# Deputy Premier of Ontario

The deputy premier of Ontario (French: vice-première ministre de l'Ontario) is a minister of the Crown and senior member of the provincial Executive Council (Cabinet). The office was first created in 1977, and is conferred on the advice of the premier of Ontario. Though the role is seen as informally important, it does not hold formal legal power in its own right, and does not automatically receive any powers in the case of absence or death of a premier.
Sylvia Jones is the 12th and current deputy premier of Ontario, assuming office on June 24, 2022. She concurrently serves as the minister of health.

## History

For much of the province's early history, the position of provincial secretary and registrar of Ontario was the second most powerful position in the Ontario Cabinet. This role diminished by the 1960s, overtaken by the deputy premier in 1977 and abolished in 1985.
To date, every person serving as deputy premier of Ontario has also concurrently held another senior position in the Ontario Cabinet. Bette Stephenson, Robert Nixon, Floyd Laughren, Ernie Eves, Jim Flaherty, and Dwight Duncan were all concurrently provincial treasurer or, as that position was renamed in 1993, minister of Finance.
Christine Elliott, deputy premier from 2018 to 2022, was widow of Jim Flaherty, deputy premier from 2001 to 2002 (who died in 2014).

## Deputy premiers of Ontario

| | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Tenure | Political party (Ministry) | Note |
| 1 | Bob Welch | September 21, 1977 | February 8, 1985 | 7 years, 238 days | PC (Davis) | While Attorney General, Provincial Secretary for Justice, Minister of Culture and Recreation (1977–78), Minister of Energy (1979–83) & Minister Responsible for Women's Issues (1983–85) |
| February 8, 1985 | May 17, 1985 | PC (Miller) | While Attorney General |
| 2 | Bette Stephenson | PC (Miller) | May 17, 1985 | June 26, 1985 | 40 days | While Treasurer & Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet |
| | Vacant | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 | | Liberal (Peterson) | |
| 3 | Robert Nixon | September 29, 1987 | October 1, 1990 | 3 years, 2 days | Liberal (Peterson) | While Treasurer, Minister of Economics and Minister of Financial Institutions |
| 4 | Floyd Laughren | October 1, 1990 | June 26, 1995 | 4 years, 268 days | NDP (Rae) | While Minister of Economics and Treasurer (1990–93) & Minister of Finance (1993-95) |
| 5 | Ernie Eves | June 26, 1995 | February 8, 2001 | 5 years, 227 days | PC (Harris) | While Minister of Finance |
| 6 | Jim Flaherty | February 8, 2001 | April 14, 2002 | 1 year, 65 days | PC (Harris) | While Minister of Finance |
| 7 | Elizabeth Witmer | April 15, 2002 | October 22, 2003 | 1 year, 190 days | PC (Eves) | While Minister of Education |
| | Vacant | October 23, 2003 | September 20, 2006 | | Liberal (McGuinty) | |
| 8 | George Smitherman | September 21, 2006 | November 9, 2009 | 2 years, 352 days | Liberal (McGuinty) | While Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (2006–08) & Minister of Energy and Infrastructure (2008–09) |
| | Vacant | September 9, 2009 | October 19, 2011 | | Liberal (McGuinty) | |
| 9 | Dwight Duncan | October 20, 2011 | February 11, 2013 | 1 year, 114 days | Liberal (McGuinty) | While Minister of Finance & Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet |
| 10 | Deb Matthews | February 11, 2013 | January 17, 2018 | 4 years, 340 days | Liberal (Wynne) | While Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (2013–14), President of the Treasury Board (2014–16) & Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development (2016–18) |
| | Vacant | January 17, 2018 | June 29, 2018 | | Liberal (Wynne) | |
| 11 | Christine Elliott | June 29, 2018 | June 24, 2022 | 3 years, 360 days | PC (Ford) | While Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (until June 20, 2019) and while Minister of Health (June 20, 2019 – June 24, 2022) |
| 12 | Sylvia Jones | June 24, 2022 | Present | 2 years, 124 days | PC (Ford) | While Minister of Health (June 24, 2022 – Present) |