Jim Ellis has more than 30 years’ experience in the public sector, including seven years with the Government of Alberta.

Mr. Ellis joined the Alberta Public Service in 2006 as the Executive Director of the Alberta Environment Support and Emergency Response Team (ASERT). In 2007, he was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for environmental regulatory affairs in Alberta.

Mr. Ellis was appointed Deputy Minister of Environment in 2008 and held that position until 2011 when he was named Deputy Minister of Energy. During his tenure with the Department of Environment, he led the development of numerous major environmental policy initiatives including the environmental frameworks for the Oil Sands Region within the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan; numerous climate change initiatives; and improvements to the environmental regulatory process for the oil and gas sector.

As the Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr. Ellis led the development and implementation of the Oil Market Diversification Strategy, was the lead provincial official for the Canadian Energy Strategy and oversaw implementation of the Regulatory Enhancement Project.

Mr. Ellis has been the president of the Alberta Water Council, chairman of the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission, and chair of the Steering Committee of the Regulatory Framework Assessment for Carbon Capture and Storage.

Prior to joining the Alberta Government, Mr. Ellis served 23 years as an officer in the Canadian Army, retiring as a Colonel in 2006. He commanded at various levels including Commanding Officer of the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), Canada’s tank regiment. He served in Germany with the British army, and commanded during the war in Bosnia in 1994 and 1997. Mr. Ellis also commanded in Canadian-based operations including the Winnipeg floods in 1997, the Pine Lake tornado in 2000, the G8 Summit in Kananaskis in 2002, and the Kelowna fires in 2003. His final overseas mission was as the Senior Commander for Canada’s mission to Afghanistan in 2004/05.

Mr. Ellis is a graduate of Carleton University, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in law and political science.