Joanne McPhail joined the Community Builders board of directors in September of 2024, providing sage advice and many connections to the Barrie community. We recently sat down with Joanne for a Q&A to learn about her background, why she supports Community Builders and her hopes for our organization’s future.
Q. Tell us what motivated you to join the Board of Community Builders?
A. I was drawn to CB because I love the social enterprise model being used to address both the affordable housing crisis and the skilled trades shortage. It struck me as practical, innovative and deeply human. I greatly enjoy working with businesses and non-profits in the early stages, when they are a bit more “scrappy” and nimble. I love the entrepreneurial aspects and the process of overcoming early challenges to grow and expand reach. The combination of purpose and execution really lights me up, and I feel like I can (hopefully) have more impact in the community by supporting this.
Q. Please share a bit about your background and how you hope to contribute to our organization.
A. I am a managing partner at a mid-sized law firm in Ontario, where I practice primarily in corporate, commercial and real estate law. Over my career, I have advised organizations on governance, financing, growth strategy, risk management, and complex transactions. I also have significant experience in leadership, strategic planning, and financial oversight, having helped guide organizations through periods of growth and transition. In addition to my legal and law firm management work, I have served on many boards in the innovation and community development space, and I hope that this experience will be helpful to the CB Board, particularly through a governance and strategy lens. Personally, I would love to help with scaling (ensuring internal systems and structures are in place to allow for smooth scaling), without losing the values and culture that make CB special.
Q. What have you learned about the construction industry, social enterprises or Community Builders specifically that surprised you since joining the board?
A. What has surprised me most is how complex and sophisticated the construction-based social enterprise model really is. CB is not simply delivering construction projects or training programs – it is doing both simultaneously, while also supporting individuals with very real and diverse barriers to employment. I have also been struck by how much wraparound support and intentional leadership is required to make this model work well. Success depends not just on technical construction expertise, but on empathy, flexibility, strong partnerships, and disciplined execution. CB’s ability to deliver high-quality construction outcomes while maintaining a people-centred approach has been particularly impressive.
Q. What is your hope for the future of Community Builders?
A. My hope is that CB continues to scale its impact across Canada, becoming a recognized leader in how social enterprises can meaningfully address housing shortages and workforce gaps at the same time. I would like to see it continue to grow its geographic reach, deepen partnerships with municipalities and the private sector, and serve as a model that can be replicated elsewhere. Most importantly, I hope CB continues to change individual lives while strengthening communities in a lasting and measurable way.
Thank you for sharing your insights, Joanne, and for your generous support of our organization through your volunteer time and shared expertise as a board member. We greatly appreciate your personal contributions as well as those of Barriston Law, which, as a corporate partner since 2025, helps fund our Skilled Trades Training Program.
CONNECT: Joanne McPhail on LinkedIn
