The Empire Club of Canada
Hybrid
Thursday, November 27, 2025
At a time when all levels of government in Canada have acknowledged the scale and urgency of the housing crisis, Canadians are increasingly focused on solutions to expand the supply of affordable housing—an issue that has become one of the defining challenges of our era. With access to housing now central to both societal well-being and economic stability, growing attention is being paid to the intergenerational nature of the crisis, which is impacting Canadians from all walks of life. Meanwhile, younger generations are left wondering whether homeownership will ever be within reach.
On November 27, The Empire Club of Canada will host Ana Bailão, CEO of Build Canada Homes, for a keynote address entitled Building Canada’s Future: A New Era for Housing Delivery. Ana will share the bold vision of Canada’s new federal housing agency: turning policy and programs into places to live. From innovative partnerships to modern construction methods, she will outline BCH’s mission to accelerate housing supply, strengthen both non-profit and private sector capacity, and deliver affordability across the housing continuum.
Following her keynote, Ana will join Amanda Alvaro and Rachael Segal, co-hosts of Beyond a Ballot—a weekly political podcast offering in-depth analysis from a female perspective—for a fireside chat that will be featured in an upcoming episode.
Ana Bailão is a prominent leader in housing policy and public affairs, with extensive experience in municipal government and a proven track record in advancing affordable and sustainable development. She has been instrumental in catalyzing public and private partnerships within the housing sector and has been driving innovative solutions to the housing challenges Canadians are facing.
Previously, Ana was the Head of Affordable Housing and Public Affairs for Dream Unlimited Corp. At Dream, Ana was responsible for advancing Dream’s affordable housing strategy and development, strengthening partnerships with government and community stakeholders, and ensuring that development projects integrate long-term affordability and sustainability.
From 2010 to 2022, she served on Toronto City Council, including five years as Deputy Mayor. As Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee and during her time on the board of Toronto Community Housing, she led major initiatives to expand affordable housing, reform zoning, and launch programs like Housing Now and CreateTO.
Before entering public office, she held senior roles in the financial and technology sectors. She has served on numerous boards, including the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Artscape, Toronto Public Library, and Toronto Arts Council.
Ana holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Amanda is the accomplished co-founder of Toronto’s Pomp & Circumstance PR agency. She’s also the founder of Artbound, a Canadian charity building arts schools in developing nations. Amanda serves on the boards of Rethink Breast Cancer, Canadian Art and the Together for Tomorrow: A friendly future gala by TELUS. She is a commentator with CBC’s Power and Politics and a sought-after speaker on topics like women in business, politics, and arts education.
Rachael is a Lawyer with a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Osgoode Hall Law School. Rachael spent many years working in policy roles in Federal political offices. She has worked in provincial politics in both Ontario and British Columbia and on campaigns at all levels of government across Canada. She has extensive broadcast experience, having worked as a full time on-air for a Canadian television news network and as a weekly radio contributor with Newstalk 1010 in Toronto and CBC in Vancouver. She is now with CBC’s Power and Politics every week.
