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'It's bittersweet' says Innisfil CAO on his departure for new role in Windsor

Reynar's last dast day with Innisfil will be March 14
C18-125 482 - Jason Reynar LR (ID 388118)
CAO Jason Reynar.

Innisfil Chief Administrative Officer Jason Reynar is wrapping up his last few weeks in office before embracing his new role as CAO for The City of Windsor.

"It's bittersweet," he says about the change, but noted it will be a nice new challenge. 

Reynar started working for the Town of Innisfil in 2010 as a clerk and solicitor, before moving his way up to CAO in 2015. During his tenure, he has been responsible for overseeing some of the town's largest projects including the building of the Rizzardo Health Centre and the launch of Innisfil's Transit system. 

"I really enjoyed my time in Innisfil, I love the people, the community and council," he said, noting it was the right time to move on to the next chapter of his career. 

His role in Windsor will have him overseeing a new transformation agenda that he is excited to be part of. 

"I think I've accepted I'm a change-maker, that's where I am happiest," he said, adding that Innisfil has embraced a lot of new changes under his lead, including the Mobility Orbit Plan, Friday Harbour and Rizzardo Centre. 

"It's very exciting for me to see some of these projects take off," he said.

He spoke highly about the efforts in the development of Friday Harbour Resort.

"It's really interesting to see how it has developed from a hole in the ground to a beautiful community," he said. 

Reynar said he is proud of the culture that has evolved with town staff, which has allowed for some of the developments in Innisfil. 

"It's really collaborative, really innovative, creative and cross-functional," he said, "people play and work in different spaces to try and get the best outcome for our residents."

In the future, he hopes Innisfil will continue to ask itself what it wants the community to be like in the years to come.

"We often say Innisfil is like some of the GTHA communities 50 years ago with the mix of rural and suburban areas," he said, "I think it will really thrive, I hope it achieves its potential."

He says the town has laid out a solid foundation for sustainable growth with a balance of green space and higher-density homes.

"It takes courage, fortitude for people to say we're not just interested in the next tax bill, we're interested in the long-term health of our community," he said. 

With COVID, Reynar said it has been challenging but looking back on the year, he was impressed to see the community working together to support one another. 

"We've seen some amazing support for each other, neighbours helping neighbours, so it's given everyone a real focal point and the positive thing is everyone wants to help each other through this," he said. "We've had to adapt quickly."

He said the economic recovery will be a big part of Innisfil's story. 

March 14 is Reynar's last day with the town. 

When he's not busy working, he enjoys boating with his wife and two young boys on Lake Simcoe. 

"We love to get on the lake in the winter and summer," he said. 

Dr. George Shaparew will be stepping in as interim CAO for the town until a permanent replacement has been appointed. Shaparew, retired CEO of InnPower, will assume the role on March 15. 

In Reynar's honour, the Innisfil Community Foundation has set up the Jason Reynar Community Innovation Fund, which will help support local charities and non-profits with innovative initiatives. Donations can be made online here


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Natasha Philpott

About the Author: Natasha Philpott

Natasha is the Editor for BradfordToday and InnisfilToday. She graduated from the Media Studies program at The University of Guelph-Humber. She lives in Bradford with her husband, two boys and two cats.
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