# Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (previously the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries from 2019 to 2022), was created on January 18, 2010 when the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism were combined under one ministry. Sport was added to the portfolio in 2011. It is responsible for the development of policies and programs and the operation of programs related to tourism, arts, cultural industries, heritage sectors and libraries, in Ontario. The Ministry works in partnership with its agencies, attractions, boards and commissions and the private sector to maximize the economic, cultural and social contributions of its agencies and attractions, while promoting the tourism industry and preserving Ontario's culture and heritage.

## Organizational history

In the early years of Confederation, a Commissioner of Agriculture and Arts and a Bureau of Agriculture and Arts existed. "Arts", at the time however, referred to the practical application of an industrial, manufacturing, or scientific pursuit, rather than to its current meaning.
A Tourist and Publicity Bureau was set up in 1924 to promote Ontario’s attractions, especially those associated with nature and the outdoors. The bureau was initially a part of the Highways Department. In 1935, the bureau was renamed the Travel and Publicity Bureau, and was moved to Department of the Prime Minister. In 1944, the bureau moved to the Treasury Department.
In 1946, the bureau was upgrade to the Department of Travel and Publicity. At establishment, the department consisted of only approximately fifteen employees in four branches: publicity, the information, winter promotion, and development branches. In 1958, the department began taking on responsibilities for the cultural area, with the establishment of the historical branch and the transfer of the theatres branch from the Treasury Department.
In March 1964, the department restructured and renamed the Department of Tourism and Information. In April 1972 the department merged with the Department of Trade and Development to become the Ministry of Industry and Tourism.
In 1975, a standalone Ministry of Culture and Recreation was established, taking on responsibilities for cultural (transferred from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities), recreational and citizenship (transferred from the Ministry of Community and Social Services). It took on oversight functions for key institutions such as Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Heritage Foundation, Art Gallery of Ontario, and Ontario Science Centre.
In the government restructuring in 1982, the various tourism and culture related responsibilities were distributed to the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation and the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture. In 1987, the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture was further divided into Ministry of Citizenship and the Ministry of Culture and Communications (taking on responsibilities for communications and broadcasting from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications).
In 1993 the responsibilities for tourism and culture were united under the newly amalgamated Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation. (Communications functions were transferred to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.) However, those two responsibilities would be divided and re-united numerous time over the next two decades. When the Progressive Conservatives under Mike Harris came to power in 1995, it again separated the tourism functions and culture functions, to Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism and Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation. The Ministry of Tourism again became a standalone ministry in 1999, and was reunited with the cultural functions in 2001 as Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. The two functions were divided again in 2002, and were merged again in 2010. Sport was added to the ministry's name at the cabinet reshuffle following the 2011 provincial election.
The ministry was renamed to Ministry Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries in 2019. Following the appointment of Neil Lumsden as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport in 2022, the Ministry was renamed back to Tourism, Culture and Sport. Following the appointment of Stan Cho as the Minister of tourism, culture and gaming, with responsibility for OLG on June 6 2024, the Ministry was renamed to Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, and Ministry of Sport.

## Agencies

Cultural agencies overseen by the ministry include:
* Advisory Council to the Order of Ontario
* Art Gallery of Ontario
* Conservation Review Board
* McMichael Canadian Art Collection
* Ontario Arts Council
* Ontario Heritage Trust
* Ontario Honours Advisory Council
* Ontario Media Development Corporation
* Ontario Science Centre
* Ontario Trillium Foundation
* Royal Botanical Gardens
* Royal Ontario Museum
* Science North
* Trillium Book Award
* Southern Ontario Library Service (see Ontario Public Libraries)
* Ontario Library Service North (see Ontario Public Libraries)
Tourism agencies and attractions overseen by the ministry include:
* Fort William Historical Park
* Huronia Historical Parks: Sainte-Marie among the Hurons and Discovery Harbour
* Metro Toronto Convention Centre
* Niagara Parks Commission
* Ontario Place Corporation
* Destination Ontario (formerly called Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation)
* Ottawa Convention Centre
* St. Lawrence Parks Commission

