Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (Ontario)

Last updated
Ministry of Municipal Affairs
and Housing
Ministère des Affaires municipales
et du Logement
 (French)
Ministry overview
Formed1948
Jurisdiction Government of Ontario
Ministers responsible
  • Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
  • Graydon Smith, Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Website Official website

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is the ministry of the Government of Ontario that is responsible for municipal affairs and housing in the Canadian province of Ontario. The current Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is Rob Flack.

Contents

History

The Department of Municipal Affairs was established in 1934 by the Department of Municipal Affairs Act, which was passed in 1935. It inherited the municipal administrative and regulatory functions which had briefly been the responsibility of the Ontario Municipal Board. Initially, it was responsible for supervising the affairs of the municipalities whose real property tax-revenue base had collapsed during the Depression. After The Second World War, it became more involved in the provision of administrative and financial advice and support to municipalities.

From 1947 until 1955, the Minister of Municipal Affairs acted as the Registrar General, and the Office of the Registrar General was attached to the department. This office was transferred to the Department of the Provincial Secretary in 1955.

In April 1972, the department was dissolved, with most of its functions being transferred to the newly created Ministry of Treasury, Economics and Inter-governmental Affairs, but with the assessment function being given to the Ministry of Revenue.

In 1973, the Ministry of Housing was established by The Ministry of Housing Act, inheriting the Plans Administration Branch from the Ministry of Treasury, Economics and Intergovernmental Affairs, as well as the Ontario Housing Corporation from the Ministry of Revenue.

In 1981, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing was formed by the consolidation of municipal affairs functions into the Ministry of Housing.

However, the ministry was divided again into two -- the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, and the Ministry of Housing -- from 1985 (under Premier David Peterson) until 1989, from 1991 (under Premier Bob Rae) until 1995, and from 2016 (under Premier Kathleen Wynne) until 2018.

List of ministers

NameTerm of officeNameTerm of officePolitical party
(Ministry)
Note
Minister of Municipal Affairs Liberal
(Hepburn)
David Croll July 10, 1934April 14, 1937
Eric Cross October 12, 1937November 22, 1940
Thomas McQuesten November 22, 1940October 21, 1942
October 21, 1942May 18, 1943 Liberal
(Conant)
Eric Cross May 18, 1943August 17, 1943 Liberal
(Nixon)
George Dunbar August 17, 1943October 19, 1948 PC
(Drew)
October 19, 1948May 4, 1949 PC
(Kennedy)
May 4, 1949August 17, 1955 PC
(Frost)
Bill Goodfellow August 17, 1955November 1, 1956
Bill Warrender November 1, 1956November 8, 1961
Fred Cass November 8, 1961October 25, 1962 PC
(Robarts)
Wilf Spooner October 25, 1962November 23, 1967
Darcy McKeough November 23, 1967March 1, 1971
Dalton Bales March 1, 1971February 2, 1972 PC
(Davis)
Darcy McKeough February 2, 1972April 7, 1972
Treasurer, Minister of Economics and Intergovernmental Affairs
Darcy McKeough April 10, 1972September 7, 1972Municipal affairs functions were discharged by Ministry of Treasury, Economics and Inter-governmental Affairs from 1972 to 1981
Charles MacNaughton September 7, 1972January 15, 1973
John White January 15, 1973June 18, 1975Minister of Housing
Bob Welch November 7, 1973February 26, 1974
Sid Handleman February 26, 1974October 7, 1974
Donald Roy Irvine October 7, 1974October 7, 1975
Darcy McKeough June 18, 1975August 16, 1978
John Rhodes October 7, 1975January 21, 1978
Claude Bennett January 31, 1978July 3, 1981
Frank Miller August 16, 1978August 18, 1978Miller continues to be Treasurer and Minister of Economics until July 6, 1983
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Tom Wells August 18, 1978February 8, 1985Municipal affairs functions were transferred to the re-created ministry in 1981
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Claude Bennett July 3, 1981February 8, 1985
Dennis Timbrell February 8, 1985June 26, 1985 PC
(Miller)
Minister of Municipal AffairsMinister of Housing Liberal
(Peterson)
Bernard Grandmaitre June 26, 1985September 29, 1987 Alvin Curling June 26, 1985September 29, 1987
John Eakins September 29, 1987August 2, 1989 Chaviva Hošek September 29, 1987August 2, 1989
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
John Sweeney August 2, 1989October 1, 1990
Dave Cooke October 1, 1990July 31, 1991 NDP
(Rae)
Minister of Municipal AffairsMinister of Housing
Dave Cooke July 31, 1991February 3, 1993 Evelyn Gigantes July 31, 1991August 18, 1994
Ed Philip February 3, 1993June 26, 1995 Richard Allen August 22, 1994June 26, 1995
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing PC
(Harris)
Al Leach June 26, 1995June 17, 1999
Steve Gilchrist June 17, 1999October 25, 1999
Tony Clement October 25, 1999February 8, 2001
Chris Hodgson February 8, 2001April 15, 2002
April 15, 2002January 13, 2003 PC
(Eves)
Tina Molinari served as Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Responsible for Urban Affairs from April 15, 2002 to October 22, 2003
Helen Johns January 14, 2003February 25, 2003Appointed as interim minister
David Young February 25, 2003October 22, 2003 Ernie Hardeman served as Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Responsible for Rural Affairs from February 25, 2003 to October 22, 2003
John Gerretsen October 23, 2003October 15, 2007 Liberal
(McGuinty)
Jim Watson October 30, 2007January 12, 2010
John Gerretsen January 12, 2010January 18, 2010
Jim Bradley January 18, 2010August 18, 2010
Rick Bartolucci August 18, 2010October 20, 2011
Kathleen Wynne October 20, 2011November 5, 2012
Bob Chiarelli November 5, 2012February 11, 2013Appointed as interim minister
Linda Jeffrey February 11, 2013March 25, 2014 Liberal
(Wynne)
Bill Mauro March 25, 2014June 24, 2014
Ted McMeekin June 24, 2014June 13, 2016
Minister of Municipal AffairsMinister of Housing
Bill Mauro June 13, 2016June 29, 2018 Chris Ballard June 13, 2016July 31, 2017
Peter Milczyn July 31, 2017June 29, 2018
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing PC
(Ford)
Steve Clark June 29, 2018September 4, 2023
Paul Calandra September 4, 2023Incumbent
Minister of Municipal Affairs and HousingAssociate Minister of Housing
Paul Calandra September 4, 2023March 19, 2025 Vijay Thanigasalam June 6, 2024March 19, 2025
Rob Flack March 19, 2025Incumbent Graydon Smith March 19, 2025Incumbent

References