Premier Doug Ford has shuffled and expanded his cabinet, and appointed Steve Clark — who resigned as Housing minister over the Greenbelt scandal — as government house leader.
Most heavy hitters will stay in their key portfolios: Sylvia Jones remains deputy premier and Minister of Health, Paul Calandra remains Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Peter Bethlenfalvy remains Minister of Finance and Doug Downey remains Attorney General.
However, Stephen Lecce has been named Minister of Energy and Electrification and the former Energy Minister, Todd Smith, has been named Minister of Education.
Clark, while the new government house leader, is not in cabinet.
The government announced the following changes:
- Premier Doug Ford remains Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
- Sylvia Jones remains Deputy Premier and Minister of Health
- Peter Bethlenfalvy remains Minister of Finance
- Paul Calandra remains Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
- Raymond Cho remains Minister of Seniors and Accessibility
- Stan Cho becomes Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, with responsibility for OLG
- Doug Downey remains Attorney General
- Jill Dunlop remains Minister of Colleges and Universities
- Vic Fedeli remains Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
- Rob Flack becomes Minister of Farming, Agriculture and Agribusiness
- Michael Ford remains Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism
- Mike Harris becomes Minister of Red Tape Reduction
- Michael Kerzner remains Solicitor General
- Andrea Khanjin remains Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks
- Natalia Kusendova-Bashta becomes Minister of Long-Term Care
- Stephen Lecce becomes Minister of Energy and Electrification
- Neil Lumsden becomes Minister of Sport
- Todd McCarthy becomes Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, with responsibility for Supply Ontario
- Caroline Mulroney remains President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Francophone Affairs
- Michael Parsa remains Minister of Children, Community and Social Services
- David Piccini remains Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
- George Pirie remains Minister of Mines
- Greg Rickford becomes Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation and remains Minister of Northern Development
- Prabmeet Sarkaria remains Minister of Transportation
- Todd Smith becomes Minister of Education
- Graydon Smith becomes Minister of Natural Resources
- Kinga Surma remains Minister of Infrastructure
- Lisa Thompson becomes Minister of Rural Affairs
- Stephen Crawford becomes Associate Minister of Mines as part of the Ministry of Mines
- Trevor Jones becomes Associate Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response as part of Treasury Board Secretariat
- Sam Oosterhoff becomes Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries as part of the Ministry of Energy and Electrification
- Nolan Quinn becomes Associate Minister of Forestry as part of the Ministry of Natural Resources
- Nina Tangri remains Associate Minister of Small Business as part of the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
- Vijay Thanigasalam becomes Associate Minister of Housing as part of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
- Michael Tibollo remains Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions as part of the Ministry of Health
- Charmaine Williams remains Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity as part of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
Earlier in the day, Calandra, then the Government House Leader, moved to end the legislative session a week early and to delay the return to the legislature until Oct. 21, meaning MPPs will get a 19-week summer break. Last year, the house rose on June 8 and came back on Sept. 25 for a 15-week break.
The premier kicked off a round of early-election speculation earlier this month when he repeatedly declined to rule out going to the polls before the next scheduled election date in June 2026. He later ruled out calling one this summer or fall but declined again to rule out a contest in 2025.
More to come
