05/25/2026
Tom Wright, former Chair of the Bereavement Authority of Ontario Board of the Directors, has passed away. --
The Board of Directors and staff of the BAO extend their deep condolences to Tom's family. He was a pioneer in the administrative authority and regulatory build-outs Ontario knows today. We commend his service and the BAO is better for his vast efforts and results advancing consumer protection in the province.
A husband, father and grandfather, Tom was a dedicated family man whose professional life reflected his dedication to public service. Called to the Ontario Bar in 1975, he worked in private practice for a decade, and in 1986, he joined the Ontario government, where he held several key positions.
Tom’s legacy of public service was highlighted by his term as the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario from 1991 to 1997, and as CEO of the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) from 2002 to 2014.
In more recent years Tom’s considerable dedication to public service centred on the regulatory world. Tom was BAO Board Chair from 2015 to 2018, leading the authority into the start of its operations in 2016. Appointed by the Minister of Government and Consumer Services, he served five years on the BAO Board, before his appointment as Chair of the Board of another new regulatory body, the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO), and was the Vice-Chair of the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA) from 2016 to 2024.
A memorial gathering will be held at Smith’s Funeral Home, 1167 Guelph Line (one stop light north of QEW), Burlington. on Tuesday, from 6-9 p.m.
View Thomas Alan Wright's complete obituary, share memories, and explore 9 tribute posts from the community.
