Published plans and annual reports 2021-2022: Cabinet Office

Ministry overview

Ministry’s vision

The Cabinet Office will lead a modern public service that is able to embrace disruption and enable innovative processes with an inclusive, engaged future-state workforce to support the delivery of the government's agenda and provide efficient services for the people of Ontario.

Ministry’s mandate

The Cabinet Office acts as a central agency that supports the delivery of government priorities by developing and coordinating strategic policy and communications. The Cabinet Office monitors the implementation and delivery of the government’s mandate by working with ministries to coordinate and develop integrated strategies to deliver policy and program initiatives, communications, intergovernmental and international priorities.

The Cabinet Office is also responsible for providing communications-related insight and strategic advice to the Office of the Premier and ministries, as well as enterprise wide coordination with ministry partners to provide best-in-class marketing, social media, digital analytics, and media buying for government programs and initiatives.

Administrative services are also provided to the Office of the Premier, the Office of the Government House Leader and all Ministers’ Offices.

COVID‑19 response

The Cabinet Office will continue to maintain a leadership role in coordinating the government’s response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID‑19) pandemic. This responsibility includes:

• maintaining and coordinating an effective and integrated whole-of-government COVID‑19 response structure to enable rapid action and support decision-making and implementation related to the government’s pandemic response
• coordinating the multi-ministry development of Emergency Orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA), in addition to other regulatory and statutory amendments necessary to address the pandemic
• maintaining and coordinating engagement with the federal government, provinces and territories on measures relating to COVID‑19
• ensuring the Province’s COVID‑19 response structure is functioning as effectively as possible, which includes the effective and efficient dissemination of information to decision makers
• ensuring continuity of operations of the Executive Council and formal government decision-making.

The public health crisis caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic has increased the importance and volume of government communications. In its role as a strategic coordinator of the Government’s communications, Cabinet Office continues to support the Office of the Premier and ministries on the delivery of all communications, digital, creative and marketing services that support ongoing priority actions. This ensures the Government is well positioned as a trusted and timely source of information to the public.

COVID‑19 response with respect to communications services include:

• integrating communications strategies into policy and fiscal decision-making
• establishing and maintaining tailored communications in response to numerous fundamental shifts in the needs, volume, and priorities of ministries and clients on expedited timelines
• procuring necessary technology and tools to support alternative methods of service delivery, e.g., media events, simultaneous translation and American Sign Language (ASL) services to adhere to physical distancing guidelines during delivery of critical government communications services
• ensuring all Ontarians are aware of vaccine updates and prioritization through full-service support of the daily PO updates and weekly technical briefing to the media
• establishing strong connections with community partners, at-risk groups, and racialized and indigenous communities across the province to create trust and confidence in our vaccine plan
• predicting, assessing and pivoting quickly when faced with challenges like reductions in vaccine supply or the emergence of new COVID‑19 variants
• developing web and digital content and multi-channel, multi-lingual province-wide marketing to amplify information and messaging
• overseeing the delivery of over $105 million in marketing campaigns
• establishing a temporary vaccines multi-disciplinary projects team, working in partnership with Ministry of Health to drive pertinent communications decisions and build plans that are grounded in data, research, evidence and metrics

Ministry programs

Secretary of the Cabinet

As Deputy Minister to the Premier

• provides independent public service advice to the Premier on government policies, priorities and public facing communications
• recommends the appointment of Deputy Ministers for Premier’s Order-In-Council appointments

As Clerk of the Executive Council and Secretary of the Cabinet

• provides oversight of Cabinet decision-making
• conveys Cabinet decisions to Ministers and Deputy Ministers
• ensures the agenda for Cabinet and its committees reflect government policies and priorities
• administers Oath of Office for the Premier’s Cabinet appointments

As Head of 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, operation and organization of the public service

COVID‑19 response

Leading ministry programs to address the COVID‑19 pandemic through:

