[5] Raised in Bond Head, Ontario, Downey received a bachelor's degree in political science from Wilfrid Laurier University, an M.A.

After attending law school at Dalhousie University, he articled with Crawford, McKenzie, McLean & Wilford at Orillia and was called to the bar in February 1999.

He attended the Uniform Law Conference of Canada and was part of a working group on commercial leasing until his election as an MPP in 2018.

[9] He was a member of the Law Society of Ontario Certified Specialist Board[10] and was active as a mentor and sat on several committees.

He was a member of a joint municipal election compliance committee for New Tecumseth, Essa, Adjala–Tosorontio, Innisfil, and Bradford West Gwillimbury from 2010 to 2018.