View source for Executive Council of Ontario

{{Short description|Cabinet of the Canadian province of Ontario}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Executive Council of Ontario<br>{{nobold|{{smaller|{{lang|fr|Conseil des ministres de l'Ontario}}}}}}
| image = Coat of arms of Ontario.svg
| caption = [[Coat of arms of Ontario]]
| nickname = Cabinet of Ontario
| formation = {{start date and age|1867|7|20|p=1|br=1}}
| membership = *[[Lieutenant Governor of Ontario]]
*[[Premier of Ontario]] and other [[minister of the Crown|ministers of the Crown]]
| leader_title = [[Monarchy of Canada|Monarch of Canada]]
| leader_name = {{Canadian monarch, current|nameonly=1}}
| leader_title2 = Represented by
| leader_name2 = [[Edith Dumont]], Lieutenant Governor
| leader_title3 = Chair
| leader_name3 = [[Vic Fedeli]], Chair of Cabinet
| staff = [[Government of Ontario]]
| website = 
| formerly = 
}}
{{Politics of Ontario}}
[[File:Ontario Cabinet 1891.jpg|thumb|right|The Ontario Cabinet of 1891. Clockwise, starting at centre foreground: [[Oliver Mowat|O. Mowat]], [[Arthur Sturgis Hardy|A.S. Hardy]], [[John Morison Gibson|J.M. Gibson]], [[Richard Harcourt|R. Harcourt]], [[Erskine Henry Bronson|E.H. Bronson]], [[John Dryden|J. Dryden]], [[George William Ross|G.W. Ross]], [[Christopher Finlay Fraser|C.F. Fraser]].]]The '''Executive Council of Ontario''' ({{langx|fr|Conseil des ministres de l'Ontario}}), often informally referred to as the '''Cabinet of Ontario''' ({{langx|fr|Cabinet de l'Ontario|links=no}}), is the [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] and the executive committee of the provincial government of the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canadian province]] of [[Ontario]]. It comprises [[Minister of the Crown|ministers of the Crown in right of Ontario]], who are selected by the [[premier of Ontario]] (the [[first minister]]) and formally appointed by the [[Lieutenant Governor of Ontario|lieutenant governor]]. The activities of the [[Government of Ontario]] are directed by the Executive Council.

The council serves a similar function as the [[King's Privy Council for Canada|Privy Council for Canada]]. The "Crown in right of Ontario" is the legal entity that owns government property, employs public servants, and acts in legal proceedings like criminal prosecutions. Accordingly, the cabinet exercises executive and sovereign powers within Ontario's jurisdiction in the name of the monarch "in right of Ontario". Similar to decisions of the federal cabinet, executive decisions by the Ontario cabinet are known as [[Order in Council|''Order-in-Council'']], formally issued by in the name of the [[Lieutenant Governor of Ontario|lieutenant governor]], the monarch's representative in the province, on the advice of the ministers. Though the lieutenant governor does not generally attend cabinet meetings, cabinet directives are said to be ordered by the [[Queen-in-Council|''Lieutenant Governor-in-Council'']].

== Members of the Executive Council ==
The cabinet generally consists of current members of the [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]], with the following exceptions:

* Ministers not returned following a general election (either not having seek reelection or not having been re-elected) cease to be members of the assembly on the date of resolution of the previous assembly, but continue as members of the council until the replacement council takes office. The most recent example of this was [[Michael Ford (politician)|Michael Ford]], who stood down at the [[2025 Ontario general election|2025 election]] and therefore ceased to be the MPP for [[York South—Weston (provincial electoral district)|York South—Weston]] on January 28 but remained the [[Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism (Ontario)|Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism]] and a member of council for 50 days until his successor [[Graham McGregor (politician)|Graham McGregor]] was appointed on March 19.
* An individual who is not a current member of the assembly being named leader of the governing party would be invited to form the subsequent cabinet. The most recent example of this was [[Ernie Eves]], who was [[2002 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election|elected Progressive Conservatives leader in 2002]] on March 23, assumed the premiership on April 15, and served the first 16 days without a seat until returning to the legislature through a byelection on May 2 that year. 
* Until the abolishment of [[ministerial by-election]]s in 1941, certainly newly appointed ministers were required to resign and recontest their seats in the legislature.

Ministers may use the honorific prefix "[[The Honourable]]", and starting in June 2025, the post-nominal “E.C.O.”

