Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) has appointed Evan Smith as the organization’s new sustainable infrastructure development lead.
Smith brings a strong academic foundation and diverse policy experience to the role. He holds a Master of International Public Policy from the Balsillie School of International Affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University, where he was in the Global Political Economy and STEM for Global Resilience research clusters. He also earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of New Brunswick.
During his graduate fellowship at the Balsillie School, Evan collaborated on research into critical minerals from Canadian government and business perspectives, co-authoring a policy brief submitted to Global Affairs Canada. His work included consultations with federal, provincial, and international governments, underscoring his ability to navigate complex policy environments.
Smith’s professional experience includes serving as a program and policy assistant with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, where he contributed to the rollout of the Automated License Plate Renewal Program and supported the development of new fraud policies and procedures. He has also led a research team at the New Brunswick Research Institute for Research, Data, and Training, focusing on housing policy, and has authored reports on equity and inclusion in Canadian universities for the Green Caucus of New Brunswick.