Skip to Main Content

Bruce Rivers

Title(s)
Adjunct Professor
Degrees: 
MSW, University of Toronto
Biography: 

As Executive Director of Covenant House Toronto, a position he assumed in November 2011, Mr. Rivers currently directs the efficient and effective administration and operation of Canada’s largest and most comprehensive youth shelter. He ensure the objectives, goals and programs of the Agency are clearly defined and implemented across a variety of residential and day programs for approximately 4,000 youth, ages 16 to 25. He ensures the appropriate development and execution of CH policies, plans, budgets and strategies to meet the quality and quantity of service required by the Board of Directors (2012-2013 annual budget $20 million).

As Chief Executive Officer for Community Living Toronto from 2006 to 2011; Mr. Rivers was responsible for the largest organization of its kind in Canada, supporting Individuals who have an intellectual disability, with a budget of $60million. Community Living Toronto supports over 6,000 individuals and their families with programs and services offered in the community and more than 73 locations in Toronto, supported by over 1,000 staff, 1200 volunteers and 800 members.

As former Executive Director of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, where he presided for 15 years, Mr. Rivers was responsible for directing one of the largest child welfare agencies in North America with an annual budget of approximately $140 million.

In April of 2004, Bruce was seconded to Ontario’s Ministry of Children and Youth Services, as Executive Director to the newly formed Child Welfare Secretariat, where he is providing interim leadership to a major policy reform initiative focused on improving child welfare outcomes for children and address sustainability within the sector.

Bruce is the former president of the Child Welfare League of Canada and at an international level is the past President for the International Forum for Child Welfare.