When you need to know about: The Ontario Cabinet Shuffle

Yesterday afternoon, after the legislature rose for an extended summer break, a sudden but widely speculated cabinet shuffle occurred. At 36 members, Doug Ford’s newest team is the largest Cabinet in Ontario’s history.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Swapping: The most significant change is former Education Minister Stephen Lecce, now taking over the re-titled Ministry of Energy and Electrification.? Adding Electrification to the ministry gives a specific eye and mandate to the province’s EV policy and to address the rising demand for additional electricity required in order to meet the federal ‘zero-emission’ mandate that takes effect next year.? ?Sam Oosterhoff is now the Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries. The addition of a supporting Ministry to Energy signals that bolstering Ontario’s power grid, creating generating capacity, and preparing the province for EVs to supplement its billions of dollars of investment will be a priority area for the government and potentially a campaign narrative piece. This also comes after the Ontario government invested $1 billion in Associate Minister Oosterhoff’s region to refurbish electricity-generating plants.
• Former Energy Minister Todd Smith is now Minister of Education. He is known for his ability to neutralize contentious issues for the province, most notably for his positive reputation with stakeholders as Minister of Children, Community, and Social Services in the early Ford government.
• The Ministers of Health, Finance, Colleges and Universities, and the Environment remain unchanged.
• Todd McCarthy’s Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery (MPBSD) is now overseeing the Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement of Supply Ontario. This is a significant move as it consolidates Supply Ontario under MPBSD, allowing more coherence and elevating the Ministry's power.
• There are new faces around the cabinet table:? Natalia Kusendova-Bashta is the new Minister of Long-Term Care. Given her nursing background and a needed cabinet representative for Mississauga, this was a fitting role.? Mike Harris Jr., former Premier Harris’ son, will now oversee the Ministry of Red Tape Reduction—providing regional representation to Kitchener-Waterloo. Nolan Quinn is the new Associate Minister of Forestry, bringing a much-needed Eastern Ontario voice to the cabinet table. A former OPP officer, Trevor Jones is now the Associate Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response. His responsibilities will lie within the Treasury Board, and his most pressing task will be the approaching forest fire season.? Stephen Crawford is the new Associate Minister of Mines with the critical task of supporting Ring of Fire development, which is foundational to the success of a start-to-finish supply chain for electric vehicles.
• The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport has been split up. Stan Cho is now at Tourism, Culture and Gaming, with responsibility for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, and Neil Lumsden (ex-CFL player) is staying on as Minister of Sport.
• Rob Flack is moving from Associate Minister of Housing to Minister of the renamed Ministry of Farming, Agriculture and Agribusiness. Before his political career, Flack was president and CEO of Masterfeeds and raised Dorbay Polled Hereford cattle in his riding of Elgin – Middlesex – London.
• Lisa Thompson is now the Minister of Rural Affairs.
• Greg Rickford leads the now-standalone Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation, keeping Northern Development.
• Vijay Thanigasalam is moving from Associate Minister of Transportation to Associate Housing Minister. His voice around the cabinet table will bring an urban lens to the housing issue.
• Former Minister Steve Clark is back in a leadership role with the government, becoming Premier Ford’s Government House Leader.?

The Ford government is over two years into its renewed mandate, and this cabinet shuffle is the first move to prepare for the next election in 2026 (or earlier). The refreshed cabinet also has the time to get up to speed on its new files, as the legislature is set to return in mid-October.

With these significant ministerial changes, staffing changes are on the horizon. McMillan Vantage is uniquely positioned to deliver insights on those changes and how they impact you and your business. The upcoming fall session presents risk and opportunity for the government and stakeholders alike. Times of change require tactful advice to avoid missteps and present fresh opportunities to re-assert issues that may have fallen off the government’s priority list.

To ensure your organization stays ahead of the competition, McMillan Vantage has the experience and sound counsel to provide you with direction when you need it most. Contact us at [email protected].