About
Doug Cornell
Executive Coach · Mentor · Entrepreneur · Civic Leader · Business Strategist — Candidate for Mayor, City of Pickering, October 26, 2026.
A note to my neighbours
I've spent more than twenty years building things — organizations, leadership teams, and businesses from the ground up. I've coached entrepreneurs from a first idea through to a successful exit. I've mentored executives on the hard calls that define whether a team thrives or stalls. And through all of it, the thread that matters most to me has stayed the same: building things that work fairly, for everyone involved.
That same commitment is why I'm running for Mayor of Pickering. I've spent my career as a trusted advisor to founders, executives, and community leaders — and I've built that trust by being accountable for results, not just intentions. I believe Pickering's next Mayor owes residents that same standard: real measurable outcomes, delivered through a process people can actually see and trust.
Pickering is growing fast, and the decisions made over the next term will shape this city for a generation. I'm asking for the chance to bring the same discipline I've brought to every organization I've helped build — to the city I call home.
Infrastructure that keeps pace. Leadership that's accountable.
Pickering deserves a Mayor who treats every major decision as something to be earned through process — not pushed through despite it.
I work for you.
Every tool available to the Mayor's office exists to serve residents. I will use those tools — and I will always bring you along.
Executive Profile
Twenty years building organizations, leaders, and communities.
I'm a seasoned entrepreneur, executive coach, mentor, and civic leader. I've spent two decades founding and scaling organizations, developing diverse leaders, and advocating for the communities I'm part of — building inclusive cultures, championing workers' rights, coaching entrepreneurial ventures from concept to scale, and driving policy change at the municipal and provincial levels.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
A lifelong commitment to equity.
This commitment runs through every role I've held — as an employer, coach, advocate, and civic leader.
Building inclusive organizations
I've built and led diverse, inclusive teams across national organizations — fostering cultures where people of all backgrounds are recruited, developed, and promoted.
Standing up for fairness
I advocated for workers' rights as a CAW committee member, opposing trade policies that disproportionately harmed vulnerable and marginalized workers during the 1989 Free Trade Agreement.
A 100% track record
I represented workers at WCAT (Workers' Compensation Appeals Tribunal) hearings and appeals, achieving a 100% success rate — ensuring equitable access to benefits and justice for injured and disadvantaged workers.
A platform built on tax fairness
I designed my Mayoral platform around tax fairness and fiscal transparency for all Pickering residents — with a particular focus on those bearing disproportionate municipal tax burdens.
Removing barriers to ownership
I've coached and mentored entrepreneurs and leaders from diverse communities, actively working to remove barriers to business ownership and leadership access.
Every voice in the room
I'm committed to ensuring community voices — across race, income, gender, and background — are represented in civic planning, budget decisions, and regional governance.
Coaching & Mentorship Expertise
What I bring to the table.
Core areas of focus across my coaching and mentoring engagements:
- Entrepreneurial coaching — guiding founders from idea validation through to scale and exit readiness.
- Executive mentorship — developing leadership capability, decision-making, and strategic thinking in diverse senior teams.
- Business model design — structuring scalable, resilient operating models for growth-stage companies.
- Sales & go-to-market coaching — helping entrepreneurs build pipeline, close enterprise accounts, and retain clients.
- Performance culture — instilling accountability frameworks and high-performance, inclusive habits across organizations.
- Peer advisory facilitation — leading structured mastermind and advisory sessions for entrepreneurial cohorts.
- Civic & community mentorship — empowering residents and emerging leaders to engage in local government and policy advocacy.
Core Competencies
Where my experience meets this city's needs.
Why this matters for Pickering
The same standard I've held in Business, I'll hold at City Hall.
Twenty years of building organizations has taught me one thing above all: accountability isn't a constraint on ambition, it's what makes ambition durable. I'll bring that same integrity and discipline to Pickering's growth — real plans, real numbers, and a process every resident can see.