Ford shuffles housing, education ministers in new cabinet that has familiar faces

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has named a new cabinet three weeks after winning a third Consecutive majority government, with many familiar faces, though he has shuffled his housing and education ministers.

Lt.-Gov. Edith Dumont swore in the premier and his executive council in a ceremony at the Royal Ontario Museum on Wednesday afternoon.

Ford has kept the cabinet the same size, which he had increased since he was first elected in 2018, and his last cabinet grew to 37 people in August after he brought new associate ministers on board.

Ford’s cabinet ministers are mainly the same as before with some changes in positions.

Paul Calandra, who was previously the housing minister, will now serve as Minister of Education. MPP Rob Flack will now have the housing portfolio, as well as municipal affairs. Todd McCarthy will now serve as Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, while Jill Dunlop is now Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response.

Sylvia Jones remains deputy premier and health minister while Peter Bethlenfalvy continues as finance minister.

Ford moved former environment minister Andrea Khanjin to red tape reduction. Graham McGregor is taking on the role of minister of citizenship and multiculturalism, a post previously held by Michael Ford, the premier’s nephew, who did not run again in the February snap election.

Zee Hamid is the lone new face in cabinet as he becomes the associate minister of auto theft and bail reform.

Michael Tibollo, who was the associate minister of mental health and addictions, has been shuffled to become the associate attorney general while Vijay Thanigasalam takes over his old post.

George Pirie is out as mining minister and is moving to become minister of northern economic development and growth. Energy Minister Stephen Lecce is adding mining to his responsibilities, while Labour Minister David Piccini retains the same position.

Former housing minister Steve Clark, who resigned in the wake of the Greenbelt land-grab scandal, remains as government house leader, though it’s not a cabinet position.

Ford signalled beforehand he wasn’t going to change his leadership group much.

The province’s new Executive Council is as follows:

• Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
• Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health
• Trevor Jones, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness
• Doug Downey, Attorney General
• Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services
• Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism
• Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security
• Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
• Paul Calandra, Minister of Education
• Jill Dunlop, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines
• Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
• Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance
• Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation and the Minister Responsible for Ring of Fire Economic and Community Partnerships
• Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure
• David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
• Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care
• Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
• Mike Harris, Minister of Natural Resources
• George Pirie, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth
• Stephen Crawford, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement
• Andrea Khanjin, Minister of Red Tape Reduction
• Lisa Thompson, Minister of Rural Affairs
• Raymond Cho, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility
• Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General
• Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport
• Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming
• Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation
• Caroline Mulroney, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Francophone Affairs
• Michael Tibollo, Associate Attorney General, as part of the Ministry of the Attorney General
• Zee Hamid, Associate Minister of Auto Theft and Bail Reform, as part of the Ministry of the Solicitor General
• Sam Oosterhoff, Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries, as part of the Ministry of Energy and Mines
• Kevin Holland, Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products, as part of the Ministry of Natural Resources
• Graydon Smith, Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as part of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
• Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, as part of the Ministry of Health
• Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business, as part of the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
• Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, as part of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

In reaction to the cabinet unveiling, Marit Stiles, Leader of the Official Opposition, said “this is not the time for more of the same.”

“This cabinet includes the same Minister of Transportation who couldn’t open a transit line, the same Minister of Health who downplayed the doctor shortage, and the same Minister of Infrastructure who spent weeks dodging basic questions. All in the most expensive front bench in the province’s history,” the Ontario NDP Leader said.

Ford and the PCs were elected to 80 seats across the province in the snap election, three less than his 2022 win, and the Ontario NDP were elected the Official Opposition on Feb. 27.

The Ontario Legislature will be called back on April 14 to begin the 44th session of Parliament. The Throne Speech, delivered by the Lieutenant Governor, will happen the next day, on April 15.

The speech will outline the government’s plans and priorities for the new session.

With files from Meredith Bond, CityNews