Stephen Andrews  

Dr. Stephen Andrews is a government relations advisor with our Toronto office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. Stephen provides advice and counsel on government relations, strategic communications, issues management and stakeholder relations, with a focus on provincial and municipal matters. Stephen is also the national administrator of BLG's Climate Change Group.

Stephen's practice involves:

• Developing and executing government relations programs for some of Ontario's largest local electricity distribution companies.
• Advising on, establishing and managing coalitions of companies and interest groups advocating legislative and policy change in the construction, electricity and financial services sectors.
• Initiating and executing government contact and relationship building programs.
• Advising a wide range of clients on establishing in-house government relations departments.
• Providing strategic advice on lobbying rules and codes of conduct for lobbyists.
• Developing and executing integrated policy change strategies involving media, issue advertising, government advocacy, interest group and public relations.

• Consulting Experience
• Advised major Ontario energy trade association on tax policy changes for district energy projects.
• Established an inter-provincial government relations program for a large biotechnology company on securing favourable treatment for a new drug treatment program.
• Advised on and developed legislative and policy monitoring program for several large local electricity distribution companies on Ontario.
• Advised large construction firms for policy changes to procurement rules and assisted in establishing an industry wide coalition to advocate policy change.
• Created and assisted in the execution of a government relations relationship building program for a large financial services firm.
• Created crisis communication strategies for large municipal electricity distribution companies on Ontario.
• Advised municipal electricity distribution companies on shareholder communications strategies designed to secure project approvals.
• In-House and Government Experience
• Established government relations function at Toronto Hydro Corporation. Managed nine staff and an annual budget of $5 million.
• Served as senior policy adviser to the Honourable Jim Wilson, the Minister of Energy, Science and Technology. Stephen was also responsible for ensuring the minister was prepared for policy forums, Question Period, Cabinet meetings, and stakeholder consultations
• Served in the government of Ontario as a policy adviser within the Ministry of Energy. He was part of a team of policy advisors that was responsible for the creation of the MacDonald Commission on introducing competition into Ontario's electricity industry.

Stephen is a frequent blogger on the “BLG Not-for-Profit and Charity Law in Canada Blog”. This Blog is intended to be of value to anyone in Canada who has any involvement with Not-For-Profit Organizations or Charities.
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• Speaker, "Best Practices in Lobbying," Growth and Evolution: Seminar on Lobbying in British Columbia, January 2013.
• Speaker, "How to be an Effective Lobbyist," Federated Press, Essentials of Lobbying conference, January 2013.
• Speaker, "Aligning with Partners and Coalitions in your Government Relations Strategy," Federated Press Essentials of Lobbying Conference, February 2010.
• Author, "Dealing with Lobbyists: Practical Suggestions for Civil Servants," Public Sector Management, January 2009.
• Speaker, "Audits, Crisis and Your Credibility," Crisis Communications workshop for the Chief Health Infomatics Executive Forum, October 2009.
• Speaker, "The Structure of a Government Relations Strategy," Canadian Society of Association Executives, October 2007.
• Speaker, "Developing Government Relations Strategies in Uncertain Times," 3rd Annual Government Relations Skill Conference, February 2006.
• Speaker, "Building and Supporting Coalitions to Influence Government," 2nd Annual Government Relations Skills Conference, February 2005.
• Author, A Seat at the Table: Persons with Disabilities and Policy Making in Canada, McGill-Queen's University Press, 2001.