Published plans and annual reports 2025–2026: Office of the Lieutenant Governor

Overview

The King of Canada, His Majesty King Charles III, is the Head of State and is represented in Ontario by the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor is empowered with the constitutional and ceremonial responsibilities of the Crown in the Province.

The Office of the Lieutenant Governor provides the services that are required by the Lieutenant Governor in performing their constitutional, ceremonial and community duties. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor provides support (such as administration, strategic planning, communications and events management) that enables the Lieutenant Governor to exercise the Crown's powers for the Legislature and the Government of Ontario, represent all Ontarians when interacting with important visitors from outside Ontario and abroad, and recognize excellence and achievements through Ontario's honours system.

Mandate

To provide services to support the Lieutenant Governor in fulfilling their constitutional, ceremonial and community responsibilities.

The Program provides services that support the Lieutenant Governor in performing their constitutional duties, including:

• Appointing the Premier
• Appointing Cabinet ministers on the advice of the Premier
• Ratifying Orders-in-Council recommended by Cabinet
• Summoning, proroguing and dissolving the Legislature
• Granting Royal Assent to bills passed by the Legislative Assembly
• Ordering elections to the Legislative Assembly on the advice of Cabinet, in accordance with the Election Act

The Program also enables the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to plan and deliver a wide range of initiatives undertaken by the Lieutenant Governor across Ontario and abroad. These initiatives focus on recognizing excellence and achievements of Ontarians and promoting reconciliation, unity and identity of Ontarians. In addition, the Program supports the Lieutenant Governor in carrying out their duties in all aspects of Ontario’s honours system, including the Order of Ontario, provincial medals and awards, and various Lieutenant Governor’s awards.

Major Functions

Representing the Crown in Ontario

Canada is a constitutional monarchy with The King as Sovereign and head of state. In Ontario, the Lieutenant Governor is the King’s representative while the Premier is the head of government. In Canada’s system of parliamentary democracy, the head of state (commonly called the Crown) holds supreme power on behalf of the people and lends it to be exercised by the government of the day. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor provides services that support the Lieutenant Governor in fulfilling their constitutional duties. These services include administration, strategic planning, communications and events management.

Powers and Responsibilities

In Ontario, the Lieutenant Governor exercises the powers of the Crown, which derive from the constitution, the common law including the royal prerogative, and statute law. These powers are similar to those of The King and Governor General with regard to Parliament and the federal government, and are exercised according to constitutional convention (political rules of the constitution).

The Office of the Lieutenant Governor enables the Lieutenant Governor to:

• Ensure that Ontario always has a Premier who commands the confidence of the Legislative Assembly
• Appoint members of the Executive Council (Cabinet ministers) on the advice of the Premier
• Read the Speech from the Throne at the beginning of a parliamentary session
• Grant Royal Assent, the final step of the legislative process, to bills passed by the Legislative Assembly
• Summon, prorogue and dissolve the Legislature on the advice of the Premier
• Order elections to the Legislative Assembly on the advice of Cabinet, in accordance with the Election Act
• Approve government business such as regulations and public appointments by signing Orders-in-Council on the advice of Cabinet

The Lieutenant Governor remains strictly nonpartisan in carrying out these constitutional duties. In doing so, the Lieutenant Governor ensures that the democratic will of Ontarians and their elected representatives are upheld and that the constitutional conventions of responsible government are respected.

Administrator

In the event that the Lieutenant Governor is absent, ill or unable to act, the Administrator of the Government of Ontario may execute the office and functions of the Lieutenant Governor. In December 2017, the Governor General-in-Council approved an order-in-council appointing the Chief Justice of Ontario and other judges of the courts of Ontario, in order of seniority, to act as Administrator.

Honouring Achievement

As the Crown’s representative, the Lieutenant Governor plays an important role in recognizing Ontarians through the honours system. Honours and awards strengthen the fabric of Ontario’s communities and shape the aspirations of Ontarians. They are a way to formally and publicly acknowledge the excellence, achievements and contributions of role models from all walks of life. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor supports the Lieutenant Governor in planning and implementing activities and programs to recognize Ontarians through the honours system.