• preparing for and operationalizing staff to be able to work from remote locations by ensuring staff are provided with the tools and training required to deliver on operational requirements/business objectives
• establishing a Mental Health Wellness program to support employee mental health, wellness and resilience
• reviewing all Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) documentation to align with the specific reality of COVID‑19
• maintaining and enhancing workflows to support service delivery changes in a digital and physically disconnected environment
• rapidly redeploying human capital and creating agility within teams (including the development and implementation of dedicated operational, policy and legal resources) for the purposes of:
  • supporting decision-making by the Lieutenant Governor and its committees in relation to the emergency
  • coordinating an integrated, whole-of-government COVID‑19 response structure to support coordinated actions across ministries to support the government’s pandemic response
  • supporting the government’s development and implementation of public health measures and reopening plans to protect health and support the economy
  • supporting a whole-of-government approach to centrally coordinating the Public Sector supply chain including leading Provincial efforts to source, buy and distribute critical supplies and to establish a nimble and responsive supply chain
  • coordinating the cross-government development of over 90 emergency orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and other regulatory and statutory amendments necessary to address the emergency
• maintaining communications and regular Executive Management meetings with a focus on operations and service delivery to ensure management is kept apprised of the situation and their support resources

Policy & Delivery

Ensures that decision-making and the machinery of government operate effectively by working with ministries to provide objective, integrated and strategic advice that informs policy and fiscal decision-making. Policy & Delivery supports delivery of the government’s mandate by tracking milestones and risks relating to key government activities and provides direct support to ministries who are seeking to use innovative and non-traditional techniques when tackling ministry priorities.

COVID‑19 response

Ensures that decision-making and the machinery of government continue to operate effectively throughout the COVID‑19 pandemic and provides a leadership role in informing policy and fiscal decision-making during the economic recovery.

Cabinet Office Communications

Leads strategic planning to communicate priorities, initiatives and programs, and provides communications services and operational support services to the Office of the Premier and ministries. Beginning in 2020-21, Cabinet Office Communications is able to provide enhanced marketing services and delivery in-house, including project management, creative production and media buying services to enable the effective delivery of signature government and ministry priorities.

COVID‑19 response

Designated as the Workstream Lead for the Public Education and Outreach Vaccine Response Workstream by Ontario’s Vaccine Task Force, Cabinet Office Communications works collaboratively with other ministries to support Ontario’s vaccination response. COC leads strategic coordination across the OPS on vaccine and COVID‑19-related updates to the public, including the facilitation of daily press briefings, and ensuring that marketing services are available for all ministries to meet the increase in marketing campaigns and digital/creative demands during the pandemic.

A temporary multi-disciplinary project team was established in Cabinet Office Communications, working in partnership with Ministry of Health to drive pertinent communications decisions and build plans that are grounded in data, research, evidence and metrics in support of the government’s vaccine rollout plan.

Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs

Provides analysis and operational support for intergovernmental relations, international relations and protocol, and democratic institutions of government. The Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs also works across government on intergovernmental funding arrangements and opportunities that align with Ontario’s strategic interests.

COVID‑19 response

Facilitates intergovernmental negotiations aligned with strategic priorities focused on the most critical COVID‑19 issues and in support of Ontario’s recovery.

2021-22 strategic plan

The Cabinet Office delivers strategic advice, analysis and operational support to the Premier and the Cabinet in support of delivering government priorities by:

• providing leadership and high-quality advice that informs policy and communications decision-making
• supporting the implementation, delivery and tracking of government priorities, and maintaining the processes for Cabinet decision-making and the machinery of government
• working directly with ministry partners to help them address their policy and program delivery challenges by providing in-house, hands-on public sector innovation consulting services
• supporting executive teams across the OPS in rethinking their strategic choices and repositioning their teams to improve operational efficiencies at the division and ministry-level
• providing administrative and operational support to the Office of the Premier in their role of coordinating government-wide activities, and enabling and supporting the transformation of services for the people of Ontario
• providing marketing products, strategy and services to ministries under the new enhanced marketing model
• working across government on intergovernmental funding arrangements and opportunities to align with Ontario’s strategic interests
• building key relationships in support of the government’s intergovernmental and international priorities, and delivering operational support, analysis and strategic advice

The Cabinet Office will also continue to enhance and modernize workforce-centered delivery models to achieve its mandate. Organizational design and expenditure management strategies that have been implemented to increase the effectiveness of service delivery and drive ongoing efficiencies continue to be refined and further integrated into strategic and operational decision-making processes across the ministry. In continuing with this process, Cabinet Office will be utilizing enterprise capacity building to support improvement activities and performance throughout the Communications community.

