David Oakes selected as new City of St. Catharines Chief Administrative Officer

David Oakes has been selected by City Council to serve as the next Chief Administrative Officer for the City of St. Catharines.

With the announcement of the retirement of current CAO Shelley Chemnitz, Council embarked on a recruitment process to select a new CAO, ultimately selecting Oakes to fill the role. Chemnitz leaves the position after over 30 years with the municipality.

“Having worked with David for many years, he has the vision and leadership to lead St. Catharines forward. This past year alone, he has gone above and beyond to meet the challenges that have been created by the global pandemic. I believe he has the necessary skills, vision and experience to be the CAO of St. Catharines,” said Chemnitz.  

Oakes will officially transition into the CAO position on Aug. 1, 2021, leaving his current role as Deputy CAO, a position he has filled since 2018.

“Council has been very impressed with Mr. Oakes during his time as Deputy CAO,” said Mayor Walter Sendzik. “He has a strong track record working with many departments at the City, and he has experience working at the Region. Council was looking for someone that could lead the corporation through a period of recovery, and we believe Mr. Oakes is the ideal leader that will guide our City for years to come.”

Beyond his most recent experience as Deputy CAO with the City, Oakes brings a considerable leadership track record. He first joined the City as a Community Development Officer in 2000, before serving as Director of Economic Development and Director of Parks, Recreation, and Culture Services. Oakes left the City of St. Catharines in 2016 to take on the role of Director of Economic Development for the Niagara Region, before returning to the City as Deputy CAO in 2018.

“I am so proud of the work we’ve done to build a liveable, dynamic City over recent years. We’ve maintained the trust the public places in us as public servants to provide critical services and infrastructure. I’m excited to continue that in this new role, Shelley will be missed, and I hope to build on her experience and work as we drive prosperity, compassion, environmental stewardship and cultural growth in our community,”  said Oakes.