As Chancellor of the Order of Ontario, the Lieutenant Governor presides over the annual investiture of new members. The Lieutenant Governor also serves as honorary chair of the Ontario Honours Advisory Council and presides annually at the presentation ceremonies of several Ontario medal programs:

• Queen Elizabeth II Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship
• Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers
• Ontario Medal for Firefighter Bravery
• Ontario Medal for Police Bravery
• Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery

The Lieutenant Governor also presents Ontario’s official awards:

• Ontario Senior Achievement Award
• Lincoln M. Alexander Award (for efforts to eradicate racial discrimination)
• James Bartleman Indigenous Youth Creative Writing Award
• Hilary M. Weston Scholarship (for graduate-level social work students in the area of mental health)
• David C. Onley Award for Leadership in Accessibility

Awards programs have also been created in partnership with independent organizations to recognize achievements in various fields, including:

• Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards (Ontario Heritage Trust)
• Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Marketing Excellence in Ontario (Economic Developers Council of Ontario)
• Lieutenant Governor’s Medal of Distinction in Public Administration (Institute of Public Administration of Canada in Ontario)
• Lieutenant Governor’s Cup (sport horse breeding), (Royal Agricultural Winter Fair)
• Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Ontario Wines (George Brown College)
• Lieutenant Governor’s Distinguished Service Award (Royal Ontario Museum)
• Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Design Excellence in Architecture (Ontario Association of Architects)

If requested, the Lieutenant Governor may present national honours, including the Order of Canada, bravery decorations, the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers and commemorative medals, on behalf of the Governor General.

The Lieutenant Governor also honours Ontarians receiving awards from partner organizations, such as the John Charles Polanyi Prize, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Awards – Canada, the Order of St. John Investiture, l’Ordre de la Pléiade, and organizations with vice-regal patronage.

Community Involvement

As the representative of the Crown in Ontario, the Lieutenant Governor plays an important role in furthering the enduring treaty relationship between Indigenous peoples and the Crown. They actively engage with First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities throughout the province by meeting with Indigenous leaders, elders and knowledge keepers and bearing witness to traditional ceremonies, which further supports ongoing efforts toward reconciliation.

The Lieutenant Governor also:

• lends support to initiatives bearing the name of the Office, such as the Lieutenant Governor’s Games at Variety Village (a daylong sporting event for youth of all abilities) and the Lieutenant Governor’s Indigenous Summer Literacy Camps in Partnership with Indigenous Communities, which are administered by the non-profit organization, United for Literacy.
• engages with young people in the province through participation in several model parliaments and regularly meets with those serving in the Ontario Legislative Page Program and the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme.
• lends the prestige of the Office in support of important initiatives, promoting dialogue and bringing issues into the public consciousness in keeping with their adopted areas of focus.
• hosts or attends hundreds of engagements each year (either at Queen’s Park or elsewhere), promoting volunteerism and civic engagement, encouraging community service and supporting worthwhile causes.

In addition to these initiatives, the Lieutenant Governor maintains active relationships with members of the uniformed services through honorary appointments such as the Colonel of the Regiment of The Queen’s York Rangers (1st American Regiment), and by attendance at ceremonies honouring veterans and first responders.  The Lieutenant Governor is also supported by a volunteer corps of Aides de Camp made up of individuals that represent a number of uniformed services.

2024-25 Activities

Constitutional Duties

In 2024-25, the Lieutenant Governor approved 1,636 Orders-in-Council. These included:

• 26 Deputy Minister appointments
• 4 Justice of the Peace appointments
• 32 Provincial Judge appointments (plus 3 Associate Judges and 6 Regional Judge appointments)

Additionally, the Lieutenant Governor signed:

• 46 proclamations
• 387 regulations
• 154 Great Seal letters and lease letters (patent issued under the Public Lands Act)
• 67 Great Seal letters (patent under the Mining Act)

The Lieutenant Governor granted Royal Assent 48 times.

