| Agency Name: | Ministry of Colleges and Universities |
| Formed: | 1964 |
| Type: | Ministry |
| Headquarters: | Toronto[1] |
| Minister1 Name: | Nolan Quinn |
| Minister1 Pfo: | Minister of Colleges and Universities |
| Minister2 Name: | Goldie Ghamari |
| Minister2 Pfo: | Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Colleges and Universities |
| Budget: | Estimated C$ 6.2 Billion in 2008/09[2] |
| Website: | https://www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-advanced-education-and-skills-development |
The Ministry of Colleges and Universities is the ministry of the Government of Ontario responsible for administration of laws relating to post-secondary education. This ministry is one of two education ministries, the other being the Ministry of Education (responsible for primary and secondary schools across Ontario). The Ministry's offices are in downtown Toronto. The current minister is Nolan Quinn.
In May 1964, the Department of University Affairs Act was passed establishing the Department of University Affairs. The department was charged with administering the government's support programs for higher education, previously the responsibility of the Department of Education. Bill Davis, the inaugural minister, was the Minister of Education at the time and continued to hold the position after the department's establishment.
In addition to jurisdiction over higher education, the department also had financial jurisdiction over the Royal Ontario Museum, the Royal Botanical Gardens and the Art Gallery of Ontario. In October 1971, the department's size was doubled by the addition of the Applied Arts and Technology Branch of the Department of Education. In light of this expansion of functions, the name of the department was changed to the Department of Colleges and Universities.
It was renamed the Ministry of Colleges and Universities in 1972 as part of a government-wide restructuring. In 1975, various cultural programs and institutions of the ministry were transferred to the newly created Ministry of Culture and Recreation.
In 1985, a separate Ministry of Skills Development was created. In 1993, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Skills Development were combined to form the Ministry of Education and Training.
In June 1999, the responsibilities for post-secondary education and skills development were again given to a standalone ministry, named the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Briefly between 2016 and 2018, it was renamed the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development.
In October 2019, training and skills development was moved to the Ministry of Labour and the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.[3]
The Minister of Colleges and Universities is a member of the Executive Council of Ontario (or cabinet) reporting to the Premier and held accountable by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The deputy minister manages the operations of the ministry that includes five main divisions. As a whole, the ministry has responsibility for administration of laws relating to post-secondary education and skills training in Ontario. The divisions cover employment and training, post-secondary education, strategic policy and programs, corporate management and services, and French-language education and educational operations.[4] The divisions report to the deputy minister who then reports to the minister.[4] The ministry works with several external advisory bodies to assist in the governance of the higher education system in Ontario.[5]
In addition to being responsible for the administration of policies, laws, and funding relating to Ontario's 24 colleges and 22 universities, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities is also responsible for the registration of private career colleges as well as financial aid through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).[6]
The Rae Report, officially titled Ontario: A Leader in Learning, called for deregulation of tuition fees, income-contingent loan repayments, and an increase in public funding.[8]
| Portrait | Name | Term of office | Tenure | Political party (Ministry) | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister of University Affairs | PC (Robarts) | ||||||
| Bill Davis | Concurrently Minister of Education | ||||||
| John White | to be continued | PC (Davis) | |||||
| Minister of Colleges and Universities | |||||||
| John White | |||||||
| George Kerr | |||||||
| Jack McNie | |||||||
| James Auld | |||||||
| Harry Parrott | |||||||
| Bette Stephenson | Concurrently Minister of Education | ||||||
| Keith Norton | PC (Miller) | Concurrently Minister of Education | |||||
| Larry Grossman | Concurrently Minister of Education and Government House Leader | ||||||
| Greg Sorbara | Liberal (Peterson) | Concurrently Minister of Skills Development | |||||
| Lyn McLeod | Alvin Curling served as Minister of Skills Development during this time | ||||||
| Sean Conway | Concurrently Minister of Education & Minister of Skills Development | ||||||
| Richard Allen | NDP (Rae) | Concurrently Minister of Skills Development | |||||
| Minister of Education and Training | |||||||
| Dave Cooke | |||||||
| John Snobelen | PC (Harris) | ||||||
| David Johnson | |||||||
| Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities | |||||||
| Dianne Cunningham | Concurrently Minister Responsible for Women's Issues (February 8, 2001 – October 22, 2003) | ||||||
| PC (Eves) | |||||||
| Mary Anne Chambers | Liberal (McGuinty) | ||||||
| Chris Bentley | |||||||
| John Milloy | (first instance) | ||||||
| Glen Murray | Resigned to seek the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party | ||||||
| John Milloy | (first instance) 4 years and 88 days in total | Interim minister upon Murray's resignation | |||||
| Brad Duguid | Liberal (Wynne) | ||||||
| Reza Moridi | Concurrently Minister of Research and Innovation | ||||||
| Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development | |||||||
| Deb Matthews | While Deputy Premier, Chair of Cabinet and Minister Responsible for Digital Government | ||||||
| Mitzie Hunter | |||||||
| Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities | PC (Ford) | ||||||
| Merrilee Fullerton | |||||||
| Ross Romano | |||||||
| Minister of Colleges and Universities | |||||||
| Ross Romano | |||||||
| Jill Dunlop | |||||||
| Nolan Quinn | present | ||||||