The Ministry of Colleges and Universities is the ministry of the

Government of Ontario The government of Ontario (french: Gouvernement de l'Ontario) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Ontario. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown—represented in the province by the lieutenant governor� ...

responsible for administration of laws relating to

post-secondary education Tertiary education, also referred to as third-level, third-stage or post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank, for example, defines tertiary education as including univers ...

. This ministry is one of two education ministries, the other being the

Ministry of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...

(responsible for primary and secondary schools across Ontario). The Ministry's offices are in downtown

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

. The current minister is

Jill Dunlop Jill Dunlop is a Canadian politician who is the Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities since June 18, 2021. She represents the riding of Simcoe North in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a member of the Progressive Conservative Part ...

History

In May 1964, the ''Department of University Affairs Act'' was passed establishing the Department of University Affairs. The department was charged with administering the government's support programs for higher education, previously the responsibility of the Department of Education.

Bill Davis William Grenville Davis, (July 30, 1929 – August 8, 2021) was a Canadian politician who served as the 18th premier of Ontario from 1971 to 1985. Davis was first elected as the member of provincial Parliament for Peel in the 1959 provincia ...

, the inaugural minister, was the Minister of Education at the time and continued to hold the position after the department's establishment. In addition to jurisdiction over

higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after compl ...

, the department also had financial jurisdiction over the

Royal Ontario Museum The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is a museum of art, world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the largest museums in North America and the largest in Canada. It attracts more than one million visitors every year ...

, the Royal Botanical Gardens and the

Art Gallery of Ontario The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO; french: Musée des beaux-arts de l'Ontario) is an art museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum is located in the Grange Park neighbourhood of downtown Toronto, on Dundas Street West between McCaul and Bev ...

. In October 1971, the department's size was doubled by the addition of the Applied Arts and Technology Branch of the Department of Education. In light of this expansion of functions, the name of the department was changed to the Department of Colleges and Universities. It was renamed the Ministry of Colleges and Universities in 1972 as part of a government-wide restructuring. In 1975, various cultural programs and institutions of the ministry were transferred to the newly created Ministry of Culture and Recreation. In 1985, a separate Ministry of Skills Development was created. In 1993, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, the

and the Ministry of Skills Development were combined to form the Ministry of Education and Training. In June 1999, the responsibilities for post-secondary education and skills development were again given to a standalone ministry, named the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Briefly between 2016 and 2018, it was renamed the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development. In October 2019, training and skills development was moved to the Ministry of Labour and the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

Governance

The Minister of Colleges and Universities is a member of the

Executive Council of Ontario The Executive Council of Ontario (french: Conseil des ministres de l'Ontario), often informally referred to as the Cabinet of Ontario (french: Cabinet de l'Ontario, links=no), is the cabinet of the Canadian province of Ontario. It comprises minis ...

(or cabinet) reporting to the

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...

and held accountable by the

Legislative Assembly of Ontario The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (OLA, french: Assemblée législative de l'Ontario) is the legislative chamber of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. Its elected members are known as Member of Provincial ...

. The deputy minister manages the operations of the ministry that includes five main divisions. As a whole, the ministry has responsibility for administration of laws relating to post-secondary education and skills training in Ontario. The divisions cover employment and training, post-secondary education, strategic policy and programs, corporate management and services, and French-language education and educational operations.Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities Ontario (2008, May 29). ''Organization chart''. Retrieved May 30, 2008, from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/tcu_chart.pdf The divisions report to the deputy minister who then reports to the minister. The ministry works with several external advisory bodies to assist in the governance of the higher education system in Ontario.Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities Ontario (2007, March 16). ''Agencies, boards, and commissions''. Retrieved May 30, 2008, from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/abcs/

Function

In addition to being responsible for the administration of policies, laws, and funding relating to Ontario's 24 colleges and 22 universities, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities is also responsible for the registration of private career colleges as well as financial aid through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).

Ministry Agencies

* Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario * Ontario Research Fund Advisory Board * Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board * Training Completion Assurance Fund Advisory Board

Reports

Rae Report, 2005

The Rae Report, officially titled Ontario: A Leader in Learning, called for deregulation of tuition fees, income-contingent loan repayments, and an increase in public funding. Rae Report

List of ministers

References

Notes

Citations

{{Authority control

Colleges and Universities This is a list of lists of universities and colleges. Subject of study * Aerospace engineering * Agriculture * Art schools * Business * Chiropractic * Engineering * Forestry * Law * Maritime studies * Medicine * Music * Nanotechnology * Oste ...

1999 establishments in Ontario

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

Higher education in Ontario Ontario, Colleges and Universities