Expenditure Estimates for the Ministry of Northern Economic Development and Growth (2026–2027)

The 2026–2027 Expenditure Estimates set out details of the operating and capital spending requirements of the Ministry of Northern Economic Development and Growth for the fiscal year commencing April 1, 2026.

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Summary

The Ministry of Northern Economic Development and Growth (MNEDG) strives to make Northern Ontario strong, healthy, and prosperous by contributing responsible economic development support to communities and businesses, and by promoting the region and its assets internationally. The ministry advances economic development in Northern Ontario through collaborative partnerships and solutions that reflect the unique needs of northerners.

The ministry delivers economic development programs and serves as a voice for the North. MNEDG programs support northern economic growth, and strong northern communities. The ministry’s Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation makes strategic investments that help expand economic opportunity in the North. The ministry applies a northern lens for policy review and development and champions Northern Ontario interests to advance economic development. Investments in Northern Ontario infrastructure, such as highways, improve the North’s linkages to the rest of Ontario, Canada, and beyond.

Ministry program summary

Operating expense
Vote	Program	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
2201	Ministry Administration Program	7,594,600	7,038,600	556,000	6,483,430
2202	Northern Development Program	348,633,500	291,565,800	57,067,700	202,476,966
	Total operating expense to be voted	356,228,100	298,604,400	57,623,700	208,960,396
	Statutory appropriations	91,060	66,014	25,046	24,621,712
	Ministry total operating expense	356,319,160	298,670,414	57,648,746	233,582,108
	Consolidation adjustment — Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation	9,381,600	10,497,100	(1,115,500)	11,710,291
	Consolidation adjustment — General Real Estate Portfolio	(102,000)	(93,500)	(8,500)	(100,313)
	Total including consolidation and other adjustments	365,598,760	309,074,014	56,524,746	245,192,086

Operating assets
Vote	Program	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
2201	Ministry Administration Program	1,000	1,000	-	-
2202	Northern Development Program	2,000	2,000	-	24,000,000
	Total operating assets to be voted	3,000	3,000	-	24,000,000
	Ministry total operating assets	3,000	3,000	-	24,000,000

Capital expense
Vote	Program	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
2201	Ministry Administration Program	1,000	2,000	(1,000)	-
2202	Northern Development Program	111,573,000	116,443,000	(4,870,000)	110,769,415
	Total capital expense to be voted	111,574,000	116,445,000	(4,871,000)	110,769,415
	Statutory appropriations	452,721,900	381,366,600	71,355,300	406,303,931
	Ministry total capital expense	564,295,900	497,811,600	66,484,300	517,073,346
	Consolidation adjustment — Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation	(1,961,600)	(1,715,100)	(246,500)	(204,916)
	Total including consolidation and other adjustments	562,334,300	496,096,500	66,237,800	516,868,430

Capital assets
Vote	Program	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
2201	Ministry Administration Program	1,000	2,000	(1,000)	-
2202	Northern Development Program	468,518,700	500,902,100	(32,383,400)	619,036,325
	Total capital assets to be voted	468,519,700	500,904,100	(32,384,400)	619,036,325
	Ministry total capital assets	468,519,700	500,904,100	(32,384,400)	619,036,325
	Ministry total operating and capital including consolidation and other adjustments (not including assets)	927,933,060	805,170,514	122,762,546	762,060,516

Ministry Administration Program — Vote 2201

This program provides executive direction as well as strategic business and resource planning services to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of ministry programs. It supports ministry operations through the provision of advice and services in the areas of human resources, financial planning, accounting and administration, and professional support services such as legal services. This program also provides core strategic support in the areas of corporate policy and communications.

Vote summary

Operating expense
Item number	Item	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
1	Ministry Administration	7,594,600	7,038,600	556,000	6,483,430
	Total operating expense to be voted	7,594,600	7,038,600	556,000	6,483,430
S	Minister’s salary, the Executive Council Act	66,559	47,841	18,718	49,301
S	Parliamentary Assistant’s salary, the Executive Council Act	22,501	16,173	6,328	16,667
S	Bad Debt Expense, the Financial Administration Act	1,000	1,000	-	-
	Total statutory appropriations	90,060	65,014	25,046	65,968
	Total operating expense	7,684,660	7,103,614	581,046	6,549,398

Operating assets
Item number	Item	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
2	Ministry Administration Program	1,000	1,000	-	-
	Total operating assets to be voted	1,000	1,000	-	-
	Total operating assets	1,000	1,000	-	-

