Published plans and annual reports 2022–2023: Ministry of Government and Consumer Services

Ministry overview

The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS) delivers vital programs, services, and products to the people and businesses of Ontario, as well as to ministries across the Ontario Public Service (OPS), provincial agencies, and the Broader Public Sector (BPS). Services are managed and delivered through MGCS’ business lines:

• Information, Privacy and Archives
• Ontario Shared Services
• ServiceOntario
• Consumer Services
• Government Services Integration Cluster
• Government Infrastructure Projects
• Enterprise Information Technology Services

Ministry's vision

Our vision is to deliver simpler, faster, better services for the people and businesses of Ontario and to drive meaningful change across the enterprise that improves program outcomes and protects critical services.

The ministry delivers vital public programs, services, and products — ranging from the provision of health cards, driver’s licences, and birth certificates to consumer protection and public safety — to help individuals, families, and businesses. The ministry is delivering on its vision through its diverse range of portfolios:

• Delivering vital services for the people and businesses of Ontario related to birth, adoption, marriage, death, organ donation, driver’s licences, vehicle registration, health cards, and accessible parking permits.
• Enhancing consumer protection and public safety legislative frameworks, providing advice and assistance to consumers, taking action to ensure business compliance with consumer protection and safety laws, and creating a prosperous business climate by updating and simplifying business laws.
• Providing stewardship of Ontario’s information and documentary heritage and managing public requests for information.
• Supporting the centralization of supply chain management by working across government ministries to help Ontarians get the best value for money.
• Managing the second largest public real estate portfolio in Canada and providing a safe workplace for OPS employees.

Enterprise-wide, we deliver internal infrastructure and support over 65,000 employees by:

• Running, operating, and modernizing the OPS’ information technology assets and resources, while enabling digital service delivery for Ontarians and Ontario businesses.
• Delivering over 50 services related to procurement, finance, human resources, pay and benefits, and a range of enterprise business services.
• Implementing a broader OPS-wide office optimization strategy.

COVID‑19 response

In response to the COVID‑19 pandemic, the ministry continues to focus on improving government services to the public, supporting businesses, and making government function efficiently. We continue to procure necessary personal protective equipment and other products to meet the demand from various public sectors. We are modernizing frontline services to allow for more digital access to government services and programs, with online appointment bookings, digital reminders, online chatbots to answer questions 24/7, and faster registration services for businesses.

Ministry programs

Information, Privacy and Archives

The Information, Privacy and Archives Division is responsible for providing enterprise strategic leadership for recordkeeping, access to information, and privacy protection for the OPS, agencies, and parts of the BPS. It oversees the Archives of Ontario (the largest provincial archives in Canada), that collects, preserves, and provides access to and encourages the public use of records of provincial and historical significance.

COVID‑19 response

The Information, Privacy and Archives Division has taken the following measures to adapt its services in response to the COVID‑19 pandemic:

• Continued growth of online initiatives due to reduced in-person services at the Archives of Ontario. These online initiatives include virtual tours, new web-based education resources, and expanded access to archival collections through a GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) Wikipedia page. Onsite access to the Archives of Ontario collections for research purposes is by appointment only.
• Through remote access and virtual channels, the Information, Privacy and Archives Division continues to:
  • Offer online collections, resources, and services to the public through the Archives of Ontario website, by telephone and by email.
  • Provide agile and rapid advice to programs across government to support the ongoing COVID‑19 response and delivery of critical services.

Ontario Shared Services

Ontario Shared Services provides centralized internal services for all Ontario government ministries and employees, select agencies, and procurement services for BPS partners.

Ontario Shared Services enables efficient and effective delivery of the government’s core internal business functions, including whole-of-government procurement, financial processing, transfer payment administration, human resources, pay and benefits, and enterprise business services. This work is carried out across multiple channels, including digitally through cloud-based services.

Ontario Shared Services provides public facing services to Ontarians including insurance services under the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Fund and the General Road Liability Protection Program. Document authentication service is provided to the public by the Official Document Services program. Ontario Shared Services is responsible for the on-line publishing of the Ontario Gazette as well as the sales and distribution of select Ontario products to the public via its on-line e-commerce gateway.

COVID‑19 response

Ontario Shared Services has played a central role in the government’s COVID‑19 pandemic response. This involved internally redeploying employees to coordinate procurements and supply chain management for public sector entities, including ministries, municipalities, the BPS and government agencies. Specific steps taken to support the public-sector supply chain included:

• Maintaining a virtual inventory to support decision-making processes for the procurement, as well as allocation and distribution of critical supplies;
• Procuring emergency supplies, including personal protective equipment and other critical supplies and equipment;
• Managing the warehousing and distribution of personal protective equipment, critical supplies and equipment procured by the government; and
• Supporting and overseeing the implementation of Supply Ontario to transform Ontario’s public sector supply chain.

