Board Members

Chair, Valerie Helbronner, Partner, Torys LLP

Valerie Helbronner is a partner in Torys LLP's Infrastructure and Energy Practice. She has provided legal and strategic advice on energy projects in and outside Ontario. A focus of Valerie's practice has been on renewable energy projects, including run-of- river hydro, wind and solar projects. Valerie has also worked extensively with projects involving First Nations interests and issues, including the duty to consult and accommodate.

Valerie has worked with the Ontario Waterpower Association (OWA) in the development and implementation of MNR's Site Release  rules, and is currently participating in the Building Capacity Initiatives that the OWA is working on with MNR and First Nations. In acting on projects involving First Nations, she has represented various stakeholders, including First Nations, aboriginal-owned  entities and private sector developers negotiating with First Nations.

Valerie has advised on numerous restructuring projects internationally, including in Ontario, Russia, Hungary, South Africa and the   Balkans. She has also advised on project financings in various other industries in several Canadian provinces and territories, including electrical, healthcare, rail transportation and mining.

Valerie is Chair of the Board of Directors of the OWA and is on the Steering Committee of Canadian Wind Energy Association’s Ontario Caucus.

Contact: vhelbronner@torys.com

Vice Chair, Ian Kerr, Vice President, Development, Brookfield Renewable Power 

Ian is a hydro enthusiast with over 20 years experience in the Canadian waterpower industry. In his current role as Vice President, Development, he is responsible for Brookfield’s wind and waterpower development activities throughout Canada. Prior to Brookfield, Ian worked with Fortis (Newfoundland Power) and with BC Hydro. Ian has been a member of the OWA Board of Directors since 2004 and has served as Chair since 2008. He is a professional engineer and holds B.Eng (Civil) and MBA degrees from Memorial University, and M.Eng (Water Resources) degree from the University of British Columbia. 

Contact: ian.kerr@brookfieldpower.com

Vice-Chair, Marc Mantha, P. Eng. Vice President Operations, H2O Power LP

Marc is currently the Vice Chair of the OWA.  He has also served the OWA Board in other capacities, including Treasurer and Chair. One of the founding members of the OWA, Marc Mantha is also the Vice President of H2O. Marc's career has involved him in many aspects of the waterpower and energy industry in Ontario, including positions in engineering, operations and management involving hydro-electric  operations, transmission and distribution. 

 Contact: marc.mantha@Abitibibowater.com

 

Secretary, David Boileau, President, Windeau Investments Inc.

David was born and raised in Atikokan, Ontario.  He graduated from University of Guelph with a B.A. in 1972.  Since 1994, David has been providing consulting and development services to the waterpower industry. David’s main office is in Thunder Bay, Ontario. 

David has always been an enthusiastic promoter of the benefits of clean renewable energy. In 1999-2000, he co-chaired a joint industry/government Task Force on the Ontario waterpower industry.  This Task Force succeeded in bringing about significant tax reform for property assessment and waterpower royalties.  As well, this effort culminated in the formation of the Ontario Waterpower Association (OWA).  

Since 2007, David has been working with several partners on power and energy consultation and development in Northwestern Ontario. David is currently the President and sole shareholder of the following companies:

• WindEau Investments Inc., an investment and asset management company which is also active in renewable power development,
• Blue Lantern Lodge Ltd., a remote hunting and fishing lodge on Manion Lake in NW Ontario,

David lives in Thunder Bay (and Manion Lake) with his wife Jacqueline. David and Jacqueline have four sons and two daughters. In their leisure time, David and Jacqueline enjoy hiking, fishing, hunting, skiing and white-water canoeing on NW Ontario’s northern rivers.

Contact: dboileau@windeau.com

Treasurer,Bob Allen, MBA, BSc., President, Shaman Power Corporation

 A member of the Board of Directors of the OWA since 2003 and the OWA Board Executive Committee as Treasurer since 2004,  Bob is President and one of the founders of Shaman Corporation, a privately owned Ontario based hydroelectric generation and  development company established in 1995. Shaman acquired Marmora G.S. and has developed Fenelon Fall G.S. and well as  Trent Rapids G.S. 