=== Former ministers ===
Unlike federal ministers who are appointed privy councillor for life (strictly speaking, for the lifetime of the appointing monarch, but in practice upon the monarch's demise are all reappointed by the successor monarch), provincial ministers are only members of the Executive Council while in office.

Prior to 2025, former ministers and premiers were not entitled to the honorific prefix "the Honourable" unless they are otherwise entitled for reasons including:

* Service as federal ministers and corresponding appointment to the [[Privy Council of Canada]]
* Appointments to the Privy Council for some other reasons (e.g. former premiers [[David Peterson]] and [[Bob Rae]] were appointed after their premierships, respectively in 1992 as part of Canada's 125th anniversary commemoration and in 1998 upon joining the [[Security Intelligence Review Committee]]) 
* Service as justice of a superior court (e.g. former Attorney General [[Roy McMurtry]] gained the entitlement upon his appointment to the [[Superior Court of Justice (Ontario)|Superior Court of Justice]].)

As part of the [[omnibus bill]] for implementation of the 2025 budget,<ref name="ECRecognitionAct">{{Cite canlaw|short title=Plan to Protect Ontario Act (Budget Measures)|abbr = S.O. |year = 2025 |chapter = 10| schedule = 12| link = https://www.canlii.org/en/on/laws/astat/so-2025-c-10/latest/so-2025-c-10.html}}</ref> the [[Premiership of Doug Ford|Ford government]] formally institute the post-nominal “E.C.O.” and designated all living former members who have not been convicted of an [[Indictable offence|indictable]] or [[Hybrid offence|hybrid]] criminal offense as "Honorary Members" of the Executive Council. The designation grants former ministers the right of continued use of the honorific prefix and the post-nominals for life without the rights, obligations or privileges of a current minister.<ref name="ECRecognitionAct" /> Ontario is the fourth Canadian province to adopt this practice, following the examples by conservative governments in the provinces of Nova Scotia (as of 2007),<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title=Executive Council Act (amended)|abbr = S.N.S. |year = 2007 |chapter = 16| link = https://www.canlii.org/en/ns/laws/astat/sns-2007-c-16/latest/sns-2007-c-16.html}}</ref> Saskatchewan (2019),<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title=The Provincial Emblems and Honours Amendment Act, 2019|abbr = S.S. |year = 2019 |chapter = 31|link = https://www.canlii.org/en/sk/laws/astat/ss-2019-c-31/latest/ss-2019-c-31.html}}</ref> and Alberta (2022).<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title=Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Recognition Act|abbr = S.A. |year = 2022 |chapter = Q-0.7|link = https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/laws/stat/sa-2022-c-q-0.7/latest/sa-2022-c-q-0.7.html}}</ref>

==Current Composition==
{{main|Ford Ministry}}
[[Doug Ford]] and his Cabinet were sworn in by Lieutenant Governor [[Elizabeth Dowdeswell]] on June 29, 2018, following the [[2018 Ontario general election|2018 general election]]. Ford conducted six major cabinet shuffles (with substantial numbers of ministers changing roles) since 2018 and 7 minor adjustments (triggered by resignations and impacted small numbers of ministers). The cabinet has numbered at 37 members since August 2024, the largest ever cabinet in Ontario history. It currently consists of the following ministers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ministers {{!}} Legislative Assembly of Ontario |url=https://www.ola.org/en/members/current/ministers |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=www.ola.org}}</ref>