Through the Transfer Payment Ontario system, Ontario Shared Services played an essential role in supporting the successful delivery of more than 30 COVID‑19 pandemic response initiatives, with funding totalling over $3.4 billion as of January 2022. In addition, Ontario Shared Services ensured the continued delivery of key business programs and services such as the processing of salary and benefits for over 65,000 OPS employees.

ServiceOntario

ServiceOntario provides Ontarians with fast, friendly, and easy access to a wide array of government information and services — online, in person, by mail, and phone. People and businesses can find the help they need with Vital Events, Driver and Vehicle Services, Health Cards and Ontario Photo Cards, Land and Business Registration, and Outdoors and Occupational Licensing.

ServiceOntario puts people at the centre of everything it does, delivering a consistent and inclusive customer experience. ServiceOntario offers a hybrid model of user-centred and secure digital-first access to the highest-volume transactions, while continuing to guarantee stable access to in-person options. Enhanced customer and business services, with updated back-office supports including modernized platforms and online help, ensure a superior customer experience. Offering services in various formats ensures inclusivity and choice for all Ontarians.

COVID‑19 response

ServiceOntario has taken several steps to continue to make it easy for individuals and businesses to get the services they need, while promoting physical distancing and minimizing the need for in-person visits to ServiceOntario offices. These include:

• Allowing most government-operated offices to remain open throughout the COVID‑19 pandemic by implementing public health protocols, including installing plexiglass at public and private retail, land registry, and back offices, screening, enhanced cleaning measures, and personal protective equipment requirements.
• Implementing online appointment bookings at high-volume offices to reduce wait times for customers and promote health and safety by limiting in-person line-ups.
• Amending regulations under the Vital Statistics Act, to permit the electronic transmission of death registration documents and improve the process for sharing death registration data. These changes also enabled the launch of the electronic Medical Certificate of Death which digitizes paper-based processes and modernizes the way the province registers, approves, and stores, death information, and informs third-parties when a death occurs.
• Improving online services to help customers get what they need from the safety of their home including:
  • Further extending the validity of accessible parking permits to promote public safety. Also launched an accessible parking permit fillable online application form that provides a secure and encrypted electronic intake submission channel for approximately 123,000 eligible customers.
  • Introducing changes to the ministry’s Business Law statutes to permit copies of documents, electronic signatures, and the electronic filing of business documents, which will significantly reduce the number of physical touchpoints on paper documents.
  • Launching the Queue-it virtual waiting room to manage online volumes and improve the user experience.
• Setting up contact centres, including the Stop the Spread Information Line, Ontario Together program, and the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre, while also delivering services for other key programs.

Consumer Services

Consumer Services delivers the policies, programs and services that respond to the needs of the people and businesses of Ontario. As a modern regulator, Consumer Services implements policy on a wide range of consumer and public safety issues, and supports business law renewal in Ontario.

The ministry plays an important role in informing consumers about their rights and protections under its various consumer protection and public safety statutes and regulations, including the Consumer Protection Act, 2002. The ministry is a recognized, trusted, and knowledgeable resource of information and essential tools for consumers and businesses. It plays a leadership role in supporting a fair, safe, and informed marketplace.

Direct services to the public include educating consumers and businesses about their rights and responsibilities, mediating consumer complaints, protecting consumers’ interests through proportionate and risk-based compliance tools, and taking enforcement action against non-compliant businesses.

The ministry regulates and licenses businesses in several sectors, including payday loans, bailiffs, collection agencies, and consumer reporting agencies. It also oversees 11 arm’s-length administrative authorities and one statutory corporation^{footnote 1[1]} in the areas of consumer protection and public safety.

The ministry also administers the burial site provisions of the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002, which set out a process for dealing with human remains that may be found outside cemeteries, including those of Indigenous peoples, with dignity and respect. The ministry is bringing its expertise in this area to support the development and implementation of the government’s strategy to work with Indigenous communities in respect of unidentified burials associated with the former Indian Residential Schools.

