The Ministry of Natural Resources is a government ministry of the Canadian province of Ontario that is responsible for Ontario's provincial parks, forests, fisheries, wildlife, mineral aggregates and the Crown lands and waters that make up 87 per cent of the province. Its offices are divided into Northwestern, Northeastern and Southern Ontario regions with the main headquarters in Peterborough, Ontario. The current minister is Graydon Smith.
Founded in its modern form in 1972, it has been associated with many other related ministries over the years, including recently the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Northern Development, the Ministry of Mines (Ontario), and the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs. Often these portfolios will be consolidated into one or two ministries, or they will remain separate portfolios but assigned to the same cabinet minister. While there has never been an independent Ministry of Forests, forestry is an area of responsibility that is often in the mix.
In 2021, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry merged with the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines to form the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, while the Ministry of Energy became a separate ministry. Following the 2022 Ontario general election, the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry was split up into three separate ministries. In June, 2024, the Minister of Natural Resources no longer had responsibility for forestry, which was now the responsibility of an Associate Minister of Forestry under the Minister of Natural Resources. The Minister of Mines and Minister of Northern Development remained separate ministries.
The Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry was Graydon Smith from the 2022 election until June 2024, when he was appointed the Minister of Natural Resources In August, 2024 Kevin Holland became the Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products under the Ministry of Natural Resources. Since the 2022 election, the Minister of Mines is George Pirie, and the Minister of Northern Development is Greg Rickford.
History The first government office charge with responsibility of crown land management in modern-day Ontario was the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Northern District of North America, created in 1763 and initially headed by Samuel Holland. Holland was initially appointed Surveyor General of Quebec, but offered to assume the larger responsibility at no increase in salary. In 1791, Upper and Lower Canada were created via the Constitutional Act 1791. Holland continued to serve as Surveyor General for both, but openly advocated that they should be separate posts.
In 1792, David William Smith was named by Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe to be acting Surveyor General of Upper Canada (against Holland's advice to appoint William Chewett as his replacement). Smith was subsequently officially appointed to the position in 1798 and held the office until his resignation in 1804. The previously overlooked Chewett and Thomas Ridout were appointed to the position jointly in the interim. In 1805, Charles Burton Wyatt was appointed (along with Joseph Bouchette) but was suspended in 1807. Ridout was named to the office in 1807 and held the position until 1829.
The Office of the Commissioner of Crown Lands for Upper Canada was established in 1827. By the 1840s, however, the crown lands department had been established over which the Commissioner presided, and by 1860, this was renamed the Department of Crown Lands. The primary responsibility of the department was the sale and management of public lands and the granting of land to settlers. Between 1827 and 1867, the responsibilities of the department expanded to include the duties of the Surveyor General (in 1845), as well as those of the Surveyor General of Woods and Forests (in 1852). By 1867, the department had responsibility over mines, fisheries, ordnance lands, colonization roads, and Indian affairs, as well.
In 1867, the Department of Crown Lands for the Province of Canada was replaced with the Department of Crown Lands for Ontario. Ordnance lands, Indian affairs and fisheries were, however, transferred to the federal government in 1867. In 1900, the department also acquired responsibility over immigration and colonization.
In 1905, legislation was passed which renamed the Commissioner of Crown Lands to the Minister of Lands and Mines. With this change, the department was renamed the Department of Lands and Mines. At this time, responsibilities for forestry were transferred to the Department of Agriculture. In 1906, the department was renamed the Department of Lands, Forests and Mines, resuming responsibilities for forestry. It also resumed responsibilities for immigration and colonization between 1916 and 1920.
In 1920, the department was renamed Department of Lands and Forests when a separate Department of Mines was established. Responsibilities for immigration and colonization were also transferred back to the Department of Agriculture.
The department existed until 1972, when it amalgamated with the Department of Mines and Northern Affairs to form the Ministry of Natural Resources. The ministry was responsible for northern affairs until 1977, and for mines until 1985.Government of Ontario Telephone Directories, 1972-1996 It was again merged briefly between 1995 and 1997 with Northern Development and Mines to form a single Ministry of Natural Resources, Northern Development and Mines.
In 2014 the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, but responsibilities did not change.
In June 2021, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry once again merged with the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines to form the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry.
After the 2022 Ontario General Election in which the incumbent Progressive Conservatives were re-elected, the Ministry was once again separated, this time into 3 independent ministries; the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Ministry of Northern Development and the Ministry of Mines.
On 6 June 2024, it was announced that the Minister of Natural Resources longer had responsibility for forestry. Nolan Quinn became the Associate Minister of Forestry under the Ministry of Natural Resources. On August 16, Kevin Holland became the Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products .
