City of Peterborough Appoints New Infrastructure, Planning and Growth Management Commissioner

City Council has appointed Blair Nelson as the City of Peterborough’s new commissioner for infrastructure, planning and growth management, announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The decision was based on the recommendation of Jasbir Raina, chief administrative officer, during Monday’s meeting.

Nelson’s role is to lead a City department that includes Planning, Development and Urban Design, Building Services, Asset Management and Capital Planning and Engineering and Capital Works according to the City.

“City Council is focused on moving our community forward which includes substantial investments in our City’s infrastructure, implementing the new Official Plan to manage growth and alignment with Council’s Strategic Plan for our community,” said May Jeff Leal. “Blair’s extensive experience leading large, complex infrastructure projects will help position our City to continue the momentum that we’ve built.”

Nelson has served as the City’s Director of engineering and Capital Works since November 2022 and has held the City Engineer role with the City of Peterborough since July 2018. He joined the City in 2005 as an engineering design and construction technologist and has held progressively responsible positions, including Manager of design and Construction and Manager of engineering and Public Works, before moving into his current role.

Nelson is a Professional Engineer with memberships in the Professional Engineers of Ontario, Municipal Engineers Association, and Ontario Society of Professional Engineers. He was born and raised in the Peterborough area. He moved outside the community for school and returned to Peterborough to work as a project manager and engineer in the private sector before joining the City of Peterborough.

“I’m excited to continue to work with the knowledgeable and dedicated Infrastructure, Planning and Growth Management team in this leadership role. We look forward to delivering essential services and infrastructure alongside our City colleagues to implement Council’s Strategic Plan,” said Nelson. “How we plan, build and manage our municipality is central to our community’s wellbeing.”

“Blair is a committed, forward focused and authentic leader who has proved his professional competence, managing many complex engineering projects in his career,” said Raina. “Blair possesses exceptional tacit knowledge about the City’s infrastructure and will prove to be instrumental in moving our City forward while we continue to invest over the next many years to maintain and build our critical infrastructure. I am extremely pleased that Blair has accepted a position in the City’s Leadership Team to lead this value-creating department.”

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