=== Current ministers and members of council ===
<small>(Per Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs' ''Ontario order of precedence'', members of the council are to be ordered "in accordance with the precedence document issued by the Cabinet Office", but no such documents is currently made public. Previous version of the document follow ordering similar to that in the Table of Precedence of Canada, primarily by the date a member first joined council, followed by the date of their first election to the legislature. This table is ordered as such.)</small>{{sticky header}}
{{Table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable sortable sticky-header defaultcenter col1left col2left"
|-
! Minister !! Portfolio
! Assumed<br>office !! Joined<br>cabinet !! First<br>elected
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{sortname|Doug|Ford}}
|{{Sort|00|[[Premier of Ontario]]}}
| rowspan="2" |2018|| rowspan="13" |2018|| rowspan="2" |2018
|-
|[[Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs (Ontario)|Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{sortname|Sylvia|Jones}}
|{{Sort|01|[[Deputy Premier of Ontario|Deputy Premier]]}}
|rowspan="2" |2022|| rowspan="2" |2007
|-
|Minister of Health
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{sortname|Vic|Fedeli}}
|[[Chair of Cabinet (Ontario)|Chair of Cabinet]]
| style="align: centre"|2018
| rowspan="2" |2011
|-
|[[Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (Ontario)|Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade]]
| style="text-align: center"| 2019
|-
|{{sortname|Lisa|Thompson|dab=politician}}
|Minister of Rural Affairs
|2021||2011
|-
|{{sortname|Peter|Bethlenfalvy}}
|[[Ministry of Finance (Ontario)|Minister of Finance]]
|2020{{Efn|December 31, 2020 small scale shuffle upon resignation of [[Rod Phillips (politician)|Rod Phillips]]|name=ResignPhillips2020|group=lower-roman}}||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Raymond|Cho|dab=politician}}
|[[Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility|Minister of Seniors and Accessibility]]
|2018||2018
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{sortname|Caroline|Mulroney}}
|{{Sort|Minister of Treasury|[[Treasury Board Secretariat (Ontario)|President of the Treasury Board]]}}
|2022|| rowspan="2" |2018
|-
|[[Ministry of Francophone Affairs|Minister of Francophone Affairs]]
|style="text-align: center"| 2018
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{sortname|Greg|Rickford}} <small>[[King's Privy Council for Canada|PC]]</small>{{Efn|A member of the Privy Council of Canada upon joining the federal cabinet in July 2013|group=lower-roman}}
|[[Ministry of Indigenous Affairs (Ontario)|Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation]]
|2018|| rowspan="2" |2018
|-
|{{Sort|Minister of Ring|Minister Responsible for Ring of Fire Economic and Community Partnerships}}
|style="text-align: center"| 2025
|-
|{{sortname|Paul|Calandra}}
|[[Ministry of Education (Ontario)|Minister of Education]]
|2025|| rowspan="6" |2019||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Doug|Downey}}
|{{Sort|Minister of Attorney|[[Attorney General of Ontario|Attorney General]]}}
|2019||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Jill|Dunlop}}
|Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response
|2025||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Stephen|Lecce}}
|[[Ministry of Energy (Ontario)|Minister of Energy and Mines]]
|2025||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Prabmeet|Sarkaria}}
|[[Ministry of Transportation (Ontario)|Minister of Transportation]]
|2023||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Kinga|Surma}}
|[[Ministry of Infrastructure (Ontario)|Minister of Infrastructure]]
|2021||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Stan|Cho}}
|[[Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport|Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming]]
|2024|| rowspan="2" |2021||2018
|-
|{{sortname|David|Piccini}}
|[[Ministry of Labour (Ontario)|Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development]]
|2023{{Efn|September 22, 2023, small scale shuffle upon resignation of [[Monte McNaughton]]|name=ResignMcNaughton|group=lower-roman}}||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Michael|Parsa}}
|[[Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services|Minister of Children, Community and Social Services]]
|2023{{Efn|March 24, 2023 small scale shuffle upon resignation of [[Merrilee Fullerton]]|name=ResignFullerton|group=lower-roman}}|| rowspan="4" |2022||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Michael|Kerzner}}
|{{Sort|Minister of Solicitor|[[Solicitor General of Ontario]]}}
|2022||2022
|-
|{{sortname|George|Pirie|dab=politician}}
|Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth
|2025||2022
|-
|{{sortname|Neil|Lumsden}}
|Minister of Sport
|2024||2022
|-
|{{sortname|Rob|Flack}}
|[[Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (Ontario)|Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing]]
|2025|| rowspan="2" |2023||2022
|-
|{{sortname|Todd|McCarthy|dab=politician}}
|{{Sort|Minister of Environment|[[Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks|Minister of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks]]}}
|2025||2022
|-
|{{sortname|Andrea|Khanjin}}
|Minister of Red Tape Reduction
|2025||2023{{Efn|September 22, 2023, small scale shuffle upon resignation of [[Monte McNaughton]]|name=ResignMcNaughton|group=lower-roman}}||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Stephen|Crawford|dab=politician}}
||[[Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery (Ontario)|Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement]]
|2025|| rowspan="5" |2024||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Mike|Harris|Mike Harris Jr.}}
|[[Ministry of Natural Resources (Ontario)|Minister of Natural Resrouces]]
|2025||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Natalia|Kusendova-Bashta}}
|[[Ministry of Long-Term Care (Ontario)|Minister of Long-Term Care]]
|2024||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Trevor|Jones|dab=Canadian politician}}
|[[Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (Ontario)|Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness]]
|2025||2022
|-
|{{sortname|Nolan|Quinn}}
|[[Ministry of Colleges and Universities|Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security]]
|2025||2022
|-
|{{sortname|Graham|McGregor|dab=politician}}
|[[Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism|Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism]]
|2025
|2024{{Efn|August 16, 2024, small scale shuffle upon resignation of [[Todd Smith (politician)|Todd Smith]]|name=ResignSmith|group=lower-roman}}||2022
|-
|{{sortname|Michael|Tibollo}}
|{{Sort|TierAssociate Attorney|Associate Attorney General}}
|2025||2018||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Nina|Tangri}}
|{{Sort|TierAssociate Small|Associate Minister of Small Business}}
|2023||2021||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Charmaine|Williams}}
|{{Sort|TierAssociate Women|Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity}}
|2022|| rowspan="2" |2022||2022
|-
|{{sortname|Graydon|Smith}}
|{{Sort|TierAssociate Municipal|Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing}}
|2025||2022
|-
|{{sortname|Vijay|Thanigasalam}}
|{{Sort|TierAssociate Mental|Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions}}
|2025||2023{{Efn|September 22, 2023, small scale shuffle upon resignation of [[Monte McNaughton]]|name=ResignMcNaughton|group=lower-roman}}||2018
|-
|{{sortname|Sam|Oosterhoff}}
|{{Sort|TierAssociate Energy|Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries}}
|2024||2024||2016{{Efn|Byelection|name=Byelection|group=lower-roman}}
|-
|{{sortname|Kevin|Holland|dab=Canadian politician}}
|{{Sort|TierAssociate Forestry|Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products}}
|2025||2024{{Efn|August 16, 2024, small scale shuffle upon resignation of [[Todd Smith (politician)|Todd Smith]]|name=ResignSmith|group=lower-roman}}||2022
|-
|{{sortname|Zee|Hamid}}
|{{Sort|TierAssociate Solicitor|Associate Solicitor General for Auto Theft and Bail Reform}}
|2025||2025||2024{{Efn|Byelection|name=Byelection|group=lower-roman}}
|-
|}
'''First elected''' indicates the minister was first election in the general election held that year unless otherwise noted.

