.}} \|N/A \|N/A
Total !10,403 !{{Right\|100%}}
colspan="3" \|Source: City of Toronto{{Cite web \|last=Elvidge \|first=John D. \|date=October 27, 2022 \|title=Declaration of Results \|url=https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/9085-FinalDeclaration-of-Results-for-the-2022-Toronto-Municipal-Election.pdf \|website=Toronto City Clerk's Office}}

class="wikitable"

|+2022 Toronto municipal election, Ward 23 Scarborough North

! style="background:#ddf; width:200px;" |Candidate

! style="background:#ddf; width:50px;" |Vote

! style="background:#ddf; width:30px;" | %

Jamaal Myers

|5,315

|51.09

Phillip Francis

|2,755

|26.48

Virginia Jones

|2,333

|22.43

Cynthia Lai{{efn|Lai died on October 21, 2022. As the ballots were already printed prior to her death, she will still appear on the ballot, however will not get any votes.}}

|N/A

Total

!10,403

!{{Right|100%}}

colspan="3" |Source: City of Toronto{{Cite web |last=Elvidge |first=John D. |date=October 27, 2022 |title=Declaration of Results |url=https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/9085-FinalDeclaration-of-Results-for-the-2022-Toronto-Municipal-Election.pdf |website=Toronto City Clerk's Office}}

References

= Notes =

Category:Living people

Category:Toronto city councillors

Category:Black Canadian politicians

Category:21st-century Canadian municipal councillors

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)