Retired from full-time work, Dave Harvey has many decades of experience managing environmental and municipal issues in government and in politics. Dave has devised and driven many of the Toronto-region’s most significant greenspace and city building initiatives.

Dave founded Park People in 2011 and led the organization until 2024. Park People helps people activate the power of parks to improve the quality of life in cities across Canada.

Before starting Park People, Dave helped guide the successful campaign for the creation of Canada’s first national park in an urban area, Rouge National Park.

Prior to starting Park People, Dave served as Senior Advisor to the Premier of Ontario, working to develop and implement the Ontario Government’s agenda in the areas of environment, natural resources, and municipal affairs. He has served on the boards of LEAF, the Task Force to Bring Back the Don and currently sits on the Board of the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy.

He was given the Aster Award from the Toronto Botanical Garden recognizing his contributions to green spaces. The Canadian Urban Institute gave him the City Builder Award. And he was given the Award for Community Service to the Environment by the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects.