Brampton Councillor Rowena Santos recognized as Municipal World’s 2023 Women of Influence

Brampton Coun. Rowena Santos has been honoured as the winner of this year’s Municipal World Women of Influence in Local Government award.

The award comes from Municipal World, a municipal government magazine, and recognizes Santos’ contributions to the city including her advocacy for greater equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in municipal government.

Those efforts include Brampton’s first Women’s Empowerment Group for city staff, a Women’s Advisory Committee and gender-based analysis training for senior leaders.

Santos has also advocated to end violence against women, moving a motion to declare gender and intimate partner-based violence an epidemic in the city.

In past years the Women of Influence award recognized multiple women, but this year marked the first with a single honouree with Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Operation Black Vote Canada Chair Velma Morgan named as 2023’s honourable mentions.

Santos said the award is “a testament to the pursuit of progress for all women in politics.”

“My sincere thanks to the women who have paved the way, my council and City colleagues, and the women of Brampton who support the advocacy for our community,” Santos said in a statement.

“This award recognizes the power of hard work and the increasing influence women have in our political sphere. Take your place. Own the space. Do it with style, humour, smarts and grace.”

Santos was first elected in Wards 1 & 5 in 2018 and is the first Filipino on the Brampton City Council. Having lived in Brampton for most of her life, Santos has a deep appreciation and passion for the history and culture of the city.

She is also a dedicated supporter of the arts and artists in Brampton and Chair of Community Services, and led the city’s COVID-19 Social Support Task Force, which helped residents overcome food insecurity and access health services.

Santos was selected out of 57 nominations and 10 finalists for the 2023 honouree of Municipal World’s Women of Influence in Local Government Award.