## List of ministers

| | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party (Ministry) | Note |
| | Minister of Travel and Publicity | Minister of Travel and Publicity | Minister of Travel and Publicity | | PC (Drew) | |
| | George Arthur Welsh | March 25, 1946 | October 19, 1948 | | |
| | Louis-Pierre Cécile | October 19, 1948 | May 4, 1949 | | PC (Kennedy) | |
| | Louis-Pierre Cécile | May 4, 1949 | August 17, 1955 | | PC (Frost) | |
| | Bryan Lewis Cathcart | August 17, 1955 | November 8, 1961 | | |
| | Bryan Lewis Cathcart | November 8, 1961 | August 14, 1963 | | PC (Robarts) | |
| | James Auld | August 14, 1963 | March 25, 1964 | | |
| | Minister of Tourism and Information | Minister of Tourism and Information | Minister of Tourism and Information | | |
| | James Auld | March 25, 1964 | March 1, 1971 | | |
| | Fernand Guindon | March 1, 1971 | February 2, 1972 | | PC (Davis) | |
| | John White | February 2, 1972 | April 7, 1972 | | White was concurrently Minister of Trade and Development |
| | Minister of Industry and Tourism | Minister of Industry and Tourism | Minister of Industry and Tourism | | |
| | John White | April 7, 1972 | January 15, 1973 | | |
| | Claude Bennett | January 15, 1973 | January 21, 1978 | Minister of Culture and Recreation | Minister of Culture and Recreation | Minister of Culture and Recreation | |
| Bob Welch | Claude Bennett | January 15, 1973 | January 21, 1978 | January 14, 1975 | August 16, 1978 | |
| Bob Welch | | John Rhodes | January 21, 1978 | January 14, 1975 | August 16, 1978 | September 25, 1978 | Rhodes died in office, suffered a heart attack during a trade mission to the Middle East with Premier Davis. |
| | Larry Grossman | October 18, 1978 | February 13, 1982 | Reuben Baetz | August 18, 1978 | February 13, 1982 | |
| | Minister of Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Citizenship and Culture | Minister of Citizenship and Culture | Minister of Citizenship and Culture | |
| | Reuben Baetz | February 13, 1982 | February 8, 1985 | Bruce McCaffrey | February 13, 1982 | July 6, 1983 | |
| | Reuben Baetz | February 13, 1982 | February 8, 1985 | Susan Fish | July 6, 1983 | February 8, 1985 | |
| | Claude Bennett | February 8, 1985 | June 26, 1985 | Susan Fish | February 8, 1985 | May 17, 1985 | PC (Miller) | |
| | Claude Bennett | February 8, 1985 | June 26, 1985 | Nick Leluk | May 17, 1985 | June 26, 1985 | |
| | John Eakins | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 | Lily Munro | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 | Liberal (Peterson) | |
| | Hugh O'Neil | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 | Minister of Culture and Communications | Minister of Culture and Communications | Minister of Culture and Communications | |
| | Hugh O'Neil | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 | Lily Munro | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 | |
| | Ken Black | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 | Christine Hart | August 2, 1989 | June 5, 1990 | |
| | Ken Black | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 | Hugh O'Neil | June 5, 1990 | October 1, 1990 | |
| | Peter North | October 1, 1990 | November 13, 1992 | Rosario Marchese | October 1, 1990 | July 31, 1991 | NDP (Rae) | |
| | Peter North | October 1, 1990 | November 13, 1992 | Karen Haslam | July 31, 1991 | February 3, 1993 | |
| | Ed Philip | November 13, 1992 | February 3, 1993 | Karen Haslam | July 31, 1991 | February 3, 1993 | Philip was concurrently Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology |
| | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | |
| | Anne Swarbrick | Anne Swarbrick | Anne Swarbrick | Anne Swarbrick | February 3, 1993 | June 26, 1995 | |
| | Minister Economic Development, Trade and Tourism | Minister Economic Development, Trade and Tourism | Minister Economic Development, Trade and Tourism | Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation | Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation | Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation | PC (Harris) | |
| | Bill Saunderson | June 26, 1995 | October 10, 1997 | Marilyn Mushinski | June 26, 1995 | October 10, 1997 | PC (Harris) | |
