Serving on the Board since 1999, Mr. Donald K. Johnson is a Member of the Advisory Board, BMO Capital Markets and a former Vice-Chairman, BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. Mr. Johnson continues to serve in an advisory capacity to the firm following his 2004 retirement. He also serves on the Boards of a number of not-for-profit and for-profit organizations. He played a key role in convincing the federal government to eliminate the remaining capital gains tax on gifts of listed securities in the 2006 budget, and to eliminate the capital gains tax on gifts of private company shares and real estate in the 2015 budget. (Removal of the capital gains tax on listed securities has resulted in over $1 billion in charitable donations virtually every year since 2006.) Unfortunately, in 2016, the new government did not implement the 2015 budget measure. Since then, he has been on a campaign to persuade the government to implement this measure, which would stimulate an estimated additional $200 million per annum in charitable donations, unlocking more private wealth for public good.
Mr. Johnson is Chair of the Vision Science Campaign. He is Board Champion of the Vision Program and the Krembil Neuroscience Centre Campaign. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Mr. Johnson is a member of the Investment Committee.