Paul Kells, O.Ont., M.S.M. DCL(Hon), President, Safe Communities Canada

 A life-altering event led Paul Kells to found Canada’s Safe Communities Canada in 1996. On November 19, 1994, Paul's 19 year old son Sean died of injuries suffered in an Ontario workplace explosion. From these roots, Safe Communities Canada, with 61 nationally designated communities, has evolved as a model for other national safe community organizations in New Zealand, Australia and the U.S.A. Safe Communities Canada is also an international certifying centre of the W.H.O. Collaborating Centre in Karolinska, Sweden. Through Safe Communities Canada, Paul also created Passport to Safety, an online challenge for young people about the minimum they need to be aware of about their knowledge of health and safety on the job before they go to work. Over the past six years, almost a half million teen-agers in four countries have completed it.

Having served as the volunteer founder and vice-chair of Safe Communities Canada for 11 years, Paul was appointed President of the organization in 2007. His professional background includes ownership of a communications company, CEO of a trucking firm, communications consultant to some of Canada’s best-known companies and as a senior broadcast journalist and executive.

Decorated with Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal (M.S.M.) and the Order of Ontario (O.Ont.), Paul was also granted a Doctor of Civil Law degree (Honorary) from Acadia University in May, 2011.

Paul speaks to audiences about positive culture change and volunteerism across Canada, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Europe, and the U.S. He has been an Advisor on the U.S. National Safety Council’s Board of Delegates. He holds the Ontario Award for Outstanding Achievement in Volunteerism and is a member of its Volunteer Hall of Fame. Paul works out of his office in Ontario but resides with his wife, Blanche Diamond, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

Telephone (Cell):  902-489-9929

Email: pkells@safecommunities.ca or kells_paul@hotmail.com