Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto is a facilitator by trade with university degrees in law and science. A businesswoman active in community causes for decades, Marianne was first elected to Victoria City Council in 2010, and elected as Mayor in 2022.
Mayor Alto is currently co-chair of the Victoria/Esquimalt Police Board, in addition to many other committees and organizational bodies in Victoria, the capital region, and beyond. Mayor Alto is matriarch of the City Family (a unique collaboration among the City, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations) having nurtured a long, rich relationship with those Nations.
A zealous advocate for increased housing supply and affordability, Mayor Alto actively facilitates civil discourse toward the realization of an intentionally transformed city. Mayor Alto convened the city’s first collaboration with Island Health and service providers working in the various fields of harm reduction, addictions and mental health, and initiated the city’s first open data portal, driving the city’s commitment to open government. She continues to be committed to expanding the city’s efforts at smart city technology, in particular as it enables Victoria’s capacity for climate adaptation, disaster planning and response, optimizing citizen engagement and inclusion, public transportation and the lifecycles of infrastructure assets.
Married and a mom of two boys, Marianne is a lifelong activist who vigorously advocates for equity, inclusion and fairness for everyone. She owns and operates Azimuth Research & Consulting, a firm specializing in problem solving, change management and facilitation.