The filed record
Appointment of Chair of the TO Live Board of Directors - by Councillor Lily Cheng, seconded by Mayor Olivia Chow
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The decision
2026-03-25 · Toronto City Council · adopted
As filed
City Council on March 25 and 26, 2026, adopted the following: 1. City Council appoint Brian Astl as Chair of the TO Live board of Directors, at pleasure of Council, for the remainder of his term ending February 10, 2028, and until a successor is appointed.
On the agenda
As the city filed it
As the municipal Agency charged with managing the City of Toronto's civic theatres, TO Live is one of Canada's largest multi-arts organizations, operating three iconic venues: Meridian Hall, the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts and Meridian Arts Centre. In addition, TO Live presents a full range of performing arts, theatrical and concert events at these venues in both downtown and uptown Toronto. With these two hubs of creativity and content creation, TO Live has a unique place in the local cultural ecosystem to present local and international artists, connect audiences to a diverse array of cultural content reflective of the multicultural nature of the city, and provide accessible cultural space to a variety of partners in Toronto's cultural sector.
Show the rest of As the city filed it, 900 more characters as filed
Across its three sites, TO Live presents over 1,000 performances a year, attracting well over 500,000 people. Reporting to City Council, TO Live is overseen by a Board of Directors composed of 13 members including: the Mayor or a Council member appointed by the Mayor as the Mayor's designate; 2 Council members; and 10 public members. The Chair is drawn from the pool of public members. The TO Live Board of Directors provides oversight over the +$45 million annual operating budget for TO Live and its complement of more than 250 staff. The TO Live board has been without a Chair since the resignation of Lori DeGraw in November of 2025. This motion recommends the appointment of Brian Astl as Chair of the Board. Brian has served as a member of the TO Live board since March of 2024. Reason for Urgency: This matter is urgent because the TO Live board has been without a Chair since November 2025.
Staff recommended
Councillor Lily Cheng, seconded by Mayor Olivia Chow, recommends that: 1. City Council appoint Brian Astl as Chair of the TO Live board of Directors, at pleasure of Council, for the remainder of his term ending February 10, 2028, and until a successor is appointed.
On the record
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