Toronto Star

Ex-Ryerson president to head non-profit

Sheldon Levy is leaving provincial education ministry to join NEXT Canada as CEO

- KRISTIN RUSHOWY QUEEN’S PARK BUREAU

Sheldon Levy, the former Ryerson president who became Ontario’s deputy minister of post-secondary education, is leaving the government to work for a non-profit that promotes young entreprene­urs.

Levy, named deputy minister at the end of 2015, takes over as CEO of NEXT Canada on Oct. 30. He will remain with the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Developmen­t until the end of September.

Levy was a popular and well-known president of Ryerson who took the helm there in 2005, boosting its academic standing and steering its expansion in the city’s downtown core — including its acquisitio­n of Maple Leaf Gardens, Sam the Record Man and even working out a deal with the Cineplex at Yonge and Dundas to use the movie theatres as lecture halls during the day.

He threw his support behind the creation of the DMZ — “digital media zone” — to help nurture campus inventors and entreprene­urs, and connect them with investors.

Prior to Ryerson, Levy was at the helm of Sheridan College and a vicepresid­ent at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, the University of Toronto and York University.

In announcing his appointmen­t, NEXT Canada called him a recognized leader in education and innovation, and was named one of Canada’s 50 most influentia­l people in business by Canadian Business.

“In his new role at NEXT Canada, Mr. Levy will oversee its three programs for entreprene­urs . . . and will continue to further the organizati­on’s goal of providing education, mentorship and capital to entreprene­urs in Canada and around the world.”

In a written statement, Levy said he’s “always believed that innovation, entreprene­urship and technology are the future of the Canadian economy and the best way to ensure prosperity for all Canadians.”

Steve Orsini, the government’s secretary of cabinet, praised Levy for his “bold leadership” that has seen the ministry build “strong partnershi­ps with the post-secondary education sector, and student financial assistance has been fundamenta­lly transforme­d to be more outcomesfo­cused and student-centred.”

 ?? MARTA IWANEK/TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO ?? Sheldon Levy took the helm at Ryerson in 2005, boosting its academic standing and steering its expansion in the city’s downtown core.
MARTA IWANEK/TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO Sheldon Levy took the helm at Ryerson in 2005, boosting its academic standing and steering its expansion in the city’s downtown core.

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