Capital expense
Item number	Item	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
3	Ministry Administration	1,000	2,000	(1,000)	-
	Total capital expense to be voted	1,000	2,000	(1,000)	-
S	Amortization, the Financial Administration Act	1,000	2,000	(1,000)	-
	Total statutory appropriations	1,000	2,000	(1,000)	-
	Total capital expense	2,000	4,000	(2,000)	-

Capital assets
Item number	Item	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
4	Ministry Administration Capital Assets	1,000	2,000	(1,000)	-
	Total capital assets to be voted	1,000	2,000	(1,000)	-
	Total capital assets	1,000	2,000	(1,000)	-

Standard accounts classification

Operating expense
Vote- item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount $	Amount $
2201-1	Ministry Administration
	Salaries and wages		6,745,400
	Employee benefits		587,400
	Transportation and communication		336,400
	Services		3,259,000
	Supplies and equipment		165,900
	Subtotal		11,094,100
	Less: Recoveries		3,499,500
	Total operating expense to be voted		7,594,600
	Sub-items:
	Main Office
	Salaries and wages	1,536,500
	Employee benefits	156,900
	Transportation and communication	92,100
	Services	75,900
	Supplies and equipment	34,400	1,895,800
	Financial and Administrative Services
	Salaries and wages	2,725,200
	Employee benefits	154,400
	Transportation and communication	136,200
	Services	1,398,000
	Supplies and equipment	79,600
	Subtotal	4,493,400
	Less: Recoveries	2,656,100	1,837,300
	Human Resources
	Salaries and wages	1,086,200
	Employee benefits	158,700
	Transportation and communication	50,200
	Services	99,200
	Supplies and equipment	26,200
	Subtotal	1,420,500
	Less: Recoveries	607,500	813,000
	Communications Services
	Salaries and wages	800,100
	Employee benefits	70,400
	Transportation and communication	19,300
	Services	153,300
	Supplies and equipment	11,000	1,054,100
	Analysis and Planning
	Salaries and wages	597,400
	Employee benefits	47,000
	Transportation and communication	24,100
	Services	22,300
	Supplies and equipment	7,200	698,000
	Legal Services
	Transportation and communication	14,500
	Services	1,080,200
	Supplies and equipment	7,500	1,102,200
	Information Systems
	Services	430,100
	Less: Recoveries	235,900	194,200
	Total operating expense to be voted		7,594,600
	Statutory appropriations
Statutory	Minister’s salary, the Executive Council Act		66,559
Statutory	Parliamentary Assistant’s salary, the Executive Council Act		22,501
	Statutory appropriations
	Other transactions
Statutory	Bad Debt Expense, the Financial Administration Act		1,000
	Total operating expense for Ministry Administration Program		7,684,660

Operating assets
Vote-item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount $
2201-2	Ministry Administration Program
	Loans and Investments	1,000
	Total operating assets to be voted	1,000
	Total operating assets for Ministry Administration Program	1,000

Capital expense
Vote-item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount $
2201-3	Ministry Administration
	Other transactions	1,000
	Total capital expense to be voted	1,000
	Statutory appropriations
	Other transactions
Statutory	Amortization, the Financial Administration Act	1,000
	Total capital expense for Ministry Administration Program	2,000

Capital assets
Vote-item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount $
2201-4	Ministry Administration Capital Assets
	Machinery and equipment - asset costs	1,000
	Total capital assets to be voted	1,000
	Total capital assets for Ministry Administration Program	1,000

Northern Development Program — Vote 2202

This program leads and assists in the development and delivery of policies, programs, and services that support Northern Ontario businesses and communities. The program strives to make Northern Ontario strong, healthy, and prosperous by providing business and community economic development support and access to government programs and services, promoting trade and investment, and addressing northern regional and local infrastructure needs.

The program provides strategic policy advice through research and analysis to support the development, delivery, and implementation of northern economic development programs on a range of issues and opportunities with respect to Northern Ontario. By engaging northerners in government initiatives, including policy and planning activities, this program ensures northerners have a say in the development of government programs and services that affect them. The program is responsible for applying a northern lens for policy review and development and champions Northern Ontario interests to advance economic development.

This program invests in Northern Ontario infrastructure to support government priorities. Strategic investments in infrastructure through the Northern Highways Program, the Winter Roads Program, and the Northern Ontario Resource Development Support Fund are improving the North’s linkages to the rest of Ontario, Canada, and beyond.

The ministry’s network of advisors provides northern communities and businesses with access to government economic development programs and services, including the delivery of Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) programs. Ministry programs and services are also aimed at attracting trade and investment opportunities to help northern businesses develop and expand domestic and international markets, as well as attracting new business investment to the region.