'''Assumed office''' and '''Joined Cabinet''' contain years correspond to the major cabinet shuffles that took place on the follow date, unless otherwise noted. 
{{columns-start|num=3}}
* June 29, 2018
* June 20, 2019
* June 18, 2021
{{column}}
* June 24, 2022 
* September 4, 2023
* June 6, 2024
{{column}}
* March 19, 2025
{{columns-end}}
{{notelist-lr}}

==Former portfolios==
Portfolio ministries were titled "department" prior to 1972. Certain ministers held titles such as secretary and commissioners of their portfolio in the past.

As much as possible, the following list groups former portfolios as predecessor to current portfolios with similar but not perfectly identical functions/mandate.

'''Children, Community and Social Services''' (since 2018)
* Department of Public Welfare (1930–67)
* Ministry of Social and Family Services (1967–72)
* Ministry of Community and Social Services (1972-2002)
* Ministry of Community, Family and Children's Services (2002–2003)
* Ministry of Children's Services (2003–2004)
* Ministry of Children and Youth Services (2004–18)
* Ministry of Community and Social Services (2003–18)

'''Citizenship and Multiculturalism''' (since 2021)
* Ministry of Citizenship (1961–83, 1987–95; 2001–03)
* Ministry of Citizenship and Culture (1983–87)
* Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation (1995–2001)
* Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (2003–14, 2016–18)
* [[Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade]] (2014–16)

'''Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade''' (since 2018)

(Primary functions relating to industrial policy) 
* Department of Planning and Development (1944–61)
* Department of Commerce and Development (1961)
* Department of Economics and Development (1961–68)
* Department of Trade and Development (1968–72)
* Ministry of Industry and Tourism (1972–82)
* Ministry of Industry and Trade Development (1982–85)
* Ministry of Industry, Trade and Technology (1985–1993)
* Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (1993–95, 1999-2002, 2003–11)
* Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism (1995–99; 2008–11)
* [[Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation]] (2002–2003)
* Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation (2011–13)
* Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Employment (2013–14)
* Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure (2014–16)
* Ministry of Economic Development and Growth (2016–18)
(for trade promotion)
* Ministry of International Trade and Investment (2008–09)
* [[Ministry of International Trade]] (2016–18)
(for innovation and research policy)

