2025–2026 Public Service Commission annual report

Message from the Chair of the Public Service Commission

I am honoured to have served as the Chair of the Public Service Commission (PSC) for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. As we enter the new fiscal year, I am excited to highlight the PSC’s accomplishments and our continued commitment to supporting the Ontario Public Service (OPS) mission of taking pride in strengthening Ontario, its place and its people.

Amid economic uncertainties and a rapidly evolving landscape, the OPS has remained agile and focused on continuous improvement. In response, the PSC has shifted toward a more strategic, forward-looking and integrated approach to human resources while fulfilling its statutory obligations.

Key advancements include strengthened system-wide executive talent oversight, and more data-driven decision-making. Executive talent is now positioned as a core driver of organizational performance, enabling more structured discussions on leadership deployment, mobility and deployment aligned with government priorities.  

We are laying the foundation for forward-looking talent planning, using mobility to support both executive development and organizational needs. Overall, the PSC is increasingly acting as a catalyst for system-wide results through data-informed oversight.

We remain committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, equitable, anti-racist and accessible workplace. This is supported by initiatives such as Our OPS/”One OPS” and the OPS People Plan (2023–2026) which guide our efforts to build  a stronger, more inclusive public service.

The PSC continues to oversee People Plan initiatives focused on modernizing work, developing talent and promoting a culture of belonging, while upholding transparency, accountability and integrity.

Through leadership forums and programs, the PSC continues to build leadership capacity support a resilient, high-performing OPS.

The 2025–2026 Public Service Commission Annual Report highlights progress in strengthen executive capability and advancing organizational priorities. Representation has improved, with parity achieved for several groups and continued progress for others, though further effort is needed across all levels.

It is a privilege to serve as Chair, and I look forward to the year ahead.

Carlene Alexander
Chair, Public Service Commission

About the Public Service Commission

The Public Service Commission (PSC) is a Non-Board Governed Regulatory Agency, as defined by the Agencies and Appointments Directive. It is responsible for oversight of the Ontario Public Service (OPS) and operates under the authority of the Public Service of Ontario Act, 2006 (PSOA). The PSC is assigned authority under the PSOA to establish terms and conditions of employment for employees in ministries and Commission public bodies.

Its authority includes:

• Overseeing appointments to the professional public service
• Managing disciplinary processes, investigations and dismissals
• Addressing post-service conflict of interest matters and conflict of interest financial disclosure requirements.

To fulfill its statutory obligations and promote effective public service management, the PSC issues directives and policies that set out key principles and requirements. To optimize efficiency and reinforce management accountability, the PSC delegates most decision-making authority relating to human resource management to deputy ministers (for ministry employees) and to prescribed delegates (for Commission public body employees). Administrative and secretariat support for the PSC is provided by the Centre for People, Culture and Talent (CPCT), a division of the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS). Commissioners serve without remuneration.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the President of the Treasury Board (Minister, TBS) and the PSC Chair outlines the government’s expectations and formalizes the PSC’s accountability to the Minister. The current PSC membership list is included as an appendix.

The PSC advises and supports both TBS and the Head of the public services in carrying out their respective duties.

Mandate

The mandate of the PSC, under Part III of the PSOA, is to ensure:

• Effective management and administration of human resources in relation to public servants that the PSC, or its delegates, appoints to employment by the Crown.
• Non-partisan recruitment and employment of public servants that the PSC, or its delegates, appoints to employment by the Crown.

Executive Development Committee

Executive Development Committee (EDC) is the body which supports the Head of the Public Service (Secretary of the Cabinet) in carrying out their human resources duties. PSC members serve as members of the EDC. The primary purpose of EDC is to build and sustain an organizational culture that attracts, develops, and retains executives who uphold the values of the OPS, as well as meet government objectives, and deliver quality service to the people of Ontario.

