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Premier Ford makes significant changes to cabinet one year prior to election

On June, 18, 2021, Premier Doug Ford unveiled a new cabinet, adding one new associate minister and three new ministers. As the PCs look to solidify Greater Toronto Area support ahead of next year’s general election, veteran ministers from mostly rural ridings are out, while six MPPs from GTA ridings have been promoted into cabinet.

Major players during the pandemic have kept their portfolios, including Christine Elliott, Minister of Health and Deputy Premier. Premier Ford; however, has signalled a complete reset of the long-term care portfolio, with the return of former Finance Minister Rod Philips as the new Minister of Long-Term Care. Former Minister of Long-Term Care, Merrilee Fullerton, has moved to take on the role of Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.

Other key players who have kept their portfolio include:

  • Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education

  • Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance

  • Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour

  • Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General

  • Doug Downey, Attorney General

  • Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation

  • Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture

  • Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility

  • Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade

  • Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions

Several ministers have been shuffled out of cabinet positions including Jeff Yurek, former Minister of Energy; John Yakabuski, former Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry; Ernie Hardeman, former Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Laurie Scott, former Minister of Infrastructure; and Bill Walker, former Associate Energy Minister.

Members with new portfolios

David Piccini, MPP for Northumberland-Peterborough South, becomes Minister of Environment after serving as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Colleges and Universities.

Todd Smith, MPP for Bay of Quinte, becomes Minister of Energy after serving as Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. The Ministry of Energy was formerly part of the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines but is now a stand alone portfolio.

Parm Gill, MPP for Milton, becomes Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism after serving as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (Housing).

Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP for Pickering-Uxbridge, Minister of Finance,  will also assume responsibility for Ontario’s digital government strategy within the Ministry of Finance.

Jill Dunlop, MPP for Simcoe North,  becomes Minister of Colleges and Universities after serving as Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues.

Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria, MPP for Brampton South, becomes President of the Treasury Board after serving as Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction.

Kinga Surma, MPP for Etobicoke Centre, becomes Minister of Infrastructure after serving as Associate Minister of Transportation.

Stan Cho, MPP for Willowdale, becomes Associate Minister of Transportation, reporting to Minister Mulroney. He was formerly the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance.

Jane McKenna, MPP for Burlington, becomes Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues, reporting to Minister Fullerton. She was formerly the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development.

Nina Tangri, MPP for Mississauga Streetsville, becomes Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape, reporting to Minister Fedeli. She was formerly the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (Economic Development).

Kaleed Rasheed, MPP for Mississauga East-Cooksville, becomes Associate Minister of Digital Government, reporting to Minister Bethlenfalvy.


Additional reading

Read the Government of Ontario’s press release here.

Meet the full cabinet here.