Rencontrez vos ministres : remaniement du cabinet du premier ministre Ford à la suite de l'élection

Premier Ford has named a new cabinet to lead the charge as his party enters its third consecutive term in Ontario. Premier Ford has a history of appointing notably large cabinets in Ontario, and today he upholds this tradition with a cabinet comprising 37 ministers.

Premier Ford has chosen to retain much of his cabinet, likely to ensure continuity in key ministerial portfolios that have introduced significant policies and programs from 2022 to 2025.

This decision is also likely influenced by ongoing interactions with American counterparts on trade matters, where maintaining a consistent approach remains critically important. While the front bench largely remains the same, Premier Ford has strategically rearranged responsibilities at the Associate Minister level to emphasize his cabinet’s commitment to addressing current needs and issues.

Premier Ford’s nephew and former Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, Michael Ford, is absent from the cabinet as he did not seek re-election. Premier Ford added Zee Hamid to cabinet as the Associate Minister of Auto Theft and Bail Reform, as part of the Ministry of the Solicitor General. Previously, he was the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance.

Same as before:

• Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health
• Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance
• Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
• Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General
• Caroline Mulroney, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Francophone Affairs
• Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure
• Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation
• Raymond Cho, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility
• Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport
• Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming
• Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services
• David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
• Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care
• Lisa Thompson, Minister of Rural Affairs
• Doug Downey, Attorney General
• Sam Oosterhoff, Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries, as part of the Ministry of Energy and Mines
• Kevin Holland, Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products, as part of the Ministry of Natural Resources
• Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business, as part of the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
• Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, as part of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

Additionally, the following ministers remain with added responsibility under their portfolios:

• Stephen Lecce remains Minister of Energy with the added responsibility of Mines
• Greg Rickford remains Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation with the added responsibility for Ring of Fire Economic and Community Partnerships and removal of Norther Development
• Nolan Quinn, remains Minister of Colleges Universities with the added responsibility of Research Excellence and Security

Notable moves:

• Graham McGregor moved from Associate Minister of Auto Theft and Bail Reform, as part of the Ministry of the Solicitor General to become Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism.
• Paul Calandra moved from Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to Minister of Education
• Jill Dunlop moved from Minister of Education to Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Todd McCarthy moved from the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement to Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
• Andrea Khanjin moved from Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks to Minister of Red Tape Reduction
• Trevor Jones moved from Associate Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response to become Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness
• Rob Flack moved from Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness to Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
• Mike Harris moved from Minister of Red Tape Reduction to become Minister of Natural Resources
• George Pirie moved from the Minister of Mines to Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth, a new standalone portfolio.
• Stephen Crawford moved from Associate Minister of Mines to Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement
• Michael Tibollo moved from Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions to Associate Attorney General, as part of the Ministry of the Attorney General
• Graydon Smith moved from Minister of Natural Resources to Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as part of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
• Vijay Thanigasalam moved from Associate Minister of Housing to become Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, as part of the Ministry of Health

Key priorities

As outlined in his party’s election platform, Ford has laid out six key priorities that his government will be hyper-focused on advancing during their third term in office. His renewed cabinet reflects this focus:

1. Fighting back against tariffs: Minister Bethlenfalvy and Minister Fedeli have been tasked with protecting Ontario’s interests during an ever-evolving trade war between the U.S. and Canada. For Premier Ford, has stressed that Ontario should remain “open for business” during a time of tense Canada-U.S. relations. This issue will see significant involvement from the Premier, especially given his role as Chair of the Council of the Federation. It will likely also require support from several ministers, including Minister Jones, Minister Mulroney, Minister Lecce, and Associate Minister Tangri, among others.

2. Building Ontario’s economy: In addition to managing Ontario's response to U.S. tariffs, Minister Bethlenfalvy and Minister Fedeli alongside Minister Mulroney, Minister Surma and Minster Pirie are collectively responsible for orchestrating a delicate balancing act between contending with the impact of the ongoing trade war and fostering an environment conducive to business growth and investment. The Premier is confident in his government’s ability to strengthen the province's economic foundation while withstanding a tumultuous economic reality.

3. Protecting workers: Premier Ford emphasizes the importance of building a strong foundation for Ontario by ensuring job security for its workers through targeted policies that offer opportunities and a safety net. Ministers Piccini and Fedeli are expected to prioritize this issue and protect Ontario's workforce. Their efforts will likely be supported by other ministries, especially those dealing with potential job cuts due to ongoing trade challenges or broader labour shortages.

4. Keeping Ontario competitive: Premier Ford looks to one of his longest-serving cabinet ministers, Minister Fedeli, to bring forward a refreshed approach to enhancing Ontario’s competitiveness by attracting businesses to the province and simultaneously demonstrating Ontario’s economic strength internationally, both through interprovincial and international trade partnerships. Several other ministers will likely play a major role in advancing this priority.

5. Cleaning up our streets: Minister Downey alongside Associate Ministers Hamid and Quinn will be focused on curtailing public safety concerns. Public safety is one of the core policy areas that the Progressive Conservatives (PC) have prioritized through their second term as it is often cited as a key concern of PC voters.

6. Delivering better care and services: For a third consecutive term, improving the healthcare system has remained a top priority for Premier Ford. Though, opposition may argue that it indicates a failure of sorts since the government has failed to appropriately address this issue as it has continued to persist. Minister Jones and Associate Minister Thanigasalam will be working together with Special Advisor Jane Philpott to enable improved access to healthcare services through an efficient delivery system that meet Ontarians' needs effectively.

What’s next?

As Premier Ford's newly appointed cabinet settles into their roles, the immediate focus will be on staffing up their offices and gaining a comprehensive understanding of their respective portfolios. On April 14th, we will also see the legislature resume and elect a new speaker, with a throne speech outlining government priorities to follow a day later.

Ministers are expected to hit the ground running, executing the mandates set forth by Premier Ford with the overarching goal of protecting Ontario. This period is crucial for establishing strong working relationships within ministries and with key stakeholders across Ontario.

For organizations looking to engage with the government, now is an opportunity to reconnect with ministers and align on shared priorities. National Toronto’s team of Public Affairs experts is here to support your efforts in navigating Ontario’s new political landscape, ensuring that your organization's interests are effectively communicated and considered as policies take shape. Whether it's through strategic advocacy or building collaborative partnerships, we are here to help you make meaningful connections with decision makers.