City Council selects experienced leader for the role effective June 17
Thunder Bay, ON — After a thorough search and selection process, the City Council has announced John Collin as the new City Manager, starting on June 17.
With Mayor Boshcoff in Montreal and John Collin enroute to Ontario, the press conference was held at City Hall with the Mayor on the phone and new City Manager on an MS Teams call.
Collin took questions from local media during the media event at City Hall
Collin brings 40 years of leadership and management experience. He served 35 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, reaching the rank of Major-General. During his military career, he took part in various domestic and overseas operations, and worked in roles focused on teaching and strategic planning.
Collin also served as the City Manager in Saint John, New Brunswick for four years. There, he helped address financial issues, encouraged growth, and developed plans to tackle modern city concerns. Before that, he worked in a leadership role at Bruce Power in Kincardine, Ontario, where he managed emergency preparedness and response during security concerns and after the Fukushima disaster.
Mayor Ken Boshcoff praised Collin’s appointment, saying, “I’m very much looking forward to working with John. He was selected for his leadership track record, his commitment to creating growth and exceptional customer service culture, his broader public sector experience, and his drive, clear focus, high-level collaboration, and strategic communication skills. He is the ideal candidate to lead our community.”
John and his wife Carolyn, along with their two dogs, are excited to move to Thunder Bay.
“I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been chosen as the new City Manager,” said Collin. “I would like to thank the Mayor and Council for their vote of confidence in me. I am excited to join a wonderful team and an even more wonderful city. There are incredible opportunities for Thunder Bay to grow and thrive, and I plan to help deliver on that potential while protecting what matters to the community.”
Collin had been with Yellowknife for a very short period of time and then the opportunity with the City of Thunder Bay came up.
As City Manager, Collin will provide strategic leadership and administration to the Corporation, create corporate policies, and advise City Council on city operations and procedures. He will also lead the City Manager’s Office, which includes the City Solicitor & Corporate Counsel, Human Resources, Strategic Initiatives & Engagement, and the Office of the City Clerk.