* [[Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science|Ministry of Research and Innovation]] (2011–16)
* Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science (2016–18)

'''Education''' (since 1999) or '''Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security''' (since 2025)

* Department of Public Instruction (1850–76)
* Department of Education (1876-1993)
* Department of University Affairs (1964–71)
* Ministry of Colleges and Universities (1971–93, 2018–25)
* [[Ministry of Education and Training (Ontario)|Ministry of Education and Training]] (1993–99)
* Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (1999-2016, 2018–19)
* Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (2016–18)

'''Energy & Mines'''
<!--* [[Ministry of Energy (Ontario)|Ministry of Energy]] (1975–1993; 2002−2007) in use since 2010-->
* [[Ministry of Energy (Ontario)|Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure]] (2007–2010)
* [[Ministry of Energy (Ontario)|Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology]] (1997–2002)

'''Environment, Conservation, and Parks'''
* Ministry of Environment and Energy (1993–1997; 2002)

'''Finance'''
* Ministry of Treasury and Economics (1978–1993)
* Ministry of Financial Institutions (1986–1993)
* [[Ministry of Revenue (Ontario)|Ministry of Revenue]] (1968–2012)

'''Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation''' (since 2024)

* Native Affairs Directorate (1987–91), Secretariat (1991-2006)
* Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat (2006–07)
* Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs (2007–16)
* Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation (2016-2018)
* Ministry of Indigenous Affairs (2018–24)

'''Infrastructure''' (since 2010) or '''Transportation''' (since 1987)
* Board of Works (before [[Canadian Confederation|confederation]] in [[Upper Canada]])
* Department of Public Works (1867-1972)
** held by the [[Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (Ontario)|Commissioner of Agriculture and Public Works]] until 1874
* Commissioner of Highways (1900–16, within Department of Public Works)
* Department of Public Highways (1916–31)
* Department of Highways (1931–71)
* Department of Transport (1957–71)
* Ministry of Transportation and Communications (1971–1987)
* [[Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal]] (2003−2008)
* (held jointly with Energy 2008-10, with Economic Development 2014-16)
'''Municipal Affairs and Housing'''
* Ministry of Housing (1973–1981; 1985–1995)
* Ministry of Municipal Affairs (1985–1995; 2003–2004)
'''Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development'''
* Bureau of Labour (1900–19, within Department of Public Works)
* Ministry of Labour (1919-2019)
* Ministry of Skills Development (1985–1993)
* Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (2019–22)

'''Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement''' (since 2022, Procurement added 2024)
* Ministry of Financial and Commercial Affairs (1966–72)
* [[Management Board Secretariat (Ontario)|Management Board]] [[Management Board Secretariat (Ontario)|Secretariat]] (1971-2005)
* Ministry of Government Services (1972–93, 2005–07, 2008–14)
* Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations (1972–2001)
* Ministry of Consumer and Business Services (2003–2005)
* Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (2007–08, 2014–22)
* Ministry of Small Business and Consumer Services (2008–09)
* Ministry of Consumer Services (2009–14)
'''Solicitor General''' (existed as such 1972-2002 except for 4 periods held jointly with Correctional Services, resumed this name in 2019)
* [[Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario|Department of the Provincial Secretary]] (1867-1946)
* Department of Reform Institutions (1946–68)
* Ministry of Correctional Services (1968–2002, except for 4 periods held jointly with Solicitor General)
* Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services (1985–86, 1987, 1990–92, 1993-99)
* Ministry of Public Safety and Security (2002–2003)
* [[Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services]] (2003–2019)

'''Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Sport'''
* [[Ministry of Culture (Ontario)|Ministry of Culture and Communications]] (1987–1993)
* [[Ministry of Culture (Ontario)|Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation]] (1993–1995)
* [[Ministry of Tourism (Ontario)|Ministry of Tourism]] (1999–2001)
* [[Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation]] (2001–2002)

==Ontario Shadow Cabinet==
* [[Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 43rd Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]

==See also==
* [[Order of precedence in Ontario]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.ontario.ca/page/meet-premiers-team Cabinet of Ontario]

{{Ontario politics}}
{{Executive_Councils_of_Canada}}
{{ONGovDept}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Executive Council Of Ontario}}
[[Category:Executive Council of Ontario| ]]
[[Category:1867 establishments in Ontario]]