The responsibilities of EDC relate to:

• Executive recruitment
• Strategic talent management
• Enterprise learning and development for leaders
• Organizational design and effectiveness

Performance measures and annual targets

PSC’s performance in 2025-26 is assessed against targets set in the 2025–26 to 2027–28 Public Service Commission Business Plan for the following activities:

• HR strategy
• Policy development
• Public service talent and leadership
• Conflict of interest
• Administration and reporting

To support ongoing connection to performance measures and targets, PSC uses a quarterly reporting process that captures all items brought forward for PSC’s review, consideration and/or decision. This report supports more data-informed decision-making by identifying trends and helping to shape and prioritize HR focus areas.

We are leading HR strategy

The OPS People Plan (2023–2026) is a core element of the Our OPS plan and is our human resources blueprint to address the fundamentals of attracting, developing, and retaining top talent that reflects Ontario’s diversity, with a focus on the strategic priorities to modernize the workplace, grow and develop talent, and cultivate a culture of belonging. Phase One of the OPS People Plan was released in 2023. Through the Phase Two release in 2024, the PSC continues to oversee and monitor progress in achieving these goals through to 2026.

The PSC continues to review and approve human resource management directives, policies and programs to shape a non-partisan, professional, ethical, competent, healthy and safe, diverse, accessible, anti-racist, inclusive and respectful public service, and mitigate workforce risks.

As members of EDC, we continue to play a key role in delivering on executive development to equip our executives with the knowledge, skills and competencies to lead and deliver organizational priorities. Key areas of focus for building executive leadership capacity include:

• Onboarding resources
• Multi-modal learning and development catalogue
• Professional coaching
• Assessments
• Experiential learning

We oversee policy review & renewal

The 2025–2026 non-compensation HR policy review agenda maintained the PSC’s commitment to regularly review HR policy direction. Through systematic reviews and evaluation of policy, the PSC has assurance that critical direction is set for ministries and Commission public bodies that is current, relevant and reflective of best practices. The updated policy agenda, contained in the 2025–26 to 2027–28 Public Service Commission Business Plan, captures changes in practice, emerging opportunities, and creates conditions to enable shifting government priorities.

Looking Back: 2025–2026 Policy Agenda + Priority Areas of Focus

In 2025–2026, all non-compensation HR policies were reviewed where legislation requires an annual review. A review of the Learning and Development Policy is also ongoing with a targeted completion date in 2026–2027. The work aligns with broader strategic government initiatives with connections to learning and development.

Priority for the policy review agenda is driven by strategic priorities and commitments, legislative requirements (e.g., annual reviews of health and safety policies), length of time since last review, accuracy (e.g., organizational changes, designations, responsibilities), and operational and program feedback. Priorities are confirmed on an annual basis and may be updated as required to reflect new government priorities or emerging opportunities.

We are enabling OPS talent and leadership

PSC provides critical oversight of executive talent through approval of appointments to Executive 3 or Executive 4 classes of positions (assistant or associate deputy minister and equivalent). In 2025–2026, PSC reviewed and approved 63 submissions for permanent and temporary executive appointments, supporting the timely deployment of executive capacity to advance government priorities.

PSC continues to prioritize attracting, retaining and developing high-quality leadership from varied backgrounds to deliver the government’s agenda and results for Ontarians.

The OPS focuses on strengthening representation at senior levels through targeted coaching and mentoring, leadership development programs, succession planning, and inclusive recruitment and selection processes.

Jointly PSC and EDC, continues to take concrete action to build leadership capacity across the OPS including:

In 2025–26, we advanced a coordinated approach to executive talent management across the attract–develop–retain lifecycle. This work strengthened transparency and readiness in executive recruitment, expanded enterprise leadership development aligned to government priorities, and reinforced retention through coaching and structured succession planning. This work is also allowing for more timely conversations regarding performance at the executive level and determine appropriate approaches to address, which may include dismissals under the PSC’s authority and will inform future work on our performance planning strategy.

Collectively, these efforts support continuity in critical roles, enable timely deployment of executive capacity, and further progress toward a representative and high-performing leadership cadre in service of Ontarians.

Attract

Strengthening interest and readiness for executive roles through clearer pathways, practical support and an improved candidate experience.