COVID‑19 response

Consumer Services continues to provide services to the public through its Consumer Protection Ontario contact centre, compliance, and enforcement work, and supported the development and implementation of Emergency Orders, including an order to prohibit unconscionable pricing on necessary goods during the COVID‑19 pandemic, and legislative changes to consumer protection statutes:

• As of December 29, 2021, Consumer Protection Ontario received over 32,700 online complaints under the Emergency Order prohibiting price gouging. The ministry also has provided advice and assistance to consumers about consumer transactions that were affected by the COVID‑19 pandemic, including cancelled theatrical performances and contracts, venue rentals, wedding services, and fitness memberships.
• Supporting businesses and consumers by extending:
  • Legislative amendments to key corporate statutes including the Business Corporations Act, Corporations Act, Condominium Act, 1998 and Co-Operative Corporations Act, which helped businesses conduct corporate meetings virtually when in-person meetings were no longer a possibility.
  • Two of the temporary measures that were put in place in 2020 and set to expire in 2022, under the Travel Industry Act, 2002, that reduced burden on travel agents and wholesalers (registrants) and helped travellers impacted by the COVID‑19 pandemic. This includes extending both the temporary provision that allows registrants to issue vouchers to consumers in certain circumstances, for a one-year period to March 31, 2023, and the temporary provision that lessens reporting requirements for medium- and large-sized registrants, which saves 437 registrants from the burden and cost of retaining a licensed public accountant to prepare a review engagement report or audit opinion, for a two-year period to November 30, 2024.
• Supporting the travel agent and wholesaler, and amusement park and ski sectors in Ontario, providing them with financial relief by:
  • Dispensing additional funding in 2021–22 to the Travel Industry Council of Ontario to help temporarily waive registration renewal fees and Travel Industry Compensation Fund payments. The ministry is also working to provide funding for 2022–23; and
  • Waiving oversight payments of the Technical Standards and Safety Authority and the Electrical Safety Authority, which are being used to waive licensing payments from amusement park and ski businesses.
• Issuing a Minister’s Order that gave the Technical Standards and Safety Authority the authority to provide safety-related inspection, enforcement, and administrative services to the provincial government or to any of its agencies, boards, commissions, or administrative authorities. This enabled the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development to contract with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority to help address COVID‑19 related complaints, and provide education and outreach to raise awareness and enforcement of Emergency Orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

Government Services Integration Cluster

The Government Services Integration Cluster provides strategic advice and cost-effective technology solutions for the Ministries of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Seniors and Accessibility, Government and Consumer Services, Infrastructure, and Francophone Affairs. It delivers the information technology necessary for its partner ministries and agencies to operate, modernize, and transform the delivery of services to the public, businesses, and employees. The cluster also has accountability for the Enterprise Contact Centre Solution, as a mandatory central common service, which enables over 40 programs across government to deliver contact centre services via telephone, email, and online chat.

COVID‑19 response

In response to the COVID‑19 pandemic, the Government Services Integration Cluster enabled many initiatives including:

• Enhancing and expanding the Personal Protective Equipment Supply Portal, an end-to-end order management solution, from Ontario manufacturers through warehouse fulfilment to the customer, that enables non-health government entities to order personal protective equipment and critical supplies through an online e-commerce experience. In 2021, the cluster:
  • Expanded access to ministries and government organizations including fire services, police services, courts, colleges and universities, indigenous infrastructure services, childcare centres, and
  • Integrated with other systems over a two-week period to allow approved essential businesses and industries to order Rapid Antigen test kits. This enabled these organizations to continue to operate safely throughout the pandemic.
• Increasing capacity to support operations throughout the COVID‑19 pandemic by:
  • Supporting multiple programs and rolling out critical technology that enables remote work for up to 5,000 OPS contact centre staff to continue delivering services through the contact centre channel while promoting safe work environments.
  • Launching new capabilities such as the first ‘chatbot’ enabled through the Engagement Platform (formerly known as Enterprise Contact Centre Service) to help ServiceOntario answer online driver and vehicle questions from the public, and the first cloud ‘outbound campaign’ capabilities to support outreach efforts and facilitate the Ministry of Health’s provincial vaccine rollout.

Government Infrastructure Projects 

Government Infrastructure Projects is responsible for managing the government's General Real Estate Portfolio. This is done through the development of policy, legislation, and program delivery. The program oversees the real estate management activities of the Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation (Infrastructure Ontario) and implements real estate strategies, portfolio planning, acquisition and disposal of surplus properties, and capital planning. The ministry's Contaminated Sites Plan, the Forfeited Corporate Property Program, and the Transmission Corridor Program are managed by this program.

This program is also responsible for optimizing the government’s office real estate and driving workplace transformation to reduce costs and improve effectiveness of the OPS workforce. It achieves this through efficient management of realty assets and service delivery, by reducing costly third-party leased office space, and re-shaping how and where the OPS works to deliver the best outcomes and services for Ontarians. Major realty projects are delivered through this program, including the Macdonald Block Reconstruction Project, Whitney Block Rehabilitation Project, and Regional Office Optimization Plans. Adopting approaches, including more flexible and collaborative workspaces to support hybrid workspace utilization, will help to improve the reconstructed Macdonald Block Complex.

