Getty/George Pimentel Photography
They're money makers, culture creators, politicians and the faces behind some of Toronto's (and Canada's) most booming industries.
Toronto Life announced their annual 50 most influential people in Toronto on Nov. 6, highlighting a good chunk of the city's movers and shakers. Familiar faces like actor Tatiana Maslany and media personalities George Stroumboulopoulos and Matt Galloway took up a chunk of the list, while others run the city's banks, cultural festivals and even iconic Torontonian spaces like The Drake.
Toronto Life party on Nov. 6,.
Although the list has some recurring names from the year before, there are several new additions and a brand new top one. (Bill Blair, Toronto's police chief was the most influential person in 2013). And while the roster is pretty different based on skill sets, one common theme you may notice is that a lot of Toronto influencers are not originally from the 416 (or even the 647).
Here are the top 25 most influential people in Toronto according to the magazine. The full list will be released on newsstands on Nov. 13, along with a full biography of each winner.
Most Influential People In Toronto
25. Jorn Weisbrodt(01 of25)
THE TITLE: Artistic director of the Luminato Festival in Toronto From Toronto Life: Luminato generates roughly $60 million a year for Ontario, and Weisbrodt not only has a long list of global contacts, but also works with local restaurants and talent.Originally hails from: Hamburg, GermanyOn the list last year? #25 (credit:Carlos Osorio via Getty Images)
24. Robert Deluce(02 of25)
THE TITLE: Porter Airlines CEO From Toronto Life: Called Toronto's most "divisive man," Deluce was recognized as an entrepreneur of the year and Skytrax named Porter North America's best regional airline. Originally hails from: Chapleau/White River, OntarioOn the list last year? #11 (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)
23. Naomi Klein(03 of25)
THE TITLE: AuthorFrom Toronto Life: From her books touching on capitalism to war to environmentalism, the magazine dubs Klein's work as global movements in themselves.Originally hails from: MontrealOn the list last year? No (credit:George Pimentel via Getty Images)
22. Saäd Rafi(04 of25)
THE TITLE: CEO of the Pan Am Games From Toronto Life: With a long list of previous high-profile jobs including work in the areas of health, politics, safety and transportation, Rafi now has the role of ensuring the 2015 Pan Am Games go off without a hitch.On the list last year? No (credit:Marta Iwanek via Getty Images)
21. Heather Reisman(05 of25)
THE TITLE: Founder and CEO of Indigo Books and Music From Toronto Life: Solo on this year's list (last year she was paired with husband and CanWest Global Communication Inc.'s co-founder Gerald Schwartz), Reisman is recognized for her role in taking Toronto's culture scene to international heights. Originally hails from: MontrealOn the list last year? #24 (credit:Sonia Recchia via Getty Images)
20. David Mirvish(06 of25)
THE TITLE: Head of Mirvish ProductionsFrom Toronto Life: Not only is Mirvish linked to Toronto's cultural heritage, but he also has an important role in the city's art scene.Originally hails from: Toronto On the list last year? #19 (credit:Andrew Francis Wallace via Getty Images)
19. Larry Tanenbaum(07 of25)
THE TITLE: Chairman of Maple Leaf Sports & EntertainmentFrom Toronto Life: The man behind-the-scenes of some of the city's biggest sports teams (and all of the criticism they get too), Tanenbaum is one of the most influential names behind the city's sports world. Originally hails from: Toronto On the list last year? #18 (credit:Randy Risling via Getty Images)
18. Charles Sousa(08 of25)
THE TITLE: MPP, Mississauga South/ Minister of Finance in Ontario From Toronto Life: Pals with the likes of Kathleen Wynne and Dalton McGuinty, Sousa is now responsible for the province's $130 billion budget.Originally hails from: Mississauga, Ont.On the list last year? No (credit:Rick Madonik via Getty Images)
17. Barbara Williams(09 of25)
THE TITLE: President of Shaw MediaFrom Toronto Life: In September, Williams became the president of Shaw Media after being in the Canadian broadcasting industry for over 25 years. On the list last year? No (credit:CNW Group/Shaw Communications Inc.)
