EQAO Welcomes New Board Chair

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With a commitment to families and learners across the province, Chris Day will lead the governance of Ontario’s large-scale assessment agency

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TORONTO, Sept. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) is pleased to announce that Chris Day has been appointed as Chair of the EQAO Board of Directors, effective August 29, 2026.

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Having been an active member of governance boards in the private and public sectors, Chris most recently served for seven years at the helm of TVO, leading it through a period of fundamental transformation. Chris arrives at EQAO at a time when an expert advisory body is undertaking a comprehensive review of student achievement and assessment across the province, with a focus on improving results in reading, writing and math. The review will result in recommendations for the Ministry of Education and require EQAO’s support.

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EQAO’s work is overseen by its board of directors, whose members are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and are drawn from leadership positions in diverse fields of expertise, such as education, business and policy.

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Chris is the Senior Vice President of Burson in Ottawa. His decades of leadership experience in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors includes executive work in health care and municipal affairs. He also founded, led and grew a successful consultancy firm from 2016 to 2025. His extensive community involvement includes serving as Chair of Operation Come Home and organizations such as Exporail. You can find more information about Chris’s professional journey and our board of directors on our website.

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EQAO would like to thank Sanjay Dhebar for his role as Chair of EQAO’s board of directors from 2024 until earlier this year. Sanjay’s commitment to education and student assessment proved valuable to the agency’s work. EQAO’s board of directors and staff wish Sanjay the very best in his future endeavours.

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“We find ourselves fortunate to have as our new chair Chris Day. As EQAO moves forward and continues to build on its award-winning assessment program and research initiatives to provide important evidence-based data to all our partners, Chris’s experience leading the governance of public organizations will be an asset to the agency.”

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—Dan Koenig, Chief Executive Officer, EQAO

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“EQAO has a long history of providing valuable data to empower parents and guardians, educators and policy-makers in support of positive student outcomes, and it is my privilege to join the agency as Chair. I look forward to working with the rest of the board in this new position as well as with our partners, as we continue to provide crucial data and helpful resources that inform the education system at every level, all in support of students across the province.”

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—Chris Day, Incoming Chair, EQAO Board of Directors

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About EQAO

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The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) is a board-governed agency of the Government of Ontario dedicated to enhancing the quality and effectiveness of the province’s public education system. Our award-winning large-scale assessment program and research initiatives offer accurate, relevant data and insights on student achievement and attitudes. At EQAO, our belief is that learning never ends—and so neither does our mission to contribute to improving outcomes for all students across Ontario.

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For further information, please contact:

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Sophie Auclair
Senior Communications Officer
[email protected]

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