| Agency Name: | Ministry of Energy and Electrification |
| Type: | Ministry |
| Formed: | 2002 |
| Preceding1: | Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology |
| Jurisdiction: | Government of Ontario |
| Minister1 Name: | Hon. Stephen Lecce |
| Minister1 Pfo: | Minister of Energy and Electrification |
| Minister2 Name: | Dave Smith |
| Minister2 Pfo: | 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]
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:
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:
| Name | Term of office | Tenure | Political party (Ministry) | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister of Energy Resources | ||||||
| Robert Macaulay | PC (Frost) | |||||
| PC (Robarts) | ||||||
| John Richard Simonett | ||||||
| Minister of Energy Resource and Management | ||||||
| John Richard Simonett | ||||||
| George Albert Kerr | ||||||
| PC (Davis) | ||||||
| Minister of Energy | ||||||
| Darcy McKeough | ||||||
| Dennis Timbrell | ||||||
| James Taylor | ||||||
| Reuben Baetz | ||||||
| James Auld | Concurrently Minister of Natural Resources | |||||
| Bob Welch | While Deputy Premier | |||||
| Philip Andrewes | ||||||
| George Ashe | PC (Miller) | |||||
| Mike Harris | Concurrently Minister of Natural Resources | |||||
| Vince Kerrio | Liberal (Peterson) | Concurrently Minister of Natural Resources | ||||
| Bob Wong | ||||||
| Lyn McLeod | Concurrently Minister of Natural Resources | |||||
| Jenny Carter | NDP (Rae) | |||||
| Will Ferguson | ||||||
| Brian Charlton | Interim minister prior to September 23, 1992 | |||||
| Minister of Environment and Energy | ||||||
| Bud Wildman | ||||||
| Brenda Elliott | PC (Harris) | |||||
| Norm Sterling | ||||||
| Jim Wilson | ||||||
| Minister of Environment and Energy | ||||||
| Chris Stockwell | PC (Eves) | |||||
| Minister of Energy | ||||||
| John Baird | ||||||
| Dwight Duncan | (first time) | Liberal (McGuinty) | While Government House Leader & Chair of Cabinet | |||
| Donna Cansfield | ||||||
| Dwight Duncan | (second time, 3 years, 148 days in total) | While Chair of Cabinet | ||||
| Gerry Phillips | (first time) | |||||
| George Smitherman | While Deputy Premier | |||||
| Gerry Phillips | (second time, 304 days in total) | While Chair of Cabinet | ||||
| Brad Duguid | ||||||
| Minister of Energy | ||||||
| Brad Duguid | ||||||
| Chris Bentley | ||||||
| Bob Chiarelli | Liberal (Wynne) | |||||
| Glenn Thibeault | ||||||
| Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines | PC (Ford) | |||||
| Greg Rickford | 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 | ||||||
| Stephen Lecce | Incumbent | |||||