Ceremonial Engagements

In 2024-25, the Lieutenant Governor acted in an official capacity as The King’s representative in the following ways:

• The Crown:
  • Audience with His Majesty King Charles III:
    • As the representative to the Crown in Ontario, the Lieutenant Governor travelled to London, England for an audience with His Majesty The King at Buckingham Palace, an official, one-time event traditionally granted to all newly appointed Lieutenant Governors.
    • The visit also included meetings with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and the Agent-General of the Ontario Trade & Investment Office in London.
  • In commemoration of the Coronation of King Charles III, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor worked with over 45 partner organizations to nominate 491 deserving candidates for the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of their significant contributions to their communities, the province of Ontario and Canada.
    • The Lieutenant Governor presided over medal presentation ceremonies (including some hosted by partner organizations), beginning in October 2024 and continuing throughout the winter of 2025.
• Honouring Ontarians:
  • Presided over a number of honours and awards (including the Order of Ontario, the Queen Elizabeth II Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship as well as Police, Firefighter and Paramedic Bravery Honours), recognizing the significant contributions of Ontarians to their community and the province.
  • Participated in the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at Queen’s Park to commemorate the contributions of the Canadian military and veterans.
  • Attended the unveiling of a commemorative plaque for the No. 2 Construction Battalion (the first and only Black battalion in Canadian military history) for their service in World War I.
  • Attended the 25th Annual Ceremony of Remembrance at the Ontario Police Memorial to pay tribute to fallen officers.
  • Participated in the Annual Fallen Firefighter Memorial Ceremony to honour firefighters who had died in the line of duty.

Diplomatic Engagements

• The Lieutenant Governor met with representatives from countries around the world, including:
  • Consul General of Ukraine
  • Ambassador, Consul General and Honorary Consul of Switzerland
  • Ambassador and Consul General of the Republic of Chile
  • Consul General and Trade Commissioner/Head of International Cooperation of the United Mexican States
  • Ambassador and Honorary Consul General of Sweden
  • Consul General of the Republic of Kosovo
  • Consul General of the Republic of Korea
  • Consul General of the United Kingdom
  • Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • Ambassador of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire
  • High Commissioner and Consul General of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
  • Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba
  • Ontario's Agent-General in London UK
  • Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
  • Consul General and Deputy Consul General of the Republic of Guatemala
  • Consul General of the Czech Republic
  • Consul General and Deputy Consul General of the Republic of Peru
  • Ambassador, Consul General and Consul of Italian Republic
  • Delegate General of Wallonia-Brussels (Belgium) in Quebec
  • Japanese delegation representing the Japan-Canada Kakehashi Project, including the Consul General and Consul, Information and Cultural Affairs, of Japan, and representatives from various Japanese universities
  • Groupe des ambassadeurs et ambassadrices francophones (GAF) in Ottawa

Military Engagements

• The Lieutenant Governor met with various military officials, including:
  • Brigadier-General and Commander of the 4th Canadian Division (both the outgoing and incoming)
  • Brigade Commander of 32nd Canadian Infantry Brigade Group
  • Honorary Lieutenant General of the Canadian Armed Forces
  • Vice Admiral and 38th Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy
• Toured His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Harry DeWolf.
• Was invested as Colonel of the Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment).
• Served as the Reviewing Officer at the Grey Wolf Basic Military Qualification Course Graduation.
• Delivered remarks at the Royal Canadian Air Forces’ Centennial Grove Grand Opening.
• Served as the Reviewing Officer at the 32 Canadian Brigade Group Battle School Graduation

Community Engagements

Over the course of the 2024-25 fiscal year, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor coordinated the Lieutenant Governor's participation in over 400 public engagements across 32 Ontario communities. These visits were part of ongoing efforts to connect with Ontarians, support the municipal order of government and better understand local priorities. The engagements included events, meetings, commemorations, and ceremonies that brought together Ontarians of all ages and backgrounds. Through these activities, the Lieutenant Governor was able to foster meaningful connections with diverse communities, engaging with individuals from various cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. They include the following:

