Published plans and annual reports 2025–2026: Cabinet Office

Ministry overview

Ministry’s vision

The Cabinet Office is the Premier’s ministry, providing essential strategic advice and analysis to support the Premier and Cabinet to achieve the government’s priorities.

The Cabinet Office takes pride in strengthening Ontario, its places, and its people as the central agency that supports the delivery of government priorities by developing, coordinating, and exercising controllership for policy and communications. The Cabinet Office also supports and monitors delivery and implementation of the government’s mandate and drives key initiatives including enterprise marketing services and internal communications to strengthen enterprise-wide culture and capacity to improve communication and engagement across the Ontario Public Service. The Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs within the Cabinet Office leads intergovernmental strategies, international relations, and protocol. The Ministry of Red Tape Reduction within the Cabinet Office drives regulatory modernization in the province by using targeted and measured strategies to reduce burden, saving businesses and people time and money, and building a stronger Ontario.

Key priorities

The Cabinet Office contributes to the following government priorities:

• Supports the advancement and delivery of government’s policy priorities by providing key analysis and strategic advice to inform policy and fiscal decision-making, ensuring strategic alignment and timely decision support across government.
• Establishes internal controls and offers advice to ensure decision-makers receive high-quality and timely materials and support throughout the decision-making process.
• Drives the delivery of key government priorities by fostering cross-government collaboration, promoting innovative integration and efficient processes, and ensuring the strategic allocation of Cabinet Office project delivery expertise across the OPS.
• Maintains the integrity of the Cabinet decision-making process and the machinery of government.
• Works collaboratively with ministries on priority strategies, policies, and programs to drive innovation and redesign systems, organizations, and services to simplify processes, improve efficiency, and achieve better outcomes for users through continuous improvement.
• Builds internal capacity in lean management, behavioural insights, stakeholder and end user engagement, and public sector innovation.
• Ensures modern and coordinated government communications that are clear and easy to understand and engage the people of Ontario.
• Provides high-quality, nimble client services through key interactions with the public via various channels such as correspondence and Freedom of Information (FOI) requests which are measured against service level standards.
• Leads the creation of a purpose-driven workplace culture that attracts, develops, and retains skilled and diverse talent.
• Leads enterprise-wide communications to strengthen organization culture.
• Ensures coordinated, accountable, and consistent internal communications processes for memos that empower leaders and provide access to timely and relevant information to staff.
• Support the Secretary of the Cabinet by ensuring accountable and transparent communication from the head of the Ontario Public Service to staff focused on organizational culture and priorities.
• Leads the implementation of Ontario’s first-ever Provincial Emergency Management Strategy and Action Plan.
• Determines organization-wide human resource strategy through the People Plan to champion modern working, growth, and development.
• Provides support to advance Ontario’s intergovernmental and international relations priorities, including negotiations, building key relationships, and actively engaging other levels of government and foreign offices.
• Provides support to building a strong Ontario and advancing economic stability, including improving the quality of interactions with businesses, reducing administrative and regulatory burden, and ensuring a competitive business climate in the province. Compliance costs and hours saved and the reduction in regulatory compliance requirements for businesses are monitored on an annual basis.

Ministry programs

Secretary of the Cabinet

As Deputy Minister to the Premier:

• provides independent advice to the Premier on government policies, priorities, and oversees implementation of the government’s mandate by the Ontario Public Service
• recommends the appointment of Deputy Ministers for the Premier’s Order-In-Council appointments

As Clerk of the Executive Council and Secretary of the Cabinet:

• ensures effective public service support for the deliberations and decision-making of the Executive Council and its Committees
• provides advice on government and Crown matters
• responsible for overseeing the machinery of government, supporting Cabinet Office decision-making, and conveying the decisions of the Executive Council to the public service for implementation

As Head of the Ontario Public Service:

• leads the development and implementation of organizational transformation activities to achieve greater efficiencies and better outcomes
• fosters the development of a diverse, inclusive, collaborative, accountable, and talented senior executive leadership team
• champions the effective and efficient management of the public service

