A former Harper Conservative spin doctor currently rebranding Alberta’s oil sands as “ethical oil” is among new appointees to a city environmental agency.

Alykhan Velshi’s appointment as a director of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund was one many voted upon by city council last week and now made public.

Earlier at the same council session, Councillor Mike Layton paid tribute to his late father, Jack, noting his role in helping to found the fund, which dispenses grants and invests in companies that benefit Toronto’s environment.

Velshi was prominent in Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s federal election “war room” and stepped down earlier this year as Immigration Minister Jason Kenney’s communications director.

Since July, he has run the EthicalOil.org blog, which takes aim at Canada’s oil-producing rivals. CTV last week yanked one of the ethicaloil.org ads highlighting Saudi Arabia’s treatment of women after the kingdom threatened legal action.

Velshi told The Huffington Post Canada he’s stepping away from the blog and looking forward to helping steer the atmospheric fund.

“When I applied for the (TAF) position, I saw my role on the board as ensuring that TAF fulfilled its mandate, and delivers value for money for taxpayers at a time of deficits,” Velshi told the website.

“I come into this role with an open mind, and I look forward to TAF’s activities. I look forward to serving Toronto taxpayers in this voluntary, unpaid position.”

Velshi did not respond to the Star’s email requesting comment.

A recommendation to scale back activities of the atmospheric fund, funded entirely through a $25 million endowment, was recently referred back to the city manager.

Councillor Gord Perks, a former Greenpeace campaigner, said Mayor Rob Ford’s administration has orchestrated the replacement of “some really smart conservatives who made shrewd investments that benefited our environment with some people who appear to be ideologues.”