• Leadership Engagement Initiative: Reached 1,000+ participants through questions and answers/open forums, interview clinics, coaching and real-time feedback to demystify executive recruitment and strengthen executive recruitment readiness.
• Executive Recruitment Unit and Leadership Development Program (LDP) partnership: Connected 77 LDP graduates with recruitment consultants for career conversations to build candidate readiness and improve the recruitment experience to support a capable, diverse and future-ready executive workforce.

Develop

Building current and future leaders’ capability through scalable learning, targeted development, and strengthened enterprise alignment.

• Senior Leadership Institute: Delivered in-person Senior Leadership Institute sessions for deputy ministers, associate deputy ministers, and assistant deputy ministers on accountable leadership, courageous conversations, AI, and building a strong leadership community. Ninety per cent (90%) of participants reported applying accountable leadership in their workplace, demonstrating clear practical impact.
• Leadership Forums: The OPS continues to strengthen leadership capability through monthly Leadership Forums for all people leaders. These forums provide a direct channel for the Secretary of the Cabinet to advance enterprise priorities—such as Protecting Ontario, Leading Change, and Delivering Service Excellence—while building alignment across the OPS. Since April 2025, ten hybrid forums have engaged more than 4,300 leaders, achieved a 90% satisfaction rate, and enhanced leadership readiness to deliver government priorities. The forums were also ranked as the second most effective internal communications channel in the OPS, reflecting strong appreciation for regular, direct engagement with the Secretary of the Cabinet.
• Executive onboarding: Online onboarding resources accessed 500+ times to accelerate time-to-effectiveness for new executive hires including deputy ministers, associate deputy ministers, assistant deputy ministers and directors.
• Director development and mobility: To strengthen talent assessment, mobility, and ADM succession planning, the OPS advanced a targeted focus on director development, including two new time‑limited, cross‑sector initiatives:
  • OPS AI Leadership Lab (launched in August 2025): Delivered with Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement (MPBSDP) and the Munk School of Business, the Lab engaged thirty-three directors from sixteen ministries to build AI literacy and leadership capability through practical, OPS‑based use cases, supporting service excellence in an AI‑enabled environment.
  • Canada–Ontario Executive Leadership Program (COELP): Delivered with the Canada School of Public Service, COELP brought together twenty-nine federal and provincial leaders in an experiential learning program to strengthen intergovernmental partnerships, knowledge exchange, and cross‑jurisdictional service delivery
• Leader as Coach for Executives (LACE): Fifty executives participated in the newly launched LACE program, strengthening practical coaching skills to support high‑performing teams. The program received an outstanding average rating of 4.7/5, reflecting its strong leadership impact.
• Steer Your Career: 252 current and aspiring executives participated in this session; 100% reported improved ability to communicate their brand, strengthen networks and perform in interviews (average rating of 4.6/5).
• Executive education: Approved 24 senior executives for external programs (Ivey Business School, Smith School of Business and Rotman School of Management) aligned to succession priorities.
• EDGE On-Demand Playlist: Fully refreshed in February 2026 with an expanded playlist, it continues to feature multimodal learning resources, including curated content from Harvard Business Publishing. Between March 2025 and March 2026, Harvard Business Publishing resources recorded over 370 downloads, demonstrating sustained uptake of just‑in‑time learning.

Retain

Retaining and sustaining executive capacity by supporting performance and well-being and strengthening continuity through succession planning and readiness assessment.

• Executive coaching: Expanded to 80 executives (+31%), primarily through team and program-based offerings; 65% of participants identified as belonging to underrepresented groups and 90%+ reported positive impact.
• Leadership Succession: Succession planning covered deputy minister, associate deputy minister and assistant deputy minister roles: 86% of positions have named successors and 78% have two or more successors in the OPS talent management system.
• Focused succession efforts on twenty-nine higher-risk assistant deputy minister roles through a centrally coordinated approach which has ensured consistency while prioritizing stability and continuity in high-risk roles.
• Identified 200+ leaders with potential for assistant deputy minister roles and strengthened readiness assessment using structured career discussions, ministry input and third-party assessments.
• Executive assessments to be conducted on up to 148 leaders by the end of the next fiscal year-end.
• Work is actively underway to translate external assessment insights into tailored developmental and potential mobility opportunities, strengthening successor readiness to assume executive roles with greater responsibility