Policy and Delivery

Policy and Delivery provides a central role in helping the government deliver on its vision, goals, and decisions. It does this by working closely with the Secretary of Cabinet and the Premier’s Office to establish and advance the government’s agenda, ensuring the government’s Cabinet decision-making structures operate effectively, and by working closely with ministries to provide non-partisan advice and analysis on policy matters, strategic coordination and implementation supports. This also includes an important policy controllership function that ensures high-quality materials are provided to Cabinet in a timely manner to enable fully informed decision-making. Complementing its policy role, Policy and Delivery also coordinates the machinery of government such as swearings-in and Cabinet shuffles, provides project management and delivery expertise to assist ministries with implementing highly complex, time sensitive, priority government initiatives, and works to improve how OPS programs and services are delivered through strategic innovation consulting, lean practices, behavioral science, and data and visualization.

Communications

Communications provides direct communications and operational support for the Office of the Premier and the Secretary of the Cabinet. This includes strategic decision-making support, cross-government communications coordination, corporate issues management and media monitoring, end-to-end paid marketing, digital communications through the province’s flagship website Ontario.ca and the government Newsroom, organic social media, writing and event support, correspondence, processing of Freedom of Information requests, public opinion research for government programs and initiatives, and strategic communications for the Secretary of the Cabinet. In addition, the ministry leads enterprise-wide culture and capacity building, including learning and development to assist in continuous improvement and service delivery across the Ontario Public Service’s communication community.

Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs

The Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs (MIA) provides policy analysis, strategic advice, and operational support for Canadian intergovernmental relations, international relations and protocol, and democratic institutions of government. The ministry supports the Premier in meetings of First Ministers and the Council of the Federation, bilateral and multi-lateral engagements, as well as Cabinet ministers in international meetings and missions, and in state ceremonial events. It also leads the enterprise delivery and coordination of Ontario’s U.S. Engagement Strategy. The ministry also supports the Secretary of the Cabinet’s participation in national Clerks and Secretaries meetings, and works across the government on intergovernmental agreements, including funding arrangements with the federal government and other opportunities that align with Ontario’s strategic interests. The ministry also administers the province’s International Disaster Relief Program.

Ministry of Red Tape Reduction

The Ministry of Red Tape Reduction (MRTR) works to reduce burden on businesses, not-for-profit organizations, the broader public sector, and individuals to build a more efficient and competitive Ontario. Alongside ministry partners, it identifies opportunities, enables progress, and leads work to modernize legislation, regulations, policies and forms, making it easier to interact with government. The ministry informs this work through independent research, including by directly engaging and consulting with stakeholders to surface innovative ideas for meaningful red tape reduction.

2025–26 Strategic Plan

The Cabinet Office will continue to deliver strategic advice, analysis, and operational support to the Premier, the Cabinet, and its committees to enable the delivery of government priorities.

• Cabinet Office will continue to lead government policy and delivery by ensuring that ministries seeking direction from Cabinet on policy, legislation, or other key priorities obtain adequate and timely support and advice from the public service. In turn, Cabinet Office will continue to work with ministries to ensure high-quality materials are received in a timely manner to facilitate the decision-making process.
• Continue to provide in-house consulting, coaching, and training on process and service improvement, strategy and organizational design, policy and program design, and consultation with stakeholders and end users. These services to ministries advance government and enterprise priorities, while ultimately helping businesses and people who live in or visit Ontario benefit from better experiences. This work displaces reliance on external vendors, builds organizational capabilities and resilience, and directly supports ministries on initiatives that span continuous improvement of existing process to build new, innovative solutions.
• Continue to support government commitments by leveraging the combined strengths of its well-established internal consulting teams to drive transformative changes across ministries. By providing targeted advice and interventions, our teams will support ministries to streamline processes, eliminate barriers, and redesign services for greater impact. With a focus on enhancing leadership, building capacity, and improving program efficiency, the team will deliver coordinated, high-impact support to ministry partners, ensuring the achievement of government priorities and service excellence.
• Data analytics and enterprise-wide tools and reports will be utilized to best support ministries into tracking and reporting on government commitments, service delivery, and organization priorities.
• Behavioural insights will be leveraged to further improve outcomes by increasing channel switching from analog to digital service options, supporting the uptake of programs that promote economic and social inclusion and reducing excessive burdens in user experiences.
• Services for citizens and businesses will continue to be simplified and streamlined by applying lean and continuous improvement principles and building practitioner capacity across the enterprise.
• Paid marketing campaigns will continue to be developed efficiently, focused on achieving cost savings by delivering more in-house, reducing agency fees, and leveraging external agency vendors in a hybrid capacity.
• Key interactions with the public will continue to be delivered with attention to timelines and accessibility, including by the ongoing achievement of performance measures tied to service standards such as correspondence and Freedom of Information.
• The Ontario Public Service’ enterprise-wide communications capacity will continue to be strengthened through efficient, community-targeted talent development strategies focused on learning, development, and performance.
• Enterprise-wide communications processes have been formalized through an internal model and enterprise-wide communications will continue to be modernized by enhancing service delivery to focus on client support, technology, and strengthening organizational culture.
• Organizational design, workforce-centered delivery models and expenditure management strategies will continue to be refined to inform ongoing decision-making processes and to support prudent fiscal planning.
• Dedicated support will continue to be provided to the Office of the Premier, Secretary of the Cabinet, and Ministers’ Offices.

The Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs will continue to support the Premier, the Office of the Premier, the Secretary of the Cabinet, Cabinet Office, OPS ministries, and the Lieutenant Governor on intergovernmental and international relations and protocol, strategic planning, and policy coordination.

• Advance Ontario’s United States (U.S.). Engagement Strategy by leading the province’s strategic approach to navigate the challenges and opportunities within Ontario–U.S. relations, driven by evolving U.S. policy, legislative and regulatory approaches.
• Leading the work to support Ontario’s responsibilities as the Chair of the Council of the Federation (COF). As Chair of COF, Ontario’s Premier works collaboratively with Canada’s Premiers to strengthen the Canadian federation and show leadership on issues important to all Canadians. To support these efforts, the Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs supports frequent meetings of Canada’s Premiers as well as with the Prime Minister, builds consensus at the table for advocacy with the federal government, and ensures Ontario’s priorities are represented.
• The Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs will continue to lead and deliver activities that support the Government’s mandate, such as the Premier’s and ministers’ intergovernmental, international meetings and missions and the province’s state ceremonial events.
• International humanitarian aid will continue to be administered through the International Disaster Relief Program.
• Support for the Secretary of the Cabinet’s participation in national Clerks and Secretaries meetings and other bilateral engagements will continue.
• Methods to enhance intergovernmental capacity building across the enterprise and help OPS ministries build on their current negotiation skills — focusing on how to promote better outcomes for Ontario, prioritizing interests and developing principles for engagement — will continue.
• Raise Ontario’s profile in Ottawa and advocate for Ontario’s position on implementing the new deal with the City of Ottawa, rebuilding the region’s economy, advancing shared priorities, and ensuring that Ottawa’s unique needs are served.
• Fiscal and program benefits will continue to be maximized across the government by engaging in intergovernmental agreements and ongoing negotiations with ministry partners across broad policy issues, including health and social policy, economics and justice, and federalism and institutions.

The Ministry of Red Tape Reduction will continue to deliver strategic advice and analysis and support partner ministries with their red tape reduction efforts, including:

• Regulatory impact analyses will be reviewed as part of the process for quantifying the impact of legislative, regulatory, policy and form changes on regulated entities, and enhancing policy development and decision-making.
• Outdated, redundant, or ineffective laws and regulations will be removed through Red Tape Reduction packages, while important regulations that protect the health and safety of individuals and the environment will be maintained.
• Ideas that help drive and enable impactful red tape reduction proposals will be sourced through public and stakeholder feedback, and through jurisdictional research. Issues identified by stakeholders and the public will continue to be tracked and analyzed.
• Leading the modernization of Ontario’s Regulatory Registry to ensure that that public consultation on provincial policy instruments that affect regulated entities supports policy decision making.
• The government’s economic development-related permit requirements will be reviewed to identify duplicative, unnecessary, and/or outdated permits and permit requirements that could be eliminated.
• Examining how AI can be safely and securely leveraged to further accelerate the identification and implementation of red tape reduction.
• Enterprise-level work supported by our digital platform, the Ontario Regulatory Evaluation Gateway (ONReg), which digitizes the regulatory impact analyses process and tracks progress reporting against the government’s Burden Reduction Key Performance Indicators.
• Regulatory impact analysis training will continue to be provided to policy professionals across the Ontario Public Sector to support the reduction of red tape based on requirements from the Modernizing Ontario for People and Businesses Act and the Burden Reduction Directive.
• Public reports on reducing regulatory burden on individuals and businesses will be developed to support transparency of how the government is cutting red tape.
• Work to establish clear and tangible performance indicators to measure Ontario’s progress in reducing burden for individuals will continue.

