The Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines (MENDM) was the ministry responsible for developing a safe, reliable and affordable energy supply across the province, overseeing Ontario’s mineral sector and promoting northern economic and community development. The ministry's head office was located in

Sudbury Sudbury may refer to: Places Australia * Sudbury Reef, Queensland Canada * Greater Sudbury, Ontario ** Sudbury (federal electoral district) ** Sudbury (provincial electoral district) ** Sudbury Airport ** Sudbury Basin, a meteorite impact cra ...

. The last Minister of Northern Development and Mines was Hon.

Greg Rickford David Gregory Rickford (born September 24, 1967) is a Canadian politician. He is the Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs in the Executive Council of Ontario under Premier Doug Ford. He represents the Kenora� ...

. The Ministry's programs also included the

Northern Ontario Heritage Fund The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) is a Crown corporation and development agency of the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines in the Canadian province of Ontario, whose purpose is to provide funding and program support to ...

, and the creation and funding of local services boards to provide essential services in remote Northern Ontario communities which are not served by incorporated municipal governments. In 2021, Premier Doug Ford separated the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines into the

Ministry of Energy A ministry of energy or department of energy is a government department in some countries that typically oversees the production of fuel and electricity; in the United States, however, it manages nuclear weapons development and conducts energy-rela ...

and the

Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry 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 pe ...

, by merging the ministry (excluding Energy, which was made into its own portfolio) with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources, and Forestry (MNDMNRF) in Ontario was reorganized into separate ministries on June 6, 2024. This reorganization resulted in the creation of the Ministry of Mines, the Ministry of Northern Development, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. In 2025, Premier Doug Ford again reorganized by merging the Ministry of Mines with the Ministry of Energy, forming the new Ministry of Energy and Mines.

History

* 1842 -

Geological Survey of Canada The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC; , CGC) is a Canadian federal government agency responsible for performing geological surveys of the country developing Canada's natural resources and protecting the environment. A branch of the Earth Science ...

formed by the

Province of Canada The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report ...

* 1846 - Commissioner of Crown Lands (Province of Canada) assumed control for mines and mining. * 1867 - Responsibility for mines and mining transferred to the Ontario Commissioner of Crown Lands. The Montreal-based Geological Survey of Canada became part of the new federal government and moved to Ottawa in 1881. * 1890 - Royal Commission on Ontario's Mineral Resources (Chairman, John M. Charlton) * 1891 - Ontario Bureau of Mines established with Alexander Blue as its first director. * 1905 – The first cabinet minister from Northern Ontario, Sudbury's Frank Cochrane, is appointed. Cochrane serves as minister of the new Department of Lands, Forests and Mines until 1911. * 1912 – The Department creates a Northern Development Branch to further support growth in the North. In 1926, this branch becomes the Department of Northern Development. * 1930s – The Department of Northern Development merges with the Department of Highways. Its purpose: to build and maintain roads and bridges in Northern Ontario. * 1970 – The government creates a new Department of Mines and Northern Affairs in response to northerners' concerns about the lack of access to provincial government information. Twenty-four Northern Affairs offices in the region bring the Ontario government to northerners. This department changes name and responsibilities throughout the 1970s and early 1980s due to government restructuring. * 1985 – The government creates a new Ministry of Northern Affairs and Mines. Later that year, the name becomes the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines. The change emphasizes the province's commitment to greater social and economic development in the north. * 1990 – The ministry headquarters are re-located to two new buildings in Sudbury. * 2009 – The realignment of forestry from the Ministry of Natural Resources to the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is announced reflecting the importance of forestry to many northern and rural communities. The renamed Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry now leads the business and economic aspects of forestry, including industrial strategy, forest sector competitiveness programs, softwood lumber and wood allocation, pricing and licensing. * 2011 – Forestry is once again allocated back to the Ministry of Natural Resources and the name shortened to its original 'Ministry of Northern Development and Mines'. Honourable Minister

Rick Bartolucci Rick Bartolucci (born October 10, 1943) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Ontario Liberal Party, Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2014. He represented the riding of Sudbury (provincial elector ...

, former Minister of Community Safety and Correctional services, is appointed Minister of Northern Development and Mines on October 20. * 2013 - Premier Kathleen Wynne appoints

Michael Gravelle Michael Gravelle (born January 23, 1949) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who represented the riding of Thunder Bay—Superior North from 1995 to 2022 (known as Port Arthur fr ...

as Minister of Northern Development and Mines, on February 11. * 2018 - Premier Doug Ford appoints

as Minister of Northern Development and Mines, on June 29. *2019 - Premier Doug Ford renames the Ministry to Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. *2021 - Premier Doug Ford separates the Ministry to Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry, Northern Development and Mines *2024 - Premier Doug Ford separates the Ministries to Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry, Ministry of Northern Development and Ministry of Mines *2025 - Premier Doug Ford merges the Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Mines to for the Ministry of Energy and Mines

List of ministers

1867–1970

1970 to present

Ministry agencies

* Council of The Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario *

Independent Electricity System Operator The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is the Crown corporation responsible for operating the electricity market and directing the operation of the bulk electrical system in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is one of seven indepen ...

* Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation *

Ontario Energy Board The Ontario Energy Board is the provincial regulator of natural gas and electricity utilities in Ontario, Canada. This includes setting rates, and licensing all participants in the electricity sector including the Independent Electricity System O ...

Ontario Power Generation Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG) is a Crown corporations of Canada, Crown corporation and "government business enterprise" that is responsible for approximately half of the electricity generation in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is w ...

OBM Progress Medal

The OBM Progress Medal was given out by the

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

Bureau of Mines and the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines in 1991 to celebrate 100 years of progress. Featuring a

Trillium grandiflorum ''Trillium grandiflorum'', the white trillium, large-flowered trillium, great white trillium, white wake-robin or , is a species of flowering plant in the family (biology), family Melanthiaceae. A monocotyledonous, herbaceous plant, herbaceou ...

laid over a

Pickaxe A pickaxe, pick-axe, or pick is a generally T-shaped hand tool used for Leverage (mechanics), prying. Its head is typically metal, attached perpendicularly to a longer handle, traditionally made of wood, occasionally metal, and increasingly ...

, the Medal weighs 17 grams.GUIDE TO TOKENS and MEDALS, Millar (1992), p.67

References

External links

Ministry of Northern Development and Mines website
* History of Ontario Mining - http://www.republicofmining.com/2010/07/23/brief-history-of-ontario-mining {{Authority control Politics of Northern Ontario Organizations based in Greater Sudbury

Energy, Northern Development and Mines