16. Peter Pisters(10 of25)
THE TITLE: Incoming president and CEO, University Health Network (January 2015) From Toronto Life: A surgical oncologist who has worked in cancer centres in the U.S., Pisters will start his role as the president and CEO of the University Health Network in January, overseeing major hospitals in the city. Originally hails from: St. CatharinesOn the list last year? No
#15. Joe Mimran(11 of25)
THE TITLE: Fashion designer of Joe Fresh Brands and founder of Club Monaco From Toronto Life: The man behind two now famous Canadian fashion brands, Mimran is also now partnering with international retail giants in Saudi Arabia and South Korea. Originally hails from: Casablanca, Morocco On the list last year? No (credit:Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
14. Michael Wekerle(12 of25)
THE TITLE: CEO and co-founder of Difference Capital From Toronto Life: A new dragon in CBC's den, Wekerle has been noted as a rock star in Canadian finance, and is now focusing on a Toronto-Waterloo tech industry. In his personal life, he's a single father to six children.Originally hails from: Toronto On the list last year? No (credit:Twitter/MWekerle)
13. John Ruffolo(13 of25)
THE TITLE: CEO of OMERS VenturesFrom Toronto Life: A top executive behind Canada's venture capital industry, Ruffolo also helps support Toronto-based entrepreneurs. On the list last year? No (credit:Twitter)
12. Deb Mathews(14 of25)
THE TITLE: MPP London North CentreFrom Toronto Life: Working as a politician for 11 years, Matthews spent five yeras managing the province's health care expenses. Originally hails from: London, Ont. On the list last year? No (credit:Bernard Weil via Getty Images)
11. Galen Weston Jr.(15 of25)
THE TITLE: President of Loblaw Companies Limited From Toronto Life: Noted as humble and environmentally focused, Weston Jr. has helped turned a family name into a national legacy. Originally hails from: Toronto On the list last year? #9 (credit:George Pimentel via Getty Images)
10. Mark Wiseman(16 of25)
THE TITLE: CEO of the Canada Pension Plan Investment (CPPI)From Toronto Life: In 2013, Wiseman was responsible for investing $5.7 billion of the country's contributions to the CPPI.Originally hails from: Niagara Falls, Ont.On the list last year? #12 (credit:www.rotman.utoronto.ca)
9. Jennifer Keesmaat(17 of25)
THE TITLE: Chief planner of the city of Toronto From Toronto Life: Just two years into her role as the city's chief planner, Keesmaat has worked closely with the city to focus both on transportation and commercial development. Originally hails from: Hamilton, Ont. On the list last year? #39 (credit:Colin McConnell via Getty Images)
8. David Thomson(18 of25)
THE TITLE: Businessman and chairman of the The Woodbridge Company and chairman of Thomson Reuters From Toronto Life: The second richest man in the country, the private businessman's family company owns a 55 per cent stake in Thomson Reuters. Originally hails from: Toronto On the list last year? #3 (credit:Darren Calabrese / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
7. Cameron Bailey(19 of25)
THE TITLE: Artistic director, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)From Toronto Life: Even after a huge year of Toronto-focused mayoral news, TIFF was also definitely in the international spotlight. The festival generates $189 million into the city's economy. Originally hails from: EnglandOn the list last year? #26 (credit:Eric Charbonneau/Invision/AP)
6. Drake(20 of25)
THE TITLE: RapperFrom Toronto Life: Probably one of the recognizable faces in Toronto (and the rest of North America for that matter), the rapper not only has an annual sold out Toronto-based OVO festival, but he loves to represent his city just about anywhere he goes — especially at basketball games. Originally hails from: Toronto On the list last year? #6 (credit:Ron Turenne via Getty Images)
5. Donna Quan(21 of25)
THE TITLE: Director of education, TDSBFrom Toronto Life: Responsible for the education of over 275,000 students across the city, Quan wants to raise her students' EQAO results 10 per cent over the next three years, the magazine adds.Originally hails from: Hamilton, Ont.On the list last year? No (credit:Vince Talotta via Getty Images)
4. Guy Laurence(22 of25)
THE TITLE: President and CEO of Rogers From Toronto Life: After starting his new job in January, Laurence played a key role in the company's involvement in becoming the sole broadcaster of the NHL. Originally hails from: ManchesterOn the list last year? No (credit:Canadian Press)
3. George Cope(23 of25)
THE TITLE: CEO of Bell CanadaFrom Toronto Life: Highlights of Cope's work includes the rights for Bell Media to broadcast the Super Bowl, the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes.Originally hails from: Scarborough, Ont. On the list last year? #4 (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)
2. Kathleen Wynne(24 of25)
THE TITLE: Premier of OntarioFrom Toronto Life: In her second year as premier, Wynne has focused on everything from the province's retirement crisis to transit.Originally hails from: Toronto On the list last year? #2 (credit:Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)
1. John Tory(25 of25)
THE TITLE: Incoming mayor of Toronto (Dec. 1) From Toronto Life: Although he hasn't officially started his job as the new mayor of Toronto, Tory now has the role of building a bridge in this divided city.Originally hails from: Toronto On the list last year? No (credit:Andrew Francis Wallace via Getty Images)