School of Cities / People / Visiting Expert
Headshot of Ana Bailao

Ana Bailão

Canadian Urban Leader

Ana Bailão is the head of affordable housing and public affairs for Dream Unlimited Corp. She is a municipal leader and housing expert, former Deputy Mayor of Toronto, long-time City Councillor, and former candidate for mayor. 

After establishing a successful career in the private sector Ana was first elected to City Council in 2010. In her 12 year tenure at Toronto City Hall she served on multiple committees, and represented Toronto at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, achieving national recognition for her work as one of Canada’s leading voices for city-building and housing. As the Chair of Toronto Community Housing and the city’s inaugural Chair of Housing and Planning Ana secured unprecedented billions in investment from other governments for housing, and championed innovative solutions including historic planning and zoning changes, and established CreateTO to manage city real estate. 

In 2023 Ana placed a solid second in the largest by-election in Canada’s history with a strong campaign for mayor focused on housing and city services. Today, Ana remains focused on making cities more livable and inclusive, working with partners across all sectors and regions.