The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and the Ministry of Sport are the related government ministries in the Government of Ontario responsible for policies and programs in the economic sectors of tourism, art and culture, and sport and recreation.
Since 1982, ministerial authorities and responsibilities for these sectors formally rest with two portfolio ministers – the Minister of Tourism and Recreation and the Minister of Citizenship and Culture. From 2010 to 2024, the two portfolios were held jointly by a single minister, most recently known as the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport (for 11 of the 14 years prior to 2024).
The ministry took its current form in June 2024 when the Ministry of Sport was spun off from the ministry with then incumbent minister Neil Lumsden being appointed to the new ministry with much reduced scope while Stan Cho was appointed to the principal Tourism ministry. Both ministerial offices have been vacant since early August, 2026.
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.
Organizational history A Tourist and Publicity Bureau was set up in 1924 to promote Ontario's attractions, especially those associated with nature and the outdoors. 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.
Formal creation and reorganization In 1946, the Progressive Conservative Drew ministry upgraded the bureau with the formal creation of the Department of Travel and Publicity by legislation. It was the first department with a mandate to develop economic industry sectors outside of the agriculture and natural resources sectors. 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 1964, the department was renamed the Department of Tourism and Information by legislation.
In 1972 the Davis ministry undertook a reorganization of the government during which all departments were renamed ministries. During that exercise, the tourism department was merged into the economic development ministry, the new Ministry of Industry and Tourism. In December 1974, 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). 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 1982, responsibilities for policy areas of tourism, recreation, culture and citizenship were redistributed to two new ministries distinct from the economic development ministry – the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation and the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture. These new ministries were formally established by enabling legislations enacted. The move was the last restructuring of the ministries to be conducted via formal legislative amendments or enactments. The Ministry of Tourism and Recreation Act and Ministry of Citizenship and Culture Act enacted in 1982 and incorporated in the Consolidated Statutes of Ontario remain in effect and are the primary enabling legislations from which the ministry (or at various times, ministries) and its ministers derive their formal legal authority. Subsequent instances of renaming and reorganization of the ministry were executed via order-in-councils assigning formal authorities and responsibilities to ministers with the new, often transitory, titles.
Renaming and reorganization of the ministries since 1982 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 divided into the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Ministry of Sport.
Agencies As of September 2026, the ministry is accountable for the following agencies:
List of ministers
Name Term of office Name Term of office Ministry Minister of Travel and Publicity Drew-Kennedy George Arthur Welsh Louis-Pierre Cécile Frost Bryan Lewis Cathcart Robarts James Auld Minister of Tourism and Information James Auld Fernand Guindon Davis John White Minister of Industry and Tourism John White Claude Bennett Minister of Culture and RecreationBob Welch John Rhodes Larry GrossmanReuben Baetz Minister of Tourism and RecreationMinister of Citizenship and Culture Reuben BaetzBruce McCaffrey Susan Fish Claude Bennett Miller Nick Leluk John EakinsLily Munro Peterson Hugh O'NeilMinister of Culture and Communications Lily Munro Ken BlackChristine Hart Hugh O'Neil Peter North Rosario Marchese Rae Karen Haslam Ed Philip Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation Anne Swarbrick Minister Economic Development, Trade and TourismMinister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation Harris Bill SaundersonMarilyn Mushinski Al PalladiniIsabel Bassett Minister of TourismHelen Johns Cam Jackson Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation Tim Hudak Minister of Tourism and RecreationMinister of Culture Eves Cam JacksonDavid Tsubouchi Frank Klees Brian Coburn Jim BradleyMadeleine Meilleur McGuinty Minister of Tourism Jim Bradley Caroline Di Cocco Peter FonsecaAileen Carroll Monique Smith Minister of Tourism and Culture Michael Chan Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Michael Chan Wynne Michael Coteau Eleanor McMahon Daiene Vernile Sylvia Jones Ford Michael Tibollo Lisa MacLeod Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Lisa MacLeod Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Neil Lumsden Minister of Tourism, Culture and GamingMinister of Sport Stan ChoNeil LumsdenZee Hamid https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007994/premier-ford-unveils-changes-to-cabinet-to-put-ontario-on-long-term-footing-to-fight-president-trumps-tariffspresentBrian Saundersonhttps://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007994/premier-ford-unveils-changes-to-cabinet-to-put-ontario-on-long-term-footing-to-fight-president-trumps-tariffs present
See also Ontario Heritage Act For current organizational details, see INFO-GO (Ontario government office directory)
References Enabling legislations
Other Citations
External links