Deputy Minister, Alberta Health and Wellness, Government of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. Born: Guyana.
Jay Ramotar was appointed Deputy Minister of Alberta Health and Wellness on January 15, 2010. Before coming to this portfolio, he served as Deputy Minister in the key ministries of Treasury Board, Transportation, and Infrastructure.
Jay has been a proud member of Alberta’s public service for over 30 years. Since joining the government in 1976, his practical leadership style and strategic long-term approach to planning and project management has gained the attention of senior executives. From his beginnings as a Bridge Planning Engineer, his ‘roll up the sleeves’ style and innovative thinking has landed him the most complex and challenging projects.
A highlight of his career includes assembling a team of professionals to develop Alberta’s first successful public-private partnership construction project – the Anthony Henday Drive South East Leg Ring Road in Edmonton. This was one of many accomplishments that helped earn Jay an honourary lifetime membership to the Transportation Association of Canada, recognition of his positive and measurable improvements to the transportation industry in Canada.
In a challenging economic climate that required tough fiscal decisions, Jay led a team at Alberta Treasury Board that introduced several re-engineering initiatives across government. He also helped produce a fiscal plan that would help put the Alberta government ‘back in the black’ in three years and help ensure Alberta has the strongest financial position of all provinces coming out of the recession. Jay’s interest in building bridges goes beyond the usual bricks and mortar. He believes everyone can be a leader regardless of their title. He is also a strong supporter in strengthening ties within government and with external stakeholders to achieve shared goals.
As the most senior executive in the department of Health and Wellness, Jay looks forward to working with the Health and Wellness team to achieve Premier Stelmach’s vision of having the best performing public health care system in Canada.
Affiliations: Chair and member of a number of key councils and steering committees, including the Committee for Academic Medicine; Canadian Partnership Against Cancer; Deputy Ministers’ Committee of Capital Planning; Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships; Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA).
Honours: Honourary lifetime membership, Transportation Association of Canada (2009); inclusion in Who’s Who in Black Canada 2 (2006).
Education: Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering (1975) and Master, Geotechnical Engineering (1976); both from the University of Alberta.
Contact: Website