| | Al Palladini | October 10, 1997 | June 17, 1999 | Isabel Bassett | October 10, 1997 | June 17, 1999 | PC (Harris) | |
| | Minister of Tourism | Minister of Tourism | Minister of Tourism | Helen Johns | June 17, 1999 | February 7, 2001 | PC (Harris) | |
| | Cam Jackson | June 17, 1999 | February 7, 2001 | Helen Johns | June 17, 1999 | February 7, 2001 | PC (Harris) | |
| | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation | PC (Harris) | |
| | Tim Hudak | Tim Hudak | Tim Hudak | Tim Hudak | February 8, 2001 | April 14, 2002 | PC (Harris) | |
| | Minister of Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Tourism and Recreation | Minister of Culture | Minister of Culture | Minister of Culture | PC (Eves) | |
| | Cam Jackson | April 15, 2002 | October 2, 2002 | David Tsubouchi | April 15, 2002 | October 22, 2003 | PC (Eves) | Tsubouchi was concurrently Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet |
| | Frank Klees | October 3, 2002 | February 25, 2003 | David Tsubouchi | April 15, 2002 | October 22, 2003 | PC (Eves) | Tsubouchi was concurrently Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet |
| | Brian Coburn | February 25, 2003 | October 22, 2003 | David Tsubouchi | April 15, 2002 | October 22, 2003 | PC (Eves) | Tsubouchi was concurrently Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet |
| | Jim Bradley | October 23, 2003 | June 29, 2005 | Madeleine Meilleur | October 23, 2003 | April 5, 2006 | Liberal (McGuinty) | |
| | Minister of Tourism | Minister of Tourism | Minister of Tourism | Madeleine Meilleur | October 23, 2003 | April 5, 2006 | |
| | Jim Bradley | June 29, 2005 | October 30, 2007 | Madeleine Meilleur | October 23, 2003 | April 5, 2006 | |
| Caroline Di Cocco | Jim Bradley | June 29, 2005 | October 30, 2007 | April 5, 2006 | October 30, 2007 | |
| | Peter Fonseca | October 30, 2007 | September 18, 2008 | Aileen Carroll | October 30, 2007 | January 18, 2010 | |
| | Monique Smith | September 18, 2008 | January 18, 2010 | Aileen Carroll | October 30, 2007 | January 18, 2010 | |
| | Minister of Tourism and Culture | Minister of Tourism and Culture | Minister of Tourism and Culture | Minister of Tourism and Culture | Minister of Tourism and Culture | Minister of Tourism and Culture | |
| | Michael Chan | Michael Chan | Michael Chan | Michael Chan | January 18, 2010 | December 7, 2011 | |
| | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | |
| | Michael Chan | Michael Chan | Michael Chan | Michael Chan | December 7, 2011 | February 11, 2013 | |
| | February 11, 2013 | June 24, 2014 | Liberal (Wynne) | |
| | Michael Coteau | Michael Coteau | Michael Coteau | Michael Coteau | June 24, 2014 | June 13, 2016 | |
| | Eleanor McMahon | Eleanor McMahon | Eleanor McMahon | Eleanor McMahon | June 13, 2016 | January 17, 2018 | |
| | Daiene Vernile | Daiene Vernile | Daiene Vernile | Daiene Vernile | January 17, 2018 | June 29, 2018 | |
| | Sylvia Jones | Sylvia Jones | Sylvia Jones | Sylvia Jones | June 29, 2018 | November 5, 2018 | PC (Ford) | |
| | Michael Tibollo | Michael Tibollo | Michael Tibollo | Michael Tibollo | November 5, 2018 | June 20, 2019 | |
| | Lisa MacLeod | Lisa MacLeod | Lisa MacLeod | Lisa MacLeod | June 20, 2019 | October 21, 2019 | |
| | Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries | Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries | Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries | Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries | Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries | Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries | |
| | Lisa MacLeod | Lisa MacLeod | Lisa MacLeod | Lisa MacLeod | October 21, 2019 | June 24, 2022 | |
| | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport | |
| | Neil Lumsden | Neil Lumsden | Neil Lumsden | Neil Lumsden | June 24, 2022 | June 6, 2024 | |
| | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming | Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming | Minister of Sport | Minister of Sport | Minister of Sport | |
| | Stan Cho | June 6, 2024 | Present | Neil Lumsden | June 6, 2024 | Present | |