COVID‑19 response

The Cabinet Office will continue to provide a leadership role in coordinating the government’s response to COVID‑19 while providing uninterrupted and high-quality service to support the Office of the Premier and Cabinet throughout the crisis. This will include:

• providing leadership and coordination to the government’s response to COVID‑19 through centrally coordinated activities and enhanced core service delivery work with ministries
• ensuring decision making and the machinery of government continue to operate effectively
• managing the array of policy, legislative, regulatory and strategic decisions required to quickly and effectively respond to the crisis
• ensuring continuity of government decision-making and machinery of government throughout the crisis, including rapid adoption of digital tools and techniques
• rapidly rolling out major communications and marketing campaigns to Ontarians to ensure they have timely information
• working with Ontario’s COVID‑19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force to develop responsive, high quality communications products and strategies
• closely coordinating with other jurisdictions on COVID‑19 response and identifying opportunities to advance Ontario’s strategic interests, including in relation to health and economic recovery supports for COVID‑19

Cabinet Office 2020-21 allocation

The following charts depict the ministry’s 2021-22 allocation ($35.6M) by vote/item and standard account.

Operating and capital by vote

Operating and capital summary by standard account ($M)

Detailed financial information

Ministry organization chart

• Secretary of the Cabinet, Clerk of the Executive Council - Steven Davidson
  • Director and Executive Assistant - Nancy Wittman
  • Senior Director and Legal Counsel - Don Fawcett
  • Assistant Deputy Minister, Central Coordination Table Secretariat - Jill Vienneau
    • Director, Central Coordination Table Secretariat - Michelle Astill
  • Deputy Minister, Communications - Nina Chiarelli
    • Executive Assistant - Stephane Baffier
    • Ontario Public Service Communications Directors
    • Deputy Ministers, Treasury Board Secretariat and Ministry of Finance
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Partnerships - Kristen Routledge
      • Director, Strategic Partnerships - Lisa Legatto
      • Director, Vaccines Project Team - Candice Debi
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Marketing and Enterprise Services and Insights - Vacant
      • Director, Marketing and Digital Strategy - Burke Christian
      • Director, Enterprise Capacity Building - Vacant
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Central Agency Communications - Sofie di Muzio
      • Director, Cabinet Office Communications - Arielle Peach
  • Deputy Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs and Associate Secretary of the Cabinet - Lynn Betzner
    • Executive Assistant - Alexandra Tomescu
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Economic, Justice and International Relations Policy - Craig McFadyen
      • Director, Economic and Justice - Stephen Laurent
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Intergovernmental Affairs Policy and Protocol - Zoe Kroeker
      • Director, Federalism and Institutions - Erich Hartmann
      • Director, Canadian Intergovernmental Relations - Ragaven Sabaratnam
      • Director, International Relations and Chief of Protocol - Kara Rawson
  • Deputy Minister, Policy and Delivery, Associate Secretary of the Cabinet - Martha Greenberg
    • Executive Assistant - Graham Smith
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Health, Social, Education and Children's Policy - David Wai
      • Executive Coordinator, Education and Children's Policy - Gloria Lee
      • Executive Coordinator, Health and Social Policy - Joanne Anderson
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Economic, Environmental, Justice and Intergovernmental Policy - Vinay Sharda
      • Executive Coordinator, Justice, Resource, and Environmental - Greg Malczewski
      • Executive Coordinator, Economic, Transportation and Infrastructure Policy - Vacant
      • Director, Volunteerism - Ziyaad Vahed
    • Director, Strategy and Innovation - Karl Frost
    • Executive Coordinator and Senior Deputy Clerk, Executive Council - James Scott-Vickers
  • Assistant Deputy Minister, Chief Administrative Officer, Corporate Planning and Services - Blair Dunker
    • Director, Human Resources Strategies and Services - Yvonne Chan
    • Director, Finance, Accommodation and Operations - Rob Foster

Appendix

Annual report

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 focus on fiscal sustainability and enforced strategies to manage spending within its allocation, while delivering sustainable programs and services that align with ministry-specific and government priorities
• continued to ensure limited discretionary spending in alignment with core service delivery
• managed resources in alignment with organizational goals; and reduced duplication of services and layers of administration to drive positive change across the organization

