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.

Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport
Ministère du tourisme, de la culture et du sport (French)
Ministry overview
Formed1946
Preceding agencies
JurisdictionGovernment of Ontario
HeadquartersHearst Block, 9th Floor, 900 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M7A 2E1
Ministers responsible
  • Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
  • Billy Pang, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport (Tourism)
  • Vincent Ke, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport (Culture and Sport)
Websitewww.mtc.gov.on.ca

Organizational history

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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.[1] 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.[2]

In 1946, the bureau was upgrade to the Department of Travel and Publicity.[3] 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.[4]

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).[5] 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

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Cultural agencies overseen by the ministry include:[6]

Tourism agencies and attractions overseen by the ministry include:

List of ministers

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Name Term of office Name Term of office Political party
(Ministry)
Note
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)
May 4, 1949 August 17, 1955 PC
(Frost)
Bryan Lewis Cathcart August 17, 1955 November 8, 1961
November 8, 1961 August 14, 1963 PC
(Robarts)
James Auld August 14, 1963 March 25, 1964
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
John White April 7, 1972 January 15, 1973
Claude Bennett January 15, 1973 January 21, 1978 Minister of Culture and Recreation
Bob Welch January 14, 1975 August 16, 1978
John Rhodes January 21, 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 Citizenship and Culture
Reuben Baetz February 13, 1982 February 8, 1985 Bruce McCaffrey February 13, 1982 July 6, 1983
Susan Fish July 6, 1983 February 8, 1985
Claude Bennett February 8, 1985 June 26, 1985 February 8, 1985 May 17, 1985 PC
(Miller)
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
Lily Munro September 29, 1987 August 2, 1989
Ken Black August 2, 1989 October 1, 1990 Christine Hart August 2, 1989 June 5, 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)
Karen Haslam July 31, 1991 February 3, 1993
Ed Philip November 13, 1992 February 3, 1993 Philip was concurrently Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology
Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation
Anne Swarbrick February 3, 1993 June 26, 1995
Minister Economic Development, Trade and Tourism Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation PC
(Harris)
Bill Saunderson June 26, 1995 October 10, 1997 Marilyn Mushinski June 26, 1995 October 10, 1997
Al Palladini October 10, 1997 June 17, 1999 Isabel Bassett October 10, 1997 June 17, 1999
Minister of Tourism Helen Johns June 17, 1999 February 7, 2001
Cam Jackson June 17, 1999 February 7, 2001
Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation
Tim Hudak February 8, 2001 April 14, 2002
Minister of Tourism and Recreation Minister of Culture PC
(Eves)
Cam Jackson April 15, 2002 October 2, 2002 David Tsubouchi April 15, 2002 October 22, 2003 Tsubouchi was concurrently Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet
Frank Klees October 3, 2002 February 25, 2003
Brian Coburn February 25, 2003 October 22, 2003
Jim Bradley October 23, 2003 June 29, 2005 Madeleine Meilleur October 23, 2003 April 5, 2006 Liberal
(McGuinty)
Minister of Tourism
Jim Bradley June 29, 2005 October 30, 2007
Caroline Di Cocco 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
Minister of Tourism and Culture
Michael Chan January 18, 2010 December 7, 2011
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
Michael Chan December 7, 2011 February 11, 2013
February 11, 2013 June 24, 2014 Liberal
(Wynne)
Michael Coteau June 24, 2014 June 13, 2016
Eleanor McMahon June 13, 2016 January 17, 2018
Daiene Vernile January 17, 2018 June 29, 2018
Sylvia Jones June 29, 2018 November 5, 2018 PC
(Ford)
Michael Tibollo November 5, 2018 June 20, 2019
Lisa MacLeod June 20, 2019 October 21, 2019
Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries
Lisa MacLeod October 21, 2019 June 24, 2022
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
Neil Lumsden June 24, 2022 June 6, 2024
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming
Stan Cho June 6, 2024 Present

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Government and the TouristIndustry". Archives of Ontario. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
  2. ^ MacTaggart, Hazel I (1964). Publications of the Government of Ontario, 1901-1955. Queen's Printer of Ontario.
  3. ^ [{{{link}}} Department of Travel and Publicity Act], S.O. 1946, c. 23
  4. ^ [{{{link}}} Ministry of Industry and Tourism Act], S.O. 1972, c. 5
  5. ^ [{{{link}}} Ministry of Culture and Recreation Act], S.O. 1974, c. 20
  6. ^ "Agencies and current appointees - Public Appointments Secretariat".
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