Cabinet Office 2025–26 Allocation

The following charts depict the ministry’s 2025–26 allocation ($74.1 million) by vote/item and standard account.

Ministry Operating Expenses by Vote ($M)

Operating Summary by Standard Account ($M)

Detailed financial information

Cabinet Office

Table 2: Combined Operating and Capital Summary by Vote

Historic trend table

Ministry organization chart

Cabinet Office Executive 
Organizational Chart 
As of April 1, 2025

• Premier and President of the Council — Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
  • Secretary of the Cabinet, Clerk of the Executive Council — Michelle DiEmanuele
    • Senior Director and General Counsel — Don Fawcett
    • Director and Executive Assistant to the Secretary of the Cabinet — Justine Walker
    • Deputy Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs — Alexandra Sutton
      • Executive Assistant — Amy Best
      • Assistant Deputy International Relations and Protocol — Christina Critelli
        • Director, Protocol and Operations — Veronica Panton
        • Director, International Relations and Missions — Jeffrey Walters
      • Assistant Deputy Minister, Canadian Intergovernmental Relations — Ragaven Sabaratnam
        • Director, Federalism and Institutions — Erich Hartmann
        • Director, Economics and Justice Policy — Stephen Laurent
        • Director, Health and Social Policy — Ivonne Mellozzi
        • Director, Council of Federation Op. Lead — Sharanjeet Kaur
        • Director, Stakeholders and Partnerships — Ines Gomes
    • Deputy Minister, Communications and Associate Secretary of the Cabinet — Alexandra Sutton
      • Executive Assistant — Deepika Shewaramani
      • Assistant Deputy Minister, Enterprise Communications and Engagement — Catherine Pringle
        • Director, Enterprise Communications and Engagement — Stephanie (Rae) Whitton
      • Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Communications — Rebecca Morier
        • Director, Strategic Communications — Jennifer Mitches
      • Assistant Deputy Minister, Communications Priorities and Forecasting — Kyle Brown
        • Director, Forecasting — Michelle Lewis
        • Director, Premier’s Communications and Priorities — Kayley Chiddy
      • Assistant Deputy Minister, Marketing and Digital — Kirsten Evans
        • Managing Director, Marketing and Creative Services — Ryan Huber
        • Director, Digital and Data — Tannis Fenton
    • Deputy Minister, Policy and Delivery and Associate Secretary of the Cabinet — Shannon Fuller
      • Executive Assistant — Dawn Palin Rokosh
      • Assistant Deputy Minister, Lean Strategy and Innovation — Glen Sloutsky
        • Director, Lean and Continous Improvement — Kelly Villenueve
        • Director, Strategy and Innovation — Ryan Boyd
      • Assistant Deputy Minister, Health, Social, Education and Children’s Policy — Sarah McQuarrie
        • Director, Education and Children’s Policy — Hilary Forgie-Resnick
        • Director, Health and Social Policy — Sarah Dunsford
      • Assistant Deputy Minister, Economic, Environmental, Justice and Intergovernmental Policy — Phillip Graham
        • Director, Justice, Economic and Enterprise Policy — Radhika Uppal
        • Director, Transportation, Resource and Infrastructure Policy — Sebastian Franks
      • Assistant Deputy Minister, Enterprise Delivery and Implementation Team — Karl Frost
        • Director, Enterprise Delivery and Implementation — Sharon Rew
      • Director, Executive Council Office — James Scott-Vickers
      • Director, Housing Priorities Secretariat — Zaynah Jamal
    • Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Administrative Officer, Corporate Planning and Services — Anna Boyden
      • Director Human Resources Strategies and Services — Lorraine Cummings-Ioannou
      • Director, Finance, Operational Support and Services — Robert Foster
      • Director, Strategic Corporate Support — Garima Sharma
    • Deputy Minister, Red Tape Reduction — Maud Murray
      • Executive Assistant — Shaloma Gauthier
      • Assistant Deputy Minister, Red Tape Reduction — Rakhi Lad
        • Director Lead, Regulatory Modernization — Tom Kaszaz
        • Director, Strategic Policy and Research — Morella Aguirre
  • Minister, Red Tape Reduction — Andrea Khanjin