Policy & Delivery

• provided objective, integrated and strategic policy advice to support and inform government decision-making as well as the development of a multi-year action plan to deliver the government’s policy agenda
• supported the government as it reconfigured its policy agenda and program objectives in order to redirect resources and reprioritize to address the COVID‑19 pandemic
• reoriented its own internal processes in convening Cabinet/Cabinet Committee meetings and providing advice to government to facilitate rapid decision-making in an uncertain environment
• advanced development of an integrated application that supports agenda planning and Cabinet’s decision-making by centralizing information, providing digital scheduling tools, and tracking activities, milestones and delivery risks that make up the government’s multi-year plan
• maintained a modern Cabinet decision-making process by leveraging a digital platform for the distribution and‎ publication of material for Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings.
• continued to develop, test and refine innovative approaches to collaborating with ministry partners across the OPS to solve complex policy, programming, service delivery and strategic development challenges
• achieved efficiencies by streamlining operations, maximizing use of technology and pursuing more cost-efficient solutions to existing business lines

Cabinet Office Communications

• coordinated and provided support for integrated strategic plans and materials developed to communicate government policies, programs and initiatives
• provided writing services, event support and creative services for government announcements and facilitated modern, coordinated government communications
• provided issues management support and media monitoring services
• developed and maintained digital and marketing products and tools (including websites) to ensure that the government is directly connected to the citizens it serves
• oversaw, developed and executed multi-channel and multi-lingual paid marketing strategies, including creative and media, delivering on government and ministry priorities

Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs

• provided strategic advice, analysis and support to promote Ontario’s national and international interests and objectives through intergovernmental and international engagement
• provided support for Ontario’s participation at key intergovernmental meetings such as the Council of the Federation, First Ministers’ Meetings, and strategic engagements with U.S. state-level partners
• provided strategic intergovernmental and international relations advice relating to key trade and other agreements
• acted as an inter-ministry liaison in the development of key government policy initiatives, including recent federal agreements to address COVID‑19 related priorities
• planned and executed government protocol ceremonies, special events and visits of foreign dignitaries. Maintained a relationship with the consular corps

COVID‑19 Response

Key actions taken in response to the COVID‑19 pandemic include:

• coordinated the government’s response to the COVID‑19 crisis, which included the internal redeployment of staff and creation of an integrated and effective whole-of-government COVID‑19 response structure through the Central Coordination Table and supporting workstreams
• implemented organizational structures (i.e. dedicated teams) to support COVID‑19 priorities (e.g. Central Coordination Table and workstreams, Supply Chain Transformation Office. Central Coordination Table Secretariat, COVID‑19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force)
• directly supported the government’s crisis decision-making processes, which included organizing frequent Cabinet meetings and adopting new digital approaches to ensure continuity of government operations.
  • convened 169 Cabinet meetings in 2020-21, including daily Cabinet meetings for the first month of the COVID‑19 pandemic response
• directly supported the Secretary of the Cabinet and Office of the Premier in leading the province’s response to the global COVID‑19 pandemic. The COVID‑19 response acted as a catalyst to accelerate policy changes or priorities
• coordinated numerous COVID‑19 response work streams (e.g. health, supply chain, public safety, critical personnel) across government, while providing integrated and strategic advice to support rapid government decision-making
• supported the Ontario Jobs and Recovery Cabinet Committee and led the development of economic reopening and response frameworks
• prepared and shifted staff to work remotely in order to continue to meet critical service delivery commitments outlined in the COOP, while abiding by social distancing measures for staff who are unable to work remotely
• ensured the Province’s crisis response framework and governance model functioned effectively, and that information was effectively disseminated to decision makers in order to reinforce optimal decision-making
• worked with the federal government, provinces and territories to help advance critical elements of Ontario’s response to COVID‑19, including equipment and supplies, federal transfers and support programs for people and businesses
• supported the Premier with daily media briefings and by developing web content and strategic, paid multi-channel marketing to amplify information and messaging
• provided enhanced alignment in order to elevate specific COVID‑19-related priorities to the federal government
• led intergovernmental negotiations related to the COVID‑19 response and recovery, which resulted in approximately $13B in direct and in-kind federal supports for Ontario in 2020-21, in the areas such as health care funding; vulnerable populations; childcare and education; support for municipalities, infrastructure and transit