• Nearly 300 community members attended the Lieutenant Governor’s annual New Year’s Levee at Queen’s Park.
• Almost 3,000 individuals explored the Lieutenant Governor’s Suite as part of Doors Open, in May 2024, which was an opportunity to learn more about the Lieutenant Governor’s role.
• In the spirit of maintaining ongoing relationships with Indigenous communities within Ontario, the Lieutenant Governor:
  • Attended meetings with leaders of Nipissing First Nation, Six Nations, Fort William First Nation, Saugeen First Nation and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
  • Attended pow wows at Saugeen First Nation and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
  • Visited important historic and cultural sites, including the Woodland Cultural Centre, the former Mohawk Residential School in Brantford, the Canadian Canoe Museum, Fort William Historical Park, and a dedication Ceremony: “The Ponds”, Souharissen Natural Area.
  • Participated in training with a Knowledge Keeper and joined students from a local school at a public viewing of the original Treaty 9 document presented by Archives Ontario as part of Treaties Week.
  • Recognized youth recipients from across the province, including from fly-in communities, at the second annual Lieutenant Governor Legacy Awards Day, presenting them with the James Bartleman Indigenous Youth Creative Writing Awards.
  • Marked National Day of Truth and Reconciliation by attending gatherings and reflecting with community members on the importance of honouring the survivors of residential schools and working towards reconciliation. These events included:
    • A Sunrise Ceremony, and the Spirit Garden Commemorative Walk & Ceremony, in Nathan Phillips Square.
    • A screening of Sugarcane at The Revue Cinema.
  • Delivered remarks at the presentation of a Grant of Arms to His Majesty’s Royal Chapel of the Mohawks at Six Nations of the Grand River.
  • Introduced the Toronto Spirit Garden to the visiting Lieutenant Governor of Quebec as an example of a response to one of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.
• Francophone Community of Ontario
  • As Ontario’s first Francophone to hold office, the Lieutenant Governor attended and hosted meetings, events and celebrations that helped increase visibility of the Francophone community and recognize its important contributions in shaping Ontarian society. These engagements included:
    • Fédération des aînés et des retraités francophones de l'Ontario Annual General Assembly.Franco-Ontarian Flag raising Ceremony at Queen’s Park on September 25, 2024, followed by a celebratory reception in the Lieutenant Governor’s Suite.
    • The Montfort Symposium on Language as a Determinant of health as part of the 91st Annual Congress of Acfas.
    • Various meetings with Francophone organizations, leaders and community members from across the province.
    • Contest finals of "Ma thèse en 180 secondes", a French-language competition where PhD students present their thesis in just three minutes.
    • The 19th Michel-Bastarache Annual Conference, organized by the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa.
    • Literary event in the Lieutenant Governor’s Suite in partnership with Salon du livre de Toronto.
    • International Francophonie Month celebrations in the Lieutenant Governor’s Suite with FrancoNoir.e et Diversités Noires.
    • "La Francophonie dans un Monde Global"Luncheon Conference organized by Clubcanadien de Toronto.
    • Francophonie Internationale flag raising at Toronto City Hall organized by Association of Francophone Communities of Ontario in Toronto (ACFO-Toronto).
• Youth and Women Leadership
  • The Lieutenant Governor shone a spotlight on the importance of Youth and Women Leadership through events, speaking engagements and meetings. Including the following:
    • Hosted Ontario’s regional celebration of the Ingenious+ Youth Innovation Challenge, supporting young innovators tackling real-world issues through creativity and impact-driven solutions.
    • Delivered remarks and met with student finalists at the 2024–2025 STEM Fellowship Big Data Challenge, focused on using AI and open data to address adolescent social inequities.
    • Engaged with 115 high school students from across Ontario during the 2025 Model Parliament Program, an immersive, three-day introduction to parliamentary democracy and civic engagement.
    • Hosted the Association of Municipalities of Ontario Conference: Women's Networking Breakfast; bringing women together from across the province to connect on the important issues within their communities.
    • Met with women in leadership roles from a variety of sectors including the arts, education, business, government relations and science.
    • Visited the York University “K2I” program led by remarkable women who are successfully engaging youth in STEM through groundbreaking educational programming.
    • Celebrated International Women’s Day 2025 at the Orono Town Hall “Celebrate Women of the Arts” event and Trafalgar Castle School’s International Women's Day Reception & Assembly.
• Diverse Voices
  • Visited the Global Centre for Pluralism, a dynamic hub founded by His Highness the Aga Khan and the Government of Canada to champion diversity, foster dialogue and find understanding among people of all cultures and identities.
  • Hosted Black History Month events in the Suite that brought together youth, community leaders, and artists.
  • Attended and cheered on athletes with disabilities at the Lieutenant Governor's Games at Variety Village.
  • Honoured remarkable Seniors who have made a difference in their communities after the age of 65 at the Ottawa Mayor’s Annual Canada Day Celebration for Seniors, during la Fédération des aîné.e.s et retraité.e.s francophones de l'Ontario’s annual general meeting, and at the Cathay Ball.

