The son of working-class parents, he has a master's degree in international development and spent six months in Ethiopia at the height of the 1980s famine.

Continuing his environmental work, De Baeremaeker became one of the leaders in the effort to save the Oak Ridges Moraine from development.

De Baeremaeker was notable for cycling to City Hall from his home in Scarborough almost every day year round.

In 2014 he was appointed Deputy Mayor East and a member of the Toronto Region Conservation Authority.

[2] [3] De Baeremaeker was elected as Deputy Speaker of Toronto City Council on April 25, 2018 following the resignation of Shelley Carroll.