Penny Ballem

Penny Janet Drury Ballem is a Canadian physician and government administrator. She was the city manager for the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 2008 to 2015 and served as a member of the VANOC board of directors, corporate director for Bentall Capital G.P. Ltd., as well as a senior adviser to RPO Management Consultants. She is a physician and clinical professor at the University of British Columbia Medical School in the department of hematology and bone marrow transplant. Since April 2025, she has started a new role as the CEO of Provincial Health Authority Services (PHSA) in the province of British Columbia, Canada.

Childhood Ballem grew up in the Westmount area of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She was one of five children of a Montreal engineer and his wife.

Education Ballem completed her undergraduate studies at McGill University and her Masters in Immunology at the University of Western Ontario.

British Columbia Deputy Health Minister She was recruited by British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell to be the deputy health minister of the Province of British Columbia in 2001, and subsequently abruptly resigned from the position in 2006 after giving no notice, not seeking severance, and criticizing the government's plans for the health ministry as unsound. to provide a "fresh start" after coming to power. Vision Vancouver, Mayor Robertson's political party, had concerns that the previous city manager had too much power. was replaced by Ballem. Rogers received $572,000 severance in the transition.

Bylaw powers In July 2009 Vancouver City Council passed several temporary bylaw changes which were controversial for some civil liberties advocates who argued that they "make it more difficult to exercise [the] fundamental constitutional rights to free speech, peaceful assembly and free expression." As part of the changes Ballem was given special powers that were referred to by Coalition of Progressive Electors councillor Ellen Woodsworth as "wide open carte blanche." Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson defended the changes as necessary.

Staff transitions Ballem was charged by Mayor Robertson with cutting costs at city hall and attempted to do so through a centralization of powers.

In her first 10 months as city manager there were a large number of departures and non-scheduled retirements of city staff. In one such departure Ballem stripped the retiring Vancouver Park Board general manager, Susan Mundick, of all routine transitional duties.

On September 1, 2009 Ballem announced that Sadhu Aufochs Johnston would be hired as Deputy City Manager to lead the city's environmental efforts.

Conclusion On September 15, 2015 Mayor Robertson announced that Ballem's service had "concluded" and Sadhu Aufochs Johnston would be her interim replacement.

eHealth Ontario Scandal Ballem was paid $30,000 for 78 hours of consulting work for eHealth Ontario, over the objections of an eHealth Ontario employee who claimed there was no signed contract. Ballem stated she was unaware an eHealth Ontario staff member had questioned her invoice, RPO Management Consultants, which Ballem served as a senior advisor, received an untendered $600,000 contract from eHealth Ontario. Sarah Kramer, former CEO of eHealth Ontario, was fired on June 7, 2009 over a scandal involving failing to open more than $5.5 million worth of contracts to competitive bids.

Relationship Ballem's partner, Olympic medalist Marion Lay, was a major backer of the Vancouver Olympics.