Paul Sutherland
President & CEO
As President and CEO, Paul provides strategic leadership to a team of experienced government relations, communications and project management professionals located across Canada, serving a wide range of domestic and international clients.
Paul specializes in advising corporate and not-for-profit clients on complex government relations issues and developing strategies that effectively navigate increasingly regulated municipal, provincial and federal environments. Paul’s background is in business development and municipal government. He was first elected as a North York City Councillor in 1985 and then re-elected for four consecutive terms.
He served as Deputy Mayor, budget lead, Chair of the Economic Development Committee, Chair of Public Works Committee and Chair of the Executive Committee of Council. Appointed to the Toronto Transition Team by the Premier of Ontario in 1997, Paul led the strategy development to amalgamate seven municipal budgets, governance frameworks and parking authorities, to fulfill the province’s mandate and merge seven municipal government into what is now the City of Toronto.
After leaving municipal government, Paul launched his consulting career and in 2008 founded Sutherland, quickly establishing the company as a premier municipal public affairs and government relations practice.
Interview with Paul
How does Sutherlandcorp position itself as a GR firm in Canada?
Sutherland combines deep political insight with strategic expertise across all levels of government. Our team is trusted by clients across Canada for our ability to navigate complex political landscapes, build meaningful relationships, and deliver tangible outcomes.
We deliver strategic solutions that drive measurable impact, ensuring your message cuts through, influences decision-makers, and delivers results where it counts.
What do you see as a key issue for clients as they onboard with Sutherland?
Clients come to Sutherland seeking clarity in a complex political landscape and a pathway to ensure their voices are heard by decision-makers. Whether they’re navigating regulatory uncertainty, advancing sector-specific priorities, or looking to build relationships with government, they want to feel seen and understood.
Sutherland takes a tailored approach that reflects each client’s unique priorities assessing risk to develop goal-oriented advocacy plans to position our clients for success from day one.
What is the history of Sutherland?
Established in 2008, Sutherland was built on the understanding of how complex decisions are made at the local level, where many policy issues originate, and quickly earned a reputation for delivering results through strong relationships and informed advocacy. Over the years, Sutherland expanded its reach to the provincial and federal arenas, assembling a multidisciplinary team of consultants with backgrounds in government, communications, and policy development.
Sutherland recognizes that strategic public affairs builds reputations, shapes narratives, and positions our clients as credible voices in the public realm. Today, Sutherland offers integrated government relations and strategic communications counsel—supporting clients in brand building, reputation management, and stakeholder education. Clients across Canada rely on us not only for our longstanding relationships and policy fluency, but for our ability to adapt and deliver results through a forward-looking, reputation-first lens
Why is being recognized as a top GR firm Canada-wide important for clients' confidence?
Having successfully worked with clients across Canada, Sutherland has established a track record of success and credibility across jurisdictions instilling clients with the confidence they need. At Sutherland we not only understand government relations at every level, but also consistently deliver results through strong relationships, strategic counsel, and trusted advocacy from coast to coast.