Annual report

The Cabinet Office

• Provided strategic advice, coordination, and operational/administrative support to the Office of the Premier, the Office of the Government House Leader, and all Ministers’ Offices to ensure achievement of government priorities.
• Continued to strive for service excellence and deliver the programs and services that Ontarians rely on by leading the public sector and enabling ministries to deliver on their mandates.

Policy and Delivery

• Delivered objective, integrated, and strategic policy advice to support evidence-driven decision-making and the government’s policy agenda.
• Promoted a cohesive, cross-government approach by guiding ministries in the effective delivery and monitoring of priority initiatives.
• Coordinated and tracked commitments and directions to all Ministers and Associate Ministers through innovative tracking and project management tools to effectively monitor progress.
• Reoriented enterprise processes in convening and supporting Cabinet and its committee meetings and providing sound advice to government to facilitate swift and strategic decision-making in a dynamic environment.
• Maintained a modern Cabinet decision-making process by leveraging a digital platform for the distribution and publication of material for Cabinet and its committee meetings and advancing development of an integrated application that supports agenda planning by centralizing information, providing digital scheduling tools, and tracking commitments.
• Ensured controllership functions in due diligence reviews and risk identification to government.
• Established the Enterprise Delivery and Implementation Team (EDIT) in 2024-25 to provide project management and delivery expertise to ministries that are leading the delivery of highly complex, key government priorities. To date, EDIT has provided extensive support to 4 key projects across 4 ministries and 2 agencies.
• Supported ministries with the implementation or assessment of lean recommendations with all-time savings of up to $60.1 million and over 245,000 hours (~28 years) through streamlined and improved services.
• Continued to spread the adoption of lean through improvement projects, capacity-building initiatives, the development of lean management system tools, and the expansion of OPS lean practitioner training programs. Over 25,000 employees have been trained since 2019.
• Helped the OPS save an estimated $12 million through in-house training, consulting and coaching instead of hiring outside vendors:
  • Helped 23 ministries improve the efficiency of 105 business processes through its signature OPS Lean Yellow Belt and Green Belt Programs — totalling 299 processes improved since the programs launched, with results ranging from reduced backlogs to decreased email response times.
  • Supported 20 ministries on 40 projects, saving more than $6 million for comparable services had we used outside vendors for process and service improvement, strategy and organizational design, policy and program design, stakeholder consultation and training on public sector innovation.
• Partnered with ministries to lead consultations with their stakeholders and partners to support multi-year social services modernization, update legislation for the insurance industry, improve safety for drivers, cut red tape in housing, and launch a new portal to help learners and job seekers find opportunities. These engagements are designed to be inclusive, to present issues and test solutions with collaborative workshop-style exercises, to strengthen the options provided to government and improve delivery.
• Coordinated decisions required and processes for the calling of an election, and the swearing in of a new Cabinet.
• Formed a public service transition team, election period committee and governance structure that provided both guidance on how to prepare for transition and advice to the government and senior public service officials on government operations during the months leading up to and through the election period.
• Led the Ontario Public Service as steward during the Election period and ensured the uninterrupted delivery of government’s core business while respecting election period protocols.
• Supported ministry preparation and readiness for new or returning government during the 7-week period leading to the February 27, 2025, general election.