We are monitoring results

The OPS Employee Experience Survey creates opportunity for employees to share valuable insights on how the OPS is achieving the goal of being an inclusive and anti-racist organization with an engaged workforce. In addition to having questions related to leadership, recognition and retention, the survey also measures staff perceptions of the actions we have taken based on previous feedback. The results of the survey will help guide further action on improving the employee experience and support the development of the next full survey in 2028.

The enterprise-level scores show declines in engagement, inclusion and leadership. While inclusion scores remain high, the downward trend in these core metrics for understanding the employee experience will be monitored and addressed through local and organizational actions.

We are leading key ethics processes

Post-service conflict of interest

PSC is the ethics executive for former public servants who worked in a ministry other than in a minister’s office. PSC makes a determination when a former employee declares a potential conflict of interest (COI) between their prior OPS employment and a new activity, consistent with the COI rules for post-service employees in the PSOA and its regulations. PSC will issue direction to the former employee.

PSC received forty two post-service COI determination requests in 2025–2026. PSC’s service standard for providing a determination is within 60 days of an employee or former employee submitting a post-service COI determination request. PSC strives to respond within this timeline 85% of the time.

• PSC provided determinations within 60 days in 21 of 42 (50%) cases.
• Where PSC took more than 60 days to provide a determination, this was due to ministry or legal reviews taking longer than anticipated (e.g. situations where additional information was required of the declarant or program area, or legal consultation).
• Work is underway to increase compliance with the determination timeline commitment, including lean process improvements and additional training for those who support the review process.

Financial conflict of interest

The PSC also has an obligation under Ontario Regulation 381/07: Conflict of Interest Rules for Public Servants (Ministry) and Former Public Servants (Ministry) to maintain a list of ministry employees in positions who routinely work on one or more matters that might involve the private sector and have access to confidential information about those matters. These requirements ensure that public servants are not using their position or access to confidential information for personal financial benefit. Individuals identified through this process are required to submit either a financial declaration to the Integrity Commissioner or a previous declarant attestation to CPCT (if they had previously submitted a financial declaration that remains current).

During the 2025 declaration cycle, discussions were held with ministries to ensure alignment with the criteria and considerations for position selection. Those discussions resulted in refinement of the process and the opportunity to provide additional clarity to the ministries ensuring the list of positions is complete. Requests for declarations or attestations were sent to 228 employees on the list maintained by PSC. After exemptions (due to retirements, leaves of absence, or departures from the positions) were identified, all employees in active identified positions completed a declaration or attestation. A new financial declaration cycle for 2026 is underway.

Administration & reporting

The 2024–25 Public Service Commission Annual Report and the 2025–26 to 2027–28 Public Service Commission Business Plan are posted in accordance with the requirements under the Agencies and Appointments Directive. The PSC Chair submitted all necessary accountability documents to the President of the Treasury Board who is the minister responsible for the PSC.

Risk assessment & mitigation

Acting within the authority granted to it under the PSOA, as well as those delegated to it by the Management Board of Cabinet, PSC makes decisions with respect to several potentially high-risk matters related to:

• policy direction for management of OPS employees;
• appointments of senior executives in Executive 3 and Executive 4 classes (or equivalent);
• dismissals of employees in Executive (levels 2 to 4, or equivalent) classes of positions;
• determinations of post-service conflict of interest for former ministry employees.

