Councillor Jim Lee

Jim Lee is a long- term resident of Oshawa with a demonstrated history of supporting community issues, representing the needs of others and keeping citizens safe.

Jim and his wife Janice raised their two children in Lake Vista Park in south Oshawa. Valuing the importance of youth in his community, Jim coached community children in hockey and baseball and was actively involved in the Lake Vista Park Association.

Jim served as a professional fire fighter for over 30 years in the City of North York and Toronto, retiring in April 2002 with the rank of District Chief in Operations.  Early in Jim’s career, he became actively involved in the union advocating on behalf of the fire fighters.  Serving in sequential order, the positions Jim held were:

• local executive board member in North York
• President of the North York Professional Fire Fighters Association
• President of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association
• President of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters Association during the amalgamation of the 6 municipalities, ultimately becoming the City of Toronto which created Canada`s largest local fire fighter union representing over 3000 members

Jim’s union participation included involvement in numerous negotiations, presenting boards of arbitration, grievance resolutions and issues-based campaigns. He has testified as an expert witness at several coroners’ inquests, he was also granted standing at other inquests where he conducted cross-examination of witnesses and presented recommendations to the juries that were accepted in relation to the safety of the citizens of Ontario. Jim’s record in successfully representing the issues of fire fighters led to opportunities to work in key union leadership positions nationally and internationally.

In 2002, Jim was appointed by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) General President to oversee the Canadian Operations, in Ottawa, where he directed the union’s Canadian legislative program and facilitated the delivery of services to its 24,500 Canadian members.

In 2010, Jim was appointed to the position of IAFF Chief of Operations, serving in Washington, DC to the IAFF General Secretary-Treasure. Subsequently from 2015 to 2019, Jim was appointed to the position of, IAFF Chief of Staff, the first Canadian to serve in the most senior staff position in the IAFF’ serving 325,000 members internationally.

Throughout this time, Jim and Janice have maintained residence and close connection to Oshawa, their family and friends and have been residents of Ward 2 since 2015. 

Jim’s outstanding contributions to his community and Canada have been recognized through a number of prestigious awards including the Golden Jubilee medal and the Diamond Jubilee medal. Jim is now eager to share his knowledge, professional experience and passion for safety to give back to his home town of Oshawa and looks forward to serving the citizens of Oshawa, as Ward 2 City Councillor.