List of ministers (and "commissioners", before 1905)
NameTerm of officeNameTerm of office Political party(Ministry) Note Commissioner of Crown Lands Stephen RichardsLiberalConservative(MacDonald)Matthew Crooks Cameron Richard William Scott Liberal(Blake) Liberal(Mowat)Timothy Blair PardeeResigned due to poor health, subsequently died on 21 July 1889.Arthur Sturgis HardyJohn Morison Gibson Liberal(Hardy)Elihu Davis Liberal(Ross)Alexander Grant MacKay James Joseph FoyConservative(Whitney) Minister of Lands and Mines Francis Cochrane Minister of Lands, Forests and Mines Francis CochraneWilliam Howard Hearst Conservative(Hearst) While PremierHoward Ferguson Beniah BowmanUnited Farmers(Drury) Minister of Lands and ForestsMinister of Mines Beniah BowmanHarry Mills James W. LyonsCharles McCreaConservative(Ferguson) Howard Ferguson While PremierWilliam Finlayson Conservative(Henry) Peter HeenanPaul Leduc Liberal(Hepburn)Robert Laurier Norman Otto HipelHipel was concurrently Provincial Secretary and Registrar (27 October 1942 – 18 May 1943) Liberal(Conant) Liberal(Nixon) Wesley Gardiner ThompsonLeslie FrostPC(Drew)Harold Robinson Scott PC(Kennedy) Welland Gemmell PC(Frost) Welland GemmellPhilip KellyGemmell died in officeClare Mapledoram Wilf SpoonerWilf SpoonerJames Anthony MaloneyMaloney died in office George Wardrope PC(Robarts) Kelso RobertsRené Brunelle René Brunelle Allan LawrenceMinister of Mines and Northern Affairs Allan Lawrence Leo Bernier PC(Davis) Leo Bernier Minister of Natural Resources Leo Bernier Minister of Natural ResourcesMinister of Northern Affairs Frank MillerLeo Bernier James AuldAuld was concurrently Minister of Energy Alan Pope Mike Harris PC(Miller) Harris was concurrently Minister of Energy from 17 May 1985, onward Vince Kerrio Minister of Northern Development and MinesLiberal(Peterson)René Fontaine Kerrio was concurrently Minister of Energy until 29 September 1987 David PetersonPeterson was concurrently Premier Minister of Mines Sean ConwayRené Fontaine was Minister of Northern Development from 29 September 1987 to October 1, 1990 Lyn McLeodHugh O'NeilMcLeod was concurrently Minister of Energy Bud WildmanGilles PouliotNDP(Rae)Shelley Martel was Minister of Northern Development from 1 October 1990, to 31 July 1991 Minister of Northern Development and Mines Wildman was concurrently Minister Responsible for Native AffairsShelley MartelHoward HamptonHampton was concurrently Minister Responsible for Native Affairs Gilles Pouliot Minister of Natural Resources, Northern Development and MinesPC(Harris) Chris Hodgson Minister of Natural ResourcesMinister of Northern Development and Mines John SnobelenChris HodgsonHodgson was concurrently Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet Tim Hudak Dan Newman Jerry OuelletteJim WilsonPC(Eves) David RamsayRick Bartolucci Liberal(McGuinty) Concurrently Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs (29 June 2005 – 21 June 2007), Minister of Aboriginal Affairs (21 June 2007 – 30 October 2007) Donna CansfieldMichael Gravelle Linda Jeffrey Michael GravelleRick BartolucciBartolucci was concurrently Chair of Cabinet David OraziettiMichael Gravelle Liberal(Wynne)Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Bill Mauro Kathryn McGarry Nathalie Des Rosiers Jeff YurekMinister of Energy, Northern Development and MinesPC(Ford) John YakabuskiGreg Rickford Rickford was concurrently Minister of Indigenous Affairs Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry Greg RickfordConcurrently Minister of Indigenous Affairs Minister of Natural Resources and ForestryMinister of Mines Graydon SmithGeorge Pirie (Stephen Crawford serves as additional Associate Minister of Mines after 6 June 2024) incumbentGreg Rickford is Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs since 24 June 2022 Minister of Natural Resources Graydon SmithincumbentNolan Quinn was Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products from 24 June 2024 to 16 August 2024; Kevin Holland is Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products since 16 August 2024
Organization MNRF is organized into divisions; within each division are branches/regions, sections, and units. Divisions Regional Operations Division Provincial Services Division Policy Division Corporate Management and Information Division
Responsibilities
The Ministry is responsible for:
Fish & Wildlife Management – sustainably managing Ontario's fish and wildlife resources. Land & Waters Management – leading the management of Ontario's Crown lands, water, oil, gas, salt and aggregates resources, including making Crown land available for renewable energy projects. Forest Management – ensuring the sustainable management of Ontario's Crown forests. Forest Fire, Flood and Drought Protection - protecting people, property and communities from related emergencies. Geographic Information – developing and applying geographic information to help manage the province's natural resources.
The ministry also has responsibility for the Office of the Mining & Lands Commissioner and the Niagara Escarpment Commission agencies.
Regional Operations Division The Regional Operations Division (ROD) is a frontline arm of the Ministry with offices in 35 locations across Ontario. It plays a key role in issuing authorizations and compliance monitoring to ensure the province's natural resources are managed effectively and sustainably. ROD is accountable for:
The sustainable management of Ontario's fish and wildlife resources