The NOHFC, an agency of the ministry, offers a variety of funding programs that support public and private sector economic growth, diversification, and job creation in Northern Ontario.

The Northern Energy Advantage Program assists Northern Ontario’s largest industrial electricity consumers to reduce energy costs, sustain jobs, and maintain global competitiveness. Additionally, the Veterinary Assistance Program provides better access to veterinary services for agriculture producers with large animals, allowing for a healthy and strong agricultural sector in Northern Ontario.

The ministry is responsible for the oversight of and compliance with the Northern Services Boards Act (NSBA). Local Service Boards are created under the NSBA to facilitate the delivery of services in unincorporated areas in Northern Ontario.

Vote summary

Operating expense
Item number	Item	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
1	Northern Economic Development	348,633,500	291,565,800	57,067,700	202,476,966
	Total operating expense to be voted	348,633,500	291,565,800	57,067,700	202,476,966
S	Bad Debt Expense, the Financial Administration Act	1,000	1,000	-	24,555,744
	Total statutory appropriations	1,000	1,000	-	24,555,744
	Total operating expense	348,634,500	291,566,800	57,067,700	227,032,710

Operating assets
Item number	Item	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
3	Northern Development Operating Assets	2,000	2,000	-	24,000,000
	Total operating assets to be voted	2,000	2,000	-	24,000,000
	Total operating assets	2,000	2,000	-	24,000,000

Capital expense
Item number	Item	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
2	Northern Economic Development	111,573,000	116,443,000	(4,870,000)	110,769,415
	Total capital expense to be voted	111,573,000	116,443,000	(4,870,000)	110,769,415
S	Amortization, the Financial Administration Act	452,720,900	381,364,600	71,356,300	406,303,931
	Total statutory appropriations	452,720,900	381,364,600	71,356,300	406,303,931
	Total capital expense	564,293,900	497,807,600	66,486,300	517,073,346

Capital assets
Item number	Item	Estimates 2026–27 $	Estimates 2025–26 $	Difference Between 2026–27 and 2025–26 $	Actual 2024–25 $
4	Northern Development Capital Assets	468,518,700	500,902,100	(32,383,400)	619,036,325
	Total capital assets to be voted	468,518,700	500,902,100	(32,383,400)	619,036,325
	Total capital assets	468,518,700	500,902,100	(32,383,400)	619,036,325

Standard account by item and sub-items

Operating expense
Vote- item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount $	Amount $
2202-1	Northern Economic Development
	Salaries and wages		13,911,500
	Employee benefits		1,692,000
	Transportation and communication		702,900
	Services		6,162,200
	Supplies and equipment		154,200
	Transfer payments
	Municipal Associations	150,000
	Northern Energy Advantage Program	204,170,000
	Community Services	625,000
	Economic Development	830,000
	Northern Ontario Heritage Fund	70,000,000
	Small Business Enterprise Centres	700,000
	Northern Ontario Economic Support	58,500,000	334,975,000
	Subtotal		357,597,800
	Less: Recoveries		8,964,300
	Total operating expense to be voted		348,633,500
	Statutory appropriations
	Other transactions
Statutory	Bad Debt Expense, the Financial Administration Act		1,000
	Total operating expense for Northern Development Program		348,634,500

Operating assets
Vote- item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount $
2202-3	Northern Development Operating Assets
	Deposits and prepaid expenses	1,000
	Loans and Investments	1,000
	Total operating assets to be voted	2,000
	Total operating assets for Northern Development Program	2,000

Capital expense
Vote- item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount $	Amount $
2202-2	Northern Economic Development
	Services		25,102,000
	Transfer payments
	Northern Infrastructure	14,000,000
	Northern Ontario Resource Development Support Fund	15,000,000
	Winter Roads	11,000,000
	Northern Ontario Heritage Fund	40,000,000
	Railway Infrastructure Renewal	2,870,000	82,870,000
	Other transactions
	Resource Access Roads	3,600,000
	Northern Development	1,000	3,601,000
	Total capital expense to be voted		111,573,000
	Statutory appropriations
	Other transactions
Statutory	Amortization, the Financial Administration Act		452,720,900
	Total capital expense for Northern Development Program		564,293,900

Capital assets
Vote- item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount $
2202-4	Northern Development Capital Assets
	Transportation infrastructure - asset costs	468,517,700
	Machinery and equipment - asset costs	1,000
	Total capital assets to be voted	468,518,700
	Total capital assets for Northern Development Program	468,518,700

Updated: April 22, 2026

Published: April 22, 2026