Sussex Strategy Group Announces New Senior Associate in its Environment and Energy Practice

TORONTO – June 6, 2016 – Sussex Strategy Group, one of Canada’s premier government relations and strategic communications firms, is pleased to announce that Mark Olsheski has joined our Energy and Environment Practice as a Senior Associate.

Mark joins Sussex after more than eight years at Queen’s Park.  During his tenure in the Government of Ontario, he served in a number of policy and legislative affairs capacities, including at the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure, and Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing.  Most recently he held the position of Director of Policy & Stakeholder Relations to Ontario’s Minister of Energy, and prior to that, of Senior Policy Advisor responsible for Supply, Transmission & Distribution.  In these roles, he provided strategic leadership and helped oversee a coordinated approach to public policy development and implementation in Ontario’s energy sector.  This involved working across departmental responsibilities to advance legislative, regulatory and policy transformation in alignment with and support of the broader priorities of the government, including: climate change, economic development, Ontario’s fiscal plan, the province’s relationship with indigenous peoples, and growing sustainable communities.

Mark worked on the development of Ontario’s Long-Term Energy Plan and subsequently on its practical implementation, particularly respecting the coordinated refurbishment of Ontario’s baseload nuclear fleet, fostering supportive policies and programs for renewable energy and clean technology, strengthening and expanding the electricity grid in remote Northern regions, implementing electricity rate mitigation programs for industry, as well as managing Ontario’s approach to the expansion of energy pipeline infrastructure, supply mix balance and the final retirement of coal-fired electricity generation in the province.

During his tenure at the Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure, included the initial implementation of Ontario’s first Long-Term Infrastructure Plan.  This groundbreaking initiative involved the investment of approximately $35 billion in capital projects over three years, and the coordination of the province’s infrastructure investment relationship with the Government of Canada and municipalities.   Over the course of his career in public service, he has worked on some of the government’s most challenging policy and issues management files.  He brings with him a comprehensive understanding of policy development and the political process, as well as a practical perspective and approach to providing counsel.

Sussex Strategy Group provides comprehensive government relations and strategic communications services to clients across Canada.  With practice areas at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels, Sussex represents many prominent companies across a variety of sectors, including energy, environment, health care, infrastructure, and financial services, to name a few.