Communicating with Ontarians

The Office of the Lieutenant Governor continues to prioritize communications with Ontarians. Examples and results of this work include the following:

• The section of the website including information about the Lieutenant Governor’s constitutional responsibilities and the role of the Crown in Ontario is widely consulted by the media, students and the public with 5,848 views in English and 295 views in French in 2024-25.
• The Lieutenant Governor maintains active social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and published over 1,175 posts in 2024-25.
• The Lieutenant Governor recorded over 18 video messages that were broadcast as part of events around Ontario, including a video message for King Charles III Coronation Medal recipients that was shared with all partner and patronage organizations.

The Lieutenant Governor provided 40 special event messages to charitable organizations, 2,286 congratulatory greetings to Ontarians marking milestone birthdays (90 years and older) and anniversaries (50 years and longer), as well as more than 40 congratulatory letters to retiring members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Legislation

The Constitution Act, 1867, as well as federal and provincial legislation, directly governs the operation of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Ontario provincial legislation applying to this office includes the Lieutenant Governor Act.

Lieutenant Governor Act

R.S.O. 1990, Chapter L.13

Powers vested in Lieutenant Governor

1. In matters within the jurisdiction of the Legislature, all powers, authorities and functions that, in respect of like matters, were vested in or exercisable by the governors or lieutenant governors of the several provinces now forming part of Canada or any of the provinces, under commissions, instructions or otherwise, at or before the passing of the Constitution Act, 1867, are, so far as the Legislature has power thus to enact, vested in and exercisable by the Lieutenant Governor or Administrator for the time being of the Province of Ontario, in the name of Her Majesty or otherwise as the case requires, subject always to the Royal Prerogative as heretofore. R.S.O. 1990, c. L.13, s.1.

Power to Remit Sentences

2. Section 1 shall be deemed to include the power of commuting and remitting sentences for offences against the laws of Ontario or offences over which the legislative authority of the Province of Ontario extends. R.S.O. 1990, c.L.13, s.2.

Lieutenant Governor a Corporation Sole

3. The Lieutenant Governor for the time being is a corporation sole, and all bonds, recognizances and other instruments by law required to be taken to the Lieutenant Governor in his or her public capacity shall be taken to him or her by the name of the office of Lieutenant Governor, and may be sued for and recovered by him or her by the name of the office of Lieutenant Governor, and the same shall not in any case go to or vest in the personal representatives of the Lieutenant Governor during whose government the same were so taken. R.S.O. 1990, c.L.13, s.3.

Power to Appoint Deputies for Certain Purposes

4. The Lieutenant Governor may, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, from time to time, appoint any person or persons, jointly or severally, to be his or her deputy or deputies for Ontario or any part or parts thereof, for the purpose of executing marriage licences, money warrants and commissions under any Act of the Legislature. R.S.O. 1990, c. L.13, s. 4.

Detailed Financial Information

For additional financial information, see:

Expenditure Estimates

Public Accounts of Ontario

2025 Budget

Organization Chart

• Office of the Lieutenant Governor
  • Chief of Staff and Private Secretary
    • Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Corporate Services
      • Chief Steward
        • Assistant Steward
        • Support Service Worker (P/T)
      • Lead, Finance and Business
      • Executive Assistant ^{footnote 5[5]}
        • Administrative Assistant
      • Senior Manager, Programming and Partnerships
        • Senior Advisor, Programming and Partnerships (four positions)
      • Manager and Chief Advisor, Planning, Protocol and Engagement
        • Senior Advisor, Strategic Initiatives and Projects
      • Lead, Communications
      • Senior Writer and Communications Advisor
      • Advisor, Communications