Michael Harcourt

Michael Harcourt served as British Columbia's Premier from 1991-1996 and Mayor of Vancouver from 1980-1986.

He is a passionate believer in the power of cities and communities to improve the human condition.  An accident in November 2002 in which he sustained a major spinal cord injury only strengthened his resolve to contribute to the transformation of cities and communities around the world through the principles of sustainability, particularly in relation to social inclusion in the broadest sense.

In December 2003 Mike Harcourt was appointed by former Prime Minister Paul Martin as Chair of the External Advisory Committee on Cities and Communities.  This Committee is reaching the end of its mandate and will shortly present Canada’s new government with a report outlining recommendations based on the findings of the Committee.  Mike is also Co-Chair of the Advisory Committee for the UN-HABITAT World Urban Forum III, to be held in Vancouver June 2006, in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the landmark Habitat Conference in 1976 that inaugurated international cooperation on human settlement problems.

Between1996 and 2004, Mike was a member of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy where he served on the Executive Committee and Chaired the Urban Sustainability Program. He is Honorary Chair of the International Centre for Sustainable Cities, and Co-Chair of the International Panel of Advisors.  He is an Honorary Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners.

In May 2003 Mike was appointed Federal Commissioner on the British Columbia Treaty Commission.  His commitment to the treaty process is long-standing; as Premier in 1992 he signed the agreement establishing the Treaty Commission. 

In 2005, Michael Harcourt was honoured to receive the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service and will be presented with the Canadian Urban Institute’s 2006 Jane Jacobs June Lifetime Achievement Award in June.