Renée AMILCAR

Renée Amilcar is the General Manager of OC Transpo in Ottawa, Canada, and she was elected as the first female President of UITP in 2023.

She has made a reputation as a global leader in sustainability and innovation in the transportation industry. Her people-first approach and strategic vision is a model for service organisations. Renée is an Industrial Engineer with a degree from École Polytechnique in Montréal, and has a Master of Business Administration from Université de Sherbrooke. She is also a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec.

Renée’s career in transportation began in 2002 at the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), where she rose the ranks to become the first female Director of Bus Maintenance. In 2014, Renée became STM’s Executive Director of Bus Service, leading a team of more than 5,300 employees and a fleet of 1,800 buses. During this time, she led STM’s electric bus network transformation.

In 2021, Renée joined the City of Ottawa as the first female General Manager of OC Transpo. Renée is overseeing many projects such as the electrification of Ottawa’s transit fleet, including the deployment of 350 zero-emission buses. This initiative will fully convert OC Transpo’s bus fleet to emission-free buses by 2036.

In addition, Renée leads a team responsible for Ottawa’s Stage 2 Light Rail Transit project. This exciting expansion will extend light rail service to the Ottawa International Airport and bring light rail within 5km of the homes of nearly 80 percent of Ottawa residents. Renée implemented a robust marketing and recruitment campaign to address current and future staffing and ridership needs.

Renée is a champion for equity, inclusion, and diversity. On industry trends, Renée is at the forefront, spearheading innovative marketing campaigns, recruitment programs, and embracing new technologies to improve transit in Ottawa. She is also an inspirational role model for women in business. In 2018, Renée received the Mercuriades Outstanding Woman in Leadership Award from the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec. Her accomplishments also include becoming the first female Bus Committee Chair at UITP in 2017, where she quickly excelled to be appointed the first female President of UITP in 2023. In April 2024, Renée was called to the United Nations Headquarters where she delivered a compelling speech on the importance of Public Transit.