Communications

• Delivered multi-phase, complex communications deliverables while improving compliance with legislated delivery and service standards for communications priorities such as correspondence. Exceeded OPS correspondence service standard (15-day turnaround) by 6 days (average of 9 days).
• Coordinated and provided support for the development of integrated strategic communications that effectively reached the public to drive awareness and understanding of government policies, programs, and initiatives. Implemented strategies to enhance the enterprise’s agility, alignment, and responsiveness to evolving directions, timelines, and priorities.
• Centralized approvals for communications planning materials to support more effective and integrated evidence-driven government decision-making.
• Provided writing services, French translation, creative services and event support, including in the Communication Centre, for high-priority Premier-led government announcements.
• Enhanced the delivery of strategic advice by refining processes to proactively identify and address issues. Leveraged established business lines such as correspondence, and media monitoring to develop comprehensive strategies for issues management and provide insightful, informed guidance.
• Established new centralized media monitoring agreements, which continue to reduce costs and gain efficiencies through centralized contract management across all ministries.
• Developed and maintained digital products, tools and platforms, including a new online consultation form, to enable the government to inform and engage the public in modern, responsive ways.
• Directly managed the flagship ONgov/Ongov channels, maintaining 100% compliance with the government’s social media guidelines and response timelines on the flagship ONgov/Ongov channels.
• Oversaw, developed, and executed 40 best-in-class multi-channel and multi-lingual paid marketing strategies for domestic and international audiences. Continued to exceed cost avoidance targets by increasing the use of in-house creative and media development and avoiding agency fees.
• Further enhanced the province’s full-service marketing function by expanding and formalizing the hybrid media buying and creative production models to be leveraged for ministries’ campaigns in addition to continuing with the established in-house media buy model.
• Continued to make government information easier to find, understand and use on Ontario.ca, including enhancements to user experience, content and visual design, and search capabilities across the website.
• Built on a strong foundation of innovative, evidence-based, and bias free approaches to assess, develop, and support a strong and healthy workforce across the Ontario Public Service communications community.
• Provided writing services, event support, and creative services for the head of the public service, and facilitated modern and coordinated leadership development sessions in partnership with TBS.
• Built an internal communication framework that adopts efficient, and innovative approaches to internal communications for the Ontario Public Service and responds to the communication needs of leaders.
• Completed and published to InsideOPS the 2025 Correspondence Guide which features new sections and enhanced consistency in enterprise-wide correspondence.
• Realigned resources into Cabinet Office to strengthen the delivery model for ontario.ca, ensuring the sustainable, seamless, and efficient delivery of the government’s flagship website, which is the front-door for all government information and services.
• Completed an organizational realignment that streamlined services and clarified accountabilities, enabling the reinforcement of priority delivery with no additional FTEs or costs.

Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs

• Provided strategic advice, analysis, and support to partner ministries to promote Ontario’s national and international interests and objectives through intergovernmental and international engagement.
• Provided support for Ontario’s participation in key intergovernmental meetings, including First Ministers’ Meetings (FMMs), and meetings with the Council of the Federation (COF), the Steering Committee, Leaders of the National Indigenous Organizations, and Senior Officials. This included the development of meeting notes, provision of advice to the Premier and Office of the Premier, facilitation of consultation meetings and coordination of multi-ministry engagement to support responses to proposed federal legislative amendments.
• Since becoming COF Chair on August 1, 2024:
  • Supported Ontario’s planning of and participation in an in-person COF meeting in December 2024, and supported Ontario’s participation at 2 in-person FMMs in January and March 2025.
  • Provided support for 5 virtual COF calls, 10 virtual FMMs, 14 COF Steering Committee calls and 23 COF Senior Officials meetings.
• Supported COF in writing 4 letters to the PM and issued a communique after the Fall 2024 COF meeting and joint statements with the federal government after the January and March FMMs.
• Supported over 20 bilateral meetings between the Premier and his federal, provincial, and territorial counterparts.
• Led the development and delivery of Ontario’s U.S. Advocacy Strategy to raise awareness among U.S. lawmakers about the importance of the Ontario–U.S. economic relationship. This included supporting the Premier with 45 engagements with U.S. federal and state representatives, and 4 missions to Washington, DC in February and March 2025.
• Supported 43 international missions for several ministries, including 24 missions to the U.S. to bolster Ontario’s diplomatic ties during a critical period in the Canada–U.S.relationship.
• Supported 331 engagements with foreign governments to promote diplomacy and build relationships.
• Delivered state ceremonial events including the 2024 Remembrance Day Ceremony (November 2024), the King’s Coronation Medal and the Swearing-In Ceremony for the Executive Council of Ontario (March 2025).

