About Hema Vyas

Hema Vyas, a long time west-end Toronto resident, brings her passion for city-building, community service, and professional expertise as a candidate for Ward 18's City Councillor. Vyas has spent her career working in the public, private and non-profit sectors to support vibrant communities. Raised in the GTA, Hema Vyas is the daughter of immigrants who came in the 1970s determined to build a better life for their family.

Your Independent Candidate

Without a political party membership, Vyas is your independent, community candidate. She is looking to put community needs ahead of party interests as your representative at City Hall.

Community Work

Vyas has volunteered extensively in the non-profit sector. She is the Past President of the June Callwood Centre for Women and Families, where she led the development of their Strategic Framework.

She is also the Community Representative at Culturelink, where she provides advice on programs that facilitate the settlement of newcomers to Toronto. She has tutored at Pathways to Education where high school students from economically disadvantaged communities achieve their full potential through after-school tutoring assistance.

Vyas was selected as an Inaugural DiverseCity Fellow in 2009 by the Toronto City Summit Alliance and Maytree Foundation for her leadership in strengthening the health and wealth of Toronto.

As an Intern at Unicef Canada she co-designed a one-day teachers’ workshop of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child. Vyas was also a Team Captain in the annual Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation: CIBC Run for the Cure from 2003-2007.

Work in Government

Vyas is currently Evaluation Coordinator at the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. She works as a public servant and examines the effectiveness and efficiency of postsecondary programs in Ontario. Hema has also worked in the Ontario Ministry of Government Services as a Policy Coordinator.

Work in the Non-Profit Sector

As Project Manager at ACTEW, A Commitment to Training and Employment for Women, Vyas managed a 3-year Trillium grant to sustain and develop new partnerships for a cross-Ontario web tool. The network allowed non-profits to share job postings, events and resources online, expanding their clients’ access to community information.

Vyas was a Communications Consultant at the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians, working on an initiative assisting foreign trained professionals in gaining equitable employment outcomes in Ontario. Vyas was also a Grant Writer for Urban AIDS, where she wrote a grant application to gain funding for AIDS education programs in Toronto.

Work in the Private Sector

Vyas was an Evaluation and Planning Strategies Consultant at Harry Cummings and Associates, evaluating program performance and generating recommendations to strengthen organizations. Vyas served diverse organizations across sectors and around the world.

International Experience

Vyas has lived abroad as a researcher in India and as a teacher in Japan. In India, she looked at small business loans and financial literacy programs at the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) Bank in Gujarat, India for her Master’s thesis.

Vyas created and implemented an English communication program for students aged 10-15 with an international teaching team in Japan.

Memberships and Boards

Member, Ontario College of Teachers 2001 – present
Member, Canadian Evaluation Society, 2003 – present
National Professional Designation Core Committee Member 2008 – present
Past President and Board Member, June Callwood Centre for Women and Families 2007 – present
Programs and Services Committee Member, Culturelink 2009
Inaugural Fellow, DiverseCity: A Toronto City Summit Alliance & Maytree City-Building Initiative 2009