COVID‑19 response

The ministry is coordinating with the OPS to address real estate challenges and opportunities as part of its COVID‑19 response. In addition, work on government infrastructure projects has continued, with careful management to ensure sites meet health and safety work environment guidelines.

Enterprise Information Technology Services Program

The Enterprise Information Technology Services Program provides strategic leadership in the use of Information and information technology to modernize Ontario’s programs and services and to meet the changing needs of Ontarians and the OPS, ministries, agencies, and the BPS.

The program is responsible for developing plans that focus on evolving information technology capabilities to transform public service delivery, providing user-centred, digital solutions that create positive outcomes and provide value for the people of Ontario. This includes an enterprise technology roadmap to realize the benefits of strategically managed technology, products, and services, as well as to coordinate technology investments across ministries.

The program, which champions and enables digital government, also ensures the ongoing security of systems and data; the implementation of common infrastructure, governance and accountability; the development and maintenance of OPS information technology operating policies, technical standards, and guidelines; and the delivery of common services across the OPS, such as hosting services, service management, and network capabilities.

COVID‑19 response

The ministry played a critical role in enabling the delivery of information technology business solutions for government programs as well as new digital services to Ontarians, while expanding remote work capabilities for OPS employees. This included:

• Providing remote work tools and services to OPS staff to deliver time-critical services.
• Introducing an alternate, secure connectivity method that allows OPS employees to connect to internal applications from any device, without having to connect to the OPS information technology network.
• Continued technology readiness and support for the COVID‑19 vaccine rollout and ensuring vaccine certificate services are accessible to Ontarians 24/7.
• Supporting pandemic-related contact centres with technology support (for example, the Ontario Together portal, vaccine booking, and information telephone lines).

2022–23 Strategic Plan

The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services is focused on improving government services to the public, supporting businesses, and making government function efficiently– all critical to fuel Ontario’s restart post COVID‑19. The ministry is taking a customer-focused approach to build simpler, faster, better access to services, saving Ontarians and businesses time and money.

MGCS Primary Goals

The ministry has five primary goals to fulfill its mandate and achieve government priorities. Details of specific accomplishments can be found in the 2021–22 Annual Report.

Service Delivery Excellence: Driving operational excellence and continuous improvement in service delivery, and transforming and streamlining delivery models across government.

• Continue to deliver information and high-volume transactions, while making it easier for individuals and businesses to access services. Continuous improvements to services address key issues such as language changes, user-experience design, improved usability, and legislative/regulatory changes.
• Continue to strive to be a leader in the transfer payment digital space by improving the user experience through digital enhancements to the enterprise Transfer Payment Ontario system. The system enables service and program delivery partners to interact more seamlessly and efficiently with the Ontario government.
• The Consumer Services Operations Division is developing a multi-year awareness and education strategy, Business Education Support Tools, that will provide businesses with access to 24/7 online tools at no cost and help consumers to better understand and more easily comply with consumer protection laws. Improved business compliance will also benefit consumers and help to create a fairer marketplace.
• Continue to implement the technology roadmap which is an enabler to expedite government service modernization by creating seamless and user-friendly online services for Ontarians.
• Through Contact Centre Modernization, conduct multiple lean assessments to identify areas of improvement, such as updating online content, introducing new digital capabilities to support self-serve options (for example, live-chat) and updating telephone menu design and messaging to better support the customer experience and delivery of government services.

Digital Transformation: Transforming service delivery through a digital first — but not digital only — approach to lower costs and deliver services simpler, faster and better for the people and businesses of Ontario.

• Continue to focus on ServiceOntario improvements, and increased ease of access to its digital services, including high-volume online driver, vehicle, and health services. For instance, Digital Dealership Registration will enable automobile dealers to complete new individual passenger vehicle registrations electronically and have vehicle permits and licence plates available, resulting in a simpler, faster, and better vehicle registration process, so that Ontarians can enjoy their new vehicle purchases almost immediately.
• Continue to offer businesses and not-for-profit corporations direct access to government services with digital self-service access to over 90 services, 24 hours a day.
• Enable a modern digital workplace by driving OPS-wide adoption of new productivity, communications, and collaboration tools to ensure OPS employees have the knowledge and tools they need to do their best work.
• Co-lead the effort to modernize and digitize fax services, implement strategies to lay the foundation for a cloud-