Ministry of Red Tape Reduction

• Delivered 2 Red Tape Reduction packages.
• Developed and published the government’s annual Burden Reduction Report, which profiles notable burden reduction achievements for a 12-month period from July through June of the previous year.
• Through the Red Tape Reduction Portal, continued to provide a direct channel for businesses and individuals to communicate to the government regarding issues that they are facing with red tape and regulatory requirements.
• Developed and delivered several enterprise-wide training sessions on burden reduction tools. Trained more than 900 users on Burden Reduction Directive/Modernizing Ontario for People and Businesses Act and the use of Regulatory Impact Analysis and the Regulatory Cost Calculator tool and trained over 1000 users across 30 ministries on the use of the ONReg digital platform.
• Launched additional functionality for the ONReg digital platform to help ministries manage work relating to the regulatory impact analysis process and to support tracking and reporting progress on reducing red tape.
• Reviewed and assessed ministries’ Regulatory Impact Analyses to support evidence-based decision-making and provided guidance to ensure appropriate standard methodology for calculating cost and time impacts to regulated entities was followed across the enterprise.

Key performance indicators

The Cabinet Office continues to demonstrate progress towards achieving strategic outcomes that are representative and reflective of the ministry’s mandate and key priorities. Included below are some examples of key performance indicators that help drive this progress.

Policy and Delivery

Policy and Delivery plays an essential role in ensuring timely submission of materials, supporting the facilitation of Cabinet and committee meetings, and advancing high-quality proposals. The division ensures comprehensive policy analysis and due diligence, supports improved service delivery through enhanced system design, and champions the use of advanced data collection, visualization and statistical analysis to inform decision-making. In 2024-25, the Cabinet Office and ministries exceeded the target of 80% for submitting Cabinet materials at least 1 day before the meeting. This is also a significant increase from the baseline established in 2019. The ministry will continue to provide timely support, analysis, and advice to drive effective policy and program delivery. This includes maintaining on-time submissions and further strengthening service delivery and project management across government.

Communications

Communications emphasizes maintaining a high level of communication with the public, including by continuing to uphold compliance with timelines for key public facing interactions with Ontarians such as for Freedom of Information requests and correspondences. Cabinet Office has maintained a high level of compliance with Freedom of Information response standards with 94% completed within timelines as required under legislation. Communications has also modernized its paper-based practices and implemented new systems to facilitate the electronic processing of requests. The ministry is also exploring options to streamline case management and statistical reporting, as well as tools to enhance data collection and analysis for identifying emerging trends.

Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs

The Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs advises and supports partner ministries in negotiating fiscal and program benefits across policy areas, including health and social policy, economics and justice, and federalism and institutions. The ministry oversees federal-provincial funding agreements and collaborates with other jurisdictions to provide strategic advice promoting Ontario’s strategic interests and intergovernmental priorities.

Ministry of Red Tape Reduction

Ministry of Red Tape Reduction works in collaboration with ministries to enable ministry partners to meet their red tape reduction obligations.

Ministries are required to conduct a Regulatory Impact Analysis (“RIA”) for all regulatory instrument proposals, that affect the Modernizing Ontario for People and Businesses Act (MOPBA) regulated entities unless the proposal is exempt from the requirement. Instruments include changes to Legislation, Regulations, Policies and Forms. Ministry of Red Tape Reduction provides hands on assistance and advice to Ministries on their RIAs. The RIA. provides a summary of the proposal and includes a comprehensive assessment of the cost implications of the proposal.

Table 3: Ministry Interim Actual Expenditures 2024–25