# Government of Ontario

The Government of Ontario (French: Gouvernement de l'Ontario) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Ontario. The term Government of Ontario refers specifically to the executive—political ministers of the Crown (the Cabinet/Executive Council), appointed on the advice of the premier, and the non-partisan Ontario Public Service (whom the Executive Council directs), who staff ministries and agencies to deliver government policies, programs, and services—which corporately brands itself as the Government of Ontario, or more formally, His Majesty's Government of Ontario (French: Gouvernement de l’Ontario de Sa Majesté).

## Role of the Crown

King Charles III, as monarch of Canada is also the King in Right of Ontario. As a Commonwealth realm, the Canadian monarch is shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations. Within Canada, the monarch exercises power individually on behalf of the federal government, and the 10 provinces.

### Lieutenant governor

The powers of the Crown are vested in the monarch and are exercised by the lieutenant governor. The advice of the premier and Executive Council is typically binding; the Constitution Act, 1867 requires executive power to be exercised only "by and with the Advice of the Executive Council".
The lieutenant governor is appointed by the governor general, on the advice of the prime minister of Canada. Thus, it is typically the lieutenant governor whom the premier and ministers advise, exercising much of the royal prerogative and granting royal assent.
While the advice of the premier and Executive Council is typically binding on the lieutenant governor, there are occasions when the lieutenant governor has refused advice. This usually occurs if the premier does not clearly command the confidence of the elected Legislative Assembly.

### King-in-Council

The executive power is vested in the Crown and exercised "in-Council", meaning on the advice of the Executive Council; conventionally, this is the Cabinet, which is chaired by the premier and comprises ministers of the Crown.

## Premier and Executive Council

The term Government of Ontario, or more formally, His Majesty's Government refers to the activities of the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council. The day-to-day operation and activities of the Government of Ontario are performed by the provincial departments and agencies, staffed by the non-partisan Ontario Public Service and directed by the elected government.

### Premier

The premier of Ontario is the first minister of the Crown. The premier acts as the head of government for the province, chairs and selects the membership of the Cabinet, and advises the Crown on the exercise of executive power and much of the royal prerogative. As premiers hold office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the elected Legislative Assembly, they typically sit as a MPP and lead the largest party or a coalition in the Assembly. Once sworn in, the premier holds office until their resignation or removal by the lieutenant governor after either a motion of no confidence or defeat in a general election.
In Canada, the Cabinet (French: Conseil des ministres, lit. 'council of ministers') of provincial and territorial governments are known as an Executive Council (French: Conseil exécutif).
The premier of Ontario is Doug Ford of the Progressive Conservatives since the 2018 election; the 26th since Confederation.

### Cabinet membership

| Ministry | Minister | Assumed present office |
| Cabinet Office | Doug Ford (Premier) | June 29, 2018 |
| Cabinet Office | Sylvia Jones (Deputy Premier) | June 24, 2022 |
| Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs | Lisa Thompson | June 18, 2021 |
| Ministry of the Attorney General | Doug Downey (Attorney General) | June 20, 2019 |
| Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services | Michael Parsa | March 24, 2023 |
| Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services | Charmaine Williams (Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity) | June 24, 2022 |
| Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism | Michael Ford | June 24, 2022 |
| Ministry of Colleges and Universities | Nolan Quinn | June 18, 2021 |
| Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade | Vic Fedeli | June 20, 2019 |
| Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade | Nina Tangri (Associate Minister of Small Business ) | September 22, 2023 |
| Ministry of Education | Jill Dunlop | June 20, 2019 |
| Ministry of Energy | Steven Lecce | June 18, 2021 |
| Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks | Andrea Khanjin | September 22, 2023 |
| Ministry of Finance | Peter Bethlenfalvy | December 31, 2020 |
| Ministry of Francophone Affairs | Caroline Mulroney | June 29, 2018 |
| Ministry of Health | Sylvia Jones | June 24, 2022 |
| Ministry of Health | Michael Tibollo (Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions) | June 20, 2019 |
| Ministry of Indigenous Affairs | Greg Rickford | June 29, 2018 |
| Ministry of Infrastructure | Kinga Surma | June 18, 2021 |
| Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs | Doug Ford | June 29, 2018 |
| Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development | David Piccini | September 22, 2023 |
| Ministry of Legislative Affairs | Paul Calandra | October 19, 2021 |
| Ministry of Long-Term Care | Stan Cho | September 4, 2023 |
| Ministry of Mines | George Pirie | June 24, 2022 |
| Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing | Paul Calandra | September 4, 2023 |
| Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing | Rob Flack (Associate Minister of Housing) | September 4, 2023 |
| Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry | Graydon Smith | June 24, 2022 |
| Ministry of Northern Development | Greg Rickford | June 24, 2022 |
| Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery | Todd McCarthy | September 4, 2023 |
| Ministry of Red Tape Reduction | Parm Gill | June 24, 2022 |
| Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility | Raymond Cho | June 29, 2018 |
| Ministry of the Solicitor General | Michael Kerzner (Solicitor General) | June 24, 2022 |
| Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport | Neil Lumsden | June 24, 2022 |
| Ministry of Transportation | Prabmeet Sarkaria | September 4, 2023 |
| Ministry of Transportation | Vijay Thanigasalam | September 22, 2023 |
| Treasury Board | Caroline Mulroney (President of the Treasury Board) | September 4, 2023 |

#### Crown corporations
## Ontario Public Service

The Government of Ontario employs 63,000+ public servants in its non-partisan workforce called the Ontario Public Service (OPS). The OPS helps the government design and deliver policies and programs. The head of the OPS is the Secretary of Cabinet and each ministry in the OPS has a Deputy Minister. The OPS public servants work in areas like administration, communications, data analytics, finance, information technology, law, policy, program development, service delivery, science and research.
Over 80% of the OPS workforce is unionized, which includes the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and the Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario.
The Government of Ontario is not the same as Broader Public Sector (BPS) organizations. While both provide goods and services to Ontarians, BPS organizations receive funding from the Government of Ontario, but are not a part of the government themselves. BPS organizations are also subject to legislation and directives.
Public servants who are paid $100,000 or more are subject to the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act. This list is colloquially known as the sunshine list.