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Michael John Sabia (born September 11, 1953) is a Canadian businessman and public servant who has been the 26th clerk of the Privy Council since July 7, 2025.
Sabia has served in a number of senior public sector roles including as CEO of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (2009–2020), deputy minister for the Department of Finance Canada (2020–2023) and CEO of Hydro-Québec (2023–2025). Sabia began his career in the federal public service in the 1980s, having served as deputy secretary to the cabinet (plans). He has also held senior roles in the private sector as CEO of Bell Canada Enterprises and CFO of CN Railway. Sabia was director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and remains a distinguished fellow at the school. On June 11, 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Sabia would become clerk of the Privy Council effective July 7.
His wife, Hilary Pearson, is the granddaughter of former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. In 2016, Sabia was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada.
He left Canadian National Railway to join Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) in 1999 and became chief executive in 2002, succeeding Jean Monty. In 2007, the BCE board of directors accepted an offer from the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan to privatize the telecommunications company. Later that year, Sabia said he would leave Bell after the privatization deal was finalized. Sabia left Bell in July 2008 and was succeeded by George Cope.
Sabia was a member of the Canadian Government's Advisory Council on Economic Growth, which advised the Canadian finance minister on economic policies to achieve long-term sustainable growth. In 2016, the council called for a gradual increase in permanent immigration to Canada to 450,000 people a year.
On November 12, 2019, it was announced that Sabia would be leaving CDPQ to become head of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, ending his term at CDPQ a year early. He started the new role in February 2020. Sabia was replaced as head of CDPQ by Charles Emond in January 2020.
In April 2020, Sabia was appointed as Chairperson of the Canada Infrastructure Bank. In June 2020, he was named to the board of directors of the Mastercard Foundation.
On December 6, 2020, it was announced that Sabia would replace Paul Rochon as Deputy Minister of the federal Department of Finance. On January 27, 2021, Tamara Vrooman was appointed to succeed Sabia as Chairperson of the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
On May 23, 2023 Sabia was named as the next CEO of Hydro-Québec, the province of Quebec's public electrical utility, replacing Sophie Brochu in that role.
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