In the 2025-26 to 2027-28 Public Service Commission Business Plan, PSC assessed the risks to its strategic priorities, along with risk indicators and mitigation strategies to manage the risks and execute its mandate:

• Approve policy direction that creates conditions for building and sustaining a skilled, diverse and engaged workforce and shapes a non-partisan, professional, ethical, competent, healthy and safe, diverse, accessible, anti-racist, inclusive and respectful public service and mitigates workforce risks.
• Review and update policy direction so it remains current, relevant, and responsive to evolving organizational priorities.
• Oversee and monitor progress in achieving key initiatives related to the strategic priorities and goals set out in the OPS People Plan to modernize work, grow and develop talent and cultivate a culture of belonging.
• Promote OPS ethics and values.
• Seek advice from TBS Legal Services Branch on matters for which there are legal risks.
• Compose PSC membership with the Secretary of the Cabinet and Deputy Minister, TBS as permanent commissioners and a cadre of rotating deputy ministers, which provides PSC with the benefit of broad OPS workplace perspectives when considering strategic human resource proposals and helps PSC be cognizant of public policy impact of decisions that it renders.

Application of risk management and deployment of defined mitigation strategies are instrumental for informing and preparing PSC to make timely and effective decisions. Specifically, ensuring that strategic planning is evidence-based, people and future-focused and enabling of government and organizational priorities is an accomplishment of which the PSC is proud.

Conclusion

We thank our enterprise-wide human resources partners for their collaboration throughout the 2025–26 fiscal year. Their expertise and commitment were integral to advancing shared priorities that strengthened service delivery, supported modernization, and enhanced our collective ability to respond to the evolving needs of the Ontario Public Service.

This annual report fulfills the Public Service Commission’s obligation under the Agencies and Appointment Directive to report on progress on goals and objectives as outlined in the 2025–26 to 2027–28 Public Service Commission Business Plan. This annual report will be tabled in the Legislative Assembly in accordance with Treasury Board/Management Board of Cabinet timelines.

Land acknowledgement

The Public Service Commission acknowledges that Ontario is located on the traditional territory of Indigenous peoples dating back countless generations. We respect the contributions of Indigenous peoples and recognize the role of treaty-making in what is now Ontario. We encourage the settlers reading this report to reflect on and acknowledge the Indigenous territory and unique history where you are located.

Appendix A: Summary of key data points  

The table below provides a summary of key quantitative data from the 2025–26 Annual Report. 

Appendix B: Public Service Commissioners and Secretariat

Public Service Commissioners (as of March 31, 2026)

Chair, Public Service Commission

Carlene Alexander
Secretary of Treasury Board and Management Board of Cabinet
Deputy Minister, Treasury Board Secretariat
Appointment: March 18, 2024
Term end: March 17, 2027

Vice Chair, Public Service Commission

Sarah Harrison
Deputy Minister of Environment, Conservation, and Parks
Appointment: July 17, 2024
Term end: July 16, 2026

Commissioners, Public Service Commission

David Corbett
Deputy Attorney General
Appointment: July 17, 2025
Term end: July 16, 2026

Michelle DiEmanuele
Secretary of the Cabinet and Head of the Ontario Public Service
Appointment: August 21, 2023
Term end: December 31, 2026

Jason Fitzsimmons
Deputy Minister of Finance
Appointment: January 3, 2024
Term end: January 2, 2027

Jonathan Lebi
Deputy Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
Appointment: July 17, 2025
Term end: July 16, 2026

Maud Murray
Deputy Minister of Red Tape Reduction
Appointment: January 3, 2025
Term end: January 2, 2027

Roda Muse
Deputy Minister of Francophone Affairs
Appointment: January 3, 2024
Term end: January 2, 2027

Alexandra Sutton
Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and of Communications, Cabinet Office and Associate Secretary of the Cabinet
Appointment: January 3, 2025
Term end: January 2, 2027

Ali Veshkini
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Legislative Affairs
Appointment: July 17, 2024
Term end: July 16, 2026

Mercedes Watson
Chief Talent Officer and Associate Deputy Minister, Centre for People, Culture and Talent, Treasury Board Secretariat
Appointment: January 3, 2025
Term end: January 2, 2027

Daniele Zanotti
Deputy Minister of Children, Community and Social Services
Appointment: July 17, 2025
Term end: July 16, 2026

Secretary to the Public Service Commission

Kelly McAslan
Assistant Deputy Minister, Talent, Leadership and Performance Division
Centre for People, Culture and Talent
Treasury Board Secretariat