Yvan Baker

Yvan Baker
Born	(1977-12-08) December 8, 1977 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation(s)	Politician, management consultant, educator
Years active	2014–present
Known for	Member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre (2019–present), Member of Provincial Parliament for Etobicoke Centre (2014–2018)

Yvan Baker (born December 8, 1977) is a Canadian elected official who has represented the federal electoral district of Etobicoke Centre since 2019 as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. Before his federal tenure, he served as the Ontario Liberal representative for the provincial riding of Etobicoke Centre from 2014 until 2018.

Background

Baker was born in Toronto to Myroslava (Oleksiuk) and Donald Baker. His maternal ancestry includes Ukrainian and German roots, while his paternal lineage is Scottish. Raised in Etobicoke, he attended the Toronto French School. He obtained a BBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business and gained professional experience at Scotiabank. Subsequently, he acted as Executive Assistant to MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj before earning an MBA from Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business.

After completing his MBA, Baker worked in management consulting with the Boston Consulting Group in both New York and Toronto. He later established his own consulting firm based in Toronto and has also taught MBA courses at Schulich School of Business.

His charitable involvement includes board memberships with Leave out Violence, the Emerging Leaders Network, and Global Grassroots—organizations focused on empowering female leaders in Rwanda through initiatives addressing water access, domestic violence, and health education. Baker is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Provincial politics

In 2014, Baker was elected as the Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Etobicoke Centre in the Ontario Legislature. During his term, he served as parliamentary assistant to Finance Minister Charles Sousa and previously to Treasury Board President Deb Matthews from 2014 to 2016.

His parliamentary responsibilities included roles such as parliamentary assistant to the Minister Responsible for Digital Government, commissioner on the Board of Internal Economy, and vice-chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

Private members' public bills

In May 2015, Baker introduced the Ontario Flag Day Act, 2015, which designated May 21 as Ontario Flag Day; this legislation was passed unanimously.

He also put forward the Pathways to Post-secondary Excellence Act, intended to consolidate information regarding admissions, student experiences, and graduate outcomes to assist high school students in exploring post-secondary options. Although supported by leading student organizations, this bill did not progress beyond its initial reading.

In 2017, Baker tabled the Phones Down, Heads Up Act, proposing financial penalties ranging from $50 to $125 for pedestrians using mobile devices while crossing streets. The proposal attracted criticism from opposition members and pedestrian safety experts who contended that evidence linking distracted walking to accidents is limited and argued that it improperly shifts accountability from drivers to pedestrians.

Community involvement

Within Etobicoke Centre, Baker annually organized Community Recognition Awards that celebrated local individuals and groups contributing positively to the community. The awards recognized achievements in four categories: Outstanding Volunteer Service to the Community, Outstanding Volunteer Service to Seniors, Outstanding Volunteer Service by Youth, and Outstanding Service by Professional Staff—honoring approximately 30 recipients each year.

Additionally, Baker co-hosted the yearly Government and Community Services Fair alongside Etobicoke—Lakeshore MPP Peter Milczyn. The 2015 event featured more than 110 exhibitors representing provincial government bodies, agencies, and community organizations.

Federal politics

On October 30, 2018, Baker declared his intention to seek the Liberal Party nomination for the federal electoral district of Etobicoke Centre.

Personal life

He is engaged to Amanda Simard, who previously served as a Progressive Conservative and subsequently as a Liberal Member of the Provincial Parliament for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell.