Byrne Smith, 31, was born and raised in Port Dalhousie. Byrne's father is a retired public high school teacher, his mother a horticulturalist. He started university in Halifax with a focus on Journalism, until he was lured to the Rocky Mountains. He worked out West for a short period before returning to St. Catharines and picking up his studies at Brock with a focus on Sociology.

Byrne has worked in teenager treatment group homes for 10 years, and recently began working in the field of children's mental health as a coordinator of high-risk services and outreach services with Niagara Child and Youth Services.

Byrne's interests are sampling the food and drink of his neighbourhood (Facer Street), local politics, social justice issues such as speaking up for those who have difficulty finding their own voice, and being Green.