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Ministry of Energy (Ontario)

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Ministry of Energy and Electrification
Ministère de l’Énergie (French)
Ministry overview
Formed2002
Preceding Ministry
  • Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology
JurisdictionGovernment of Ontario
Ministers responsible
  • Hon. Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Electrification
  • Dave Smith, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines with responsibility for Energy

The Ministry of Energy and Electrification’s responsibility is ensuring that Ontario's electricity system functions with reliability and productivity, and promoting innovation in the energy sector. In April 2002, it was renamed the Ministry of Energy, with the newly created Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation taking over responsibility for its science and technology portfolio.[1] It was integrated as the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure between 2007 and 2010, before it was split back into the Ministry of Energy on August 18, 2010. Since June 6, 2024, The Minister of Energy is the Honourable Stephen Lecce.

In 2021, the Ministry of Energy again became a separate ministry when the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines merged with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to form the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry.[2]

Responsibilities

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Several agencies and crown corporations are under the Ministry:

From 1974 to 1999 Ontario Hydro reported to the Minister, but the public utility was broken up into various agencies and crown corporations. Prior to 1974 Ontario Hydro reported to Commissioners appointed by the Premier and a few were Ministers without Portfolio.

The Commission was headed by a Chairman:

History

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The Department of Energy Resources was established by legislation in 1959.[3] The Ontario Fuel Board was also attached to the department until 1960. When the board was dissolved in 1960, its administrative functions were assumed by the department, while its judicial functions were taken over by the Ontario Energy Board.

In 1964, the department acquired responsibility over the conservation authorities from the Department of Lands and Forests, and was renamed the Department of Energy and Resources Management.

In 1970, the energy responsibilities of the department, including the Ontario Energy Board, were removed and transferred to the Department of Mines and Northern Affairs. The remaining responsibilities over conservation, air management and waste manager form the new Department of the Environment in 1971.

In 1973, the Ministry of Energy was re-established,[4] assuming responsibilities over energy policy; energy conservation and planning; and energy technology development. Agencies which reported to the ministry included the Ontario Energy Board, the Ontario Energy Corporation, and Ontario Hydro.

Over the years, the ministry was merged with various other ministries:

  • Between 1993 and 1997, the ministry was amalgamated with the Ministry of the Environment to form the Ministry of Environment and Energy
  • Between 1997 and 2002, the ministry took on responsibility for Science and Technology and was known as the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology.
  • Between April and August 2002, the ministry was again briefly merged with Ministry of the Environment to form the Ministry of Environment and Energy
  • Between 2008 and 2010, the ministry was merged with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal to form the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
  • Between 2018 and 2021, the ministry was merged with the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines to form the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines

List of ministers

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Name Term of office Tenure Political party
(Ministry)
Note
Minister of Energy Resources
Robert Macaulay May 5, 1959 November 8, 1961 4 years, 164 days PC
(Frost)
November 8, 1961 October 16, 1963 PC
(Robarts)
John Richard Simonett October 16, 1963 March 25, 1964 5 years, 232 days
Minister of Energy Resource and Management
John Richard Simonett March 26, 1964 June 5, 1969
George Albert Kerr June 5, 1969 March 1, 1971 2 years, 48 days
March 1, 1971 July 23, 1971 PC
(Davis)
Minister of Energy
Darcy McKeough July 4, 1973 June 18, 1975 1 year, 349 days
Dennis Timbrell June 18, 1975 February 3, 1977 1 year, 230 days
James Taylor February 3, 1977 January 21, 1978 352 days
Reuben Baetz January 21, 1978 August 18, 1978 209 days
James Auld August 18, 1978 August 30, 1979 1 year, 12 days Concurrently Minister of Natural Resources
Bob Welch August 30, 1979 July 6, 1983 3 years, 310 days While Deputy Premier
Philip Andrewes July 6, 1983 February 8, 1985 1 year, 217 days
George Ashe February 8, 1985 May 17, 1985 98 days PC
(Miller)
Mike Harris May 17, 1985 June 26, 1985 40 days Concurrently Minister of Natural Resources
Vince Kerrio June 26, 1985 September 29, 1987 2 years, 95 days Liberal
(Peterson)
Concurrently Minister of Natural Resources
Bob Wong September 29, 1987 August 2, 1989 1 year, 307 days
Lyn McLeod August 2, 1989 October 1, 1990 1 year, 60 days Concurrently Minister of Natural Resources
Jenny Carter October 1, 1990 July 31, 1991 303 days NDP
(Rae)
Will Ferguson July 31, 1991 February 13, 1992 197 days
Brian Charlton February 14, 1992 February 3, 1993 355 days Interim minister prior to September 23, 1992
Minister of Environment and Energy
Bud Wildman February 3, 1993 June 26, 1995 2 years, 143 days
Brenda Elliott June 26, 1995 August 16, 1996 1 year, 51 days PC
(Harris)
Norm Sterling August 16, 1996 October 10, 1997 1 year, 55 days
Minister of Energy, Science and Technology
Jim Wilson October 10, 1997 April 14, 2002 4 years, 186 days
Minister of Environment and Energy
Chris Stockwell April 15, 2002 August 22, 2002 129 days PC
(Eves)
Minister of Energy
John Baird August 22, 2002 October 22, 2003 1 year, 61 days
Dwight Duncan October 23, 2003 October 11, 2005 1 year, 353 days
(first time)
Liberal
(McGuinty)
While Government House Leader & Chair of Cabinet
Donna Cansfield October 11, 2005 May 23, 2006 224 days
Dwight Duncan May 23, 2006 October 30, 2007 1 year, 160 days
(second time, 3 years, 148 days in total)
While Chair of Cabinet
Gerry Phillips October 30, 2007 June 20, 2008 234 days
(first time)
Minister of Energy and Infrastructure
George Smitherman June 20, 2008 November 9, 2009 1 year, 142 days While Deputy Premier
Gerry Phillips November 9, 2009 January 18, 2010 70 days
(second time, 304 days in total)
While Chair of Cabinet
Brad Duguid January 18, 2010 August 18, 2010 1 year, 275 days
Minister of Energy
Brad Duguid August 18, 2010 October 20, 2011
Chris Bentley October 20, 2011 February 11, 2013 1 year, 114 days
Bob Chiarelli February 11, 2013 June 13, 2016 3 years, 123 days Liberal
(Wynne)
Glenn Thibeault June 13, 2016 June 29, 2018 2 years, 16 days
Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines PC
(Ford)
Greg Rickford June 29, 2018 June 18, 2021 2 years, 354 days Concurrently Minister of Indigenous Affairs. Bill Walker served as Associate Minister of Energy from June 20, 2019 to June 18, 2021
Minister of Energy
Todd Smith June 18, 2021 incumbent 3 years, 52 days

References

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  1. ^ "Eves' picks raise fears of deficits, Tories say". National Post, 16 April 2002.
  2. ^ "Ministries". www.ontario.ca. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  3. ^ Department of Energy Resources Act, Statutes of Ontario 1959, Chap. 26
  4. ^ The Ministry of Energy Act, Statutes of Ontario 1973, Chap. 56
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