After over 25 years with Ontario Hydro in international business development, finance and operations he left to establish his own consulting practice specializing in business planning, project funding, international business development and contract negotiation. He has had consulting assignments for numerous companies including John Deere, Caterpillar, Caritrade, NUI and Incos with short assignments  in Russia, Hungary, Turkey and the Far East. He has also had domestic consulting contracts with the Ontario Energy Board and the University of Waterloo. 

He was Board Chairman of HEPCOE Credit Union for 5 years [now Meridian CU] and served as a Director for 13 years. Meridian is one of Canada’s largest credit unions.

Bob has enjoyed traveling on business and pleasure to over 40 countries and looks forward to continued travels in the future.

Contact: boballen@idirect.com

Directors:

Mike Fox, President, Fox High Impact Consulting 

Michael Fox is the President of Fox High Impact Consulting, a national firm that specializes in Aboriginal processes, participation, and partnership development in the energy and mineral sectors. He brings a wealth of experience in structuring projects, partnership, and financing from early stage engagement through later stage formal consultation with First Nations. In his previous employment, he assisted northern Ontario First Nations with economic development initiatives within the main natural resource development sectors of Ontario: forestry, energy, and mining. He has facilitated joint ventures and partnership arrangements between First Nations and Industry. In addition, he has acted as one of key liaison person between First Nations' project proponents and governmental agencies as well as facilitated capacity building initiatives. He obtained a post-secondary education in business administration and an honours degree in political science, with the latter being primarily focused on natural resource development in Ontario and Aboriginal law. He is President of the Boreal Prospectors Association, Board Member of the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business, Board Member of the PDAC as well as the Co-Chair of PDAC's Aboriginal Affairs Committee, and Board Member of the Ontario Waterpower Association. He's originally from Weenusk First Nation and is happily married with twin boys (Mitchell & Marshall Fox) and a daughter named Cree Angela Fox.

Contact: mfox@foxhighimpact.com

Zach Vorvis, P. Eng. Project Manager, Geotechnical Engineer, Canadian Projects Limited

Zach obtained a Bachelor of Applied Science in Geological Engineering from the University of Toronto in 1999 and started his career with Golder Associates Ltd. in the Mississauga Tailings Management group. His first projects were on mine site tailings facilities in Elliot Lake and Marathon, Ontario, followed by almost two years at the Antamina Mine in Peru.

Since 2001, Zach has been working almost exlusively on power development projects, first with Golder Associates as a geotechnical engineer on the Pingston Hydro Project (30 MW) located near Revelstoke, BC, and for the past 7 years as a construction manager and project manager with Canadian Projects Limited. He was on site full time as the construction manager for the Upper Mamquam Hydro Project (25 MW) near Squamish, BC and the Upper and Lower Clowhom Projects (22 MW) located near Sechelt, BC. He has also been involved in design, project management, and due diligence assessments of greenfield and operating waterpower projects in Ontario, including the Yellow Falls  and Ragged Chute Hydro Projects.

Other engineering/industrial experience included working as the construction manager on the Soderglen Wind Project (70.5 MW) near Fort McLeod, AB and estimating/design of site access and final turbine layout for the Dokie Wind Project (144 MW) near Chetwynd, BC.

Zach has been a Professional Engineer since 2003, registered in both BC and Ontario. Zach has co-authored publications for the HydroVision International Conference in 2004 and the Tunneling Association of Canada News. Between 2004 and 2009 he was a guest lecturer at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), presenting on waterpower project development and construction to undergraduate Construction Management students. 

Contact: zvorvis@canprojects.com

Mario Mazza, Business Support and Regulatory Affairs, Hydro Division, Ontario Power Generation

Contact: mario.mazza@opg.com