Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (Ontario)
The Ministry of Government Services is responsible for the delivery and management of government operations. Its goal is to provide cost-effective services to all residents and businesses and to the Ontario Public Service. It replaced the former Management Board Secretariat and the former Ministry of Consumer and Business Services in 2005. Between November 2007 and July 2008, the organization's name was the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services.
History
In 2005 the ministry was created from the Management Board Secretariat and the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services. The latter ministry was also known as the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations. C&CR was responsible for government relations with citizens and businesses. These included the provision of birth, death and marriage certificates, land registry, government publications, fraud investigations and customer service complaints (Registrar General of Ontario).
When the ministry was created, Premier Dalton McGuinty described it as the "chief operating officer of government." The position combined responsibility for consumer protection, business regulation, management of the civil service, labour negotiations and the central plumbing of government: IT, procurement, and shared services.
One of the main projects of the Ministry was the creation of ServiceOntario. When it was completed in 2011, ServiceOntario was the one stop shop for all government retail operations. Any and all routine transactions between government and the public are performed through ServiceOntario offices, websites, call centres or kiosks.
Alongside ServiceOntario, MGS offers access to its public records through the three of its licensed service providers, one of each is ESC Corporate Services.
The current minister is David Orazietti and Chris Ballard as Parliamentary Assistant.
Responsibilities
MGS oversees the following agencies:
- Advertising Review Board
- Civil Service Commission
- Justice of the Peace Remuneration Commission
- Ontario Public Service Pension Board (Ontario Pension Board)
- Provincial Judges Pension Board
- Provincial Judges Remuneration Commission
- Public Service Grievance Board
- Office of Registrar General of Ontario
Former Ministers
Government Services
- James Snow, 1972–1975
- Margaret Scrivener, 1975–1977
- John Roxborough Smith, 1977–1977 (February–June)
- James Auld, 1977–1977 (June–September)
- George McCague, 1977–1978
- Lorne Henderson, 1978–1979
- Douglas Wiseman, 1979–1983
- George Ashe, 1983–1985
- Bob Runciman, 1985–1985 (February–May)
- Jim Gordon, 1985–1985 (May–June)
- Elinor Caplan, 1985–1986
- Sean Conway, 1986–1987
- Richard Patten, 1987–1989
- Chris Ward, 1989–1990
- Frances Lankin, 1990–1991
- Fred Wilson, 1991–1993
- Brian Charlton, 1993–1995
- Mike Harris, 1995–2002
- Ernie Eves, 2003–2003
- Dalton McGuinty, 2003–2005
- Gerry Phillips, 2005–2007
- Ted McMeekin, 2008–2009
- Harinder Takhar, 2009–2012
- Dwight Duncan, 2012–2013
- Harinder Takhar, 2013 (January–May)
- John Milloy, 2013–2014
- David Orazietti, 2014–present
Minister of Financial and Commercial Affairs
- Leslie Rowntree 1966–1970
- Bert Lawrence 1970–1971
- Arthur Wishart 1971
- Gordon Carton 1971–1972
- Eric Winkler 1972
Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations
- John Clement 1972–1975
- Sidney Bernard Handleman 1975–1977
- Larry Grossman 1977–1978
- Frank Drea 1978–1981
- Gordon Walker 1981–1982
- Robert C. Mitchell 1982
- Robert Elgie 1982–1985
- Gordon Walker 1985 (February–May)
- Bob Runciman 1985 (May–June)
- Monte Kwinter 1985–1987
- Bill Wrye 1987–1989
- Greg Sorbara 1989–1990
- Peter Kormos 1990–1991
- Marilyn Churley 1991–1995
- Norm Sterling 1995–1996
- David Tsubouchi 1996–1999
- Bob Runciman 1999–2001
Minister of Consumer and Business Services
- Norm Sterling 2001–2002
- Tim Hudak 2002–2003
- Jim Watson 2003–2005
Minister of Government and Consumer Services
- Gerry Phillips 2005–2007
- Ted McMeekin 2007–2008
Minister of Consumer Services
- Ted McMeekin 2009–2010
- John Gerretsen 2010–2011
- Sophia Aggelonitis 2010 (January-August)
- Margarett Best 2011–2013
Minister of Government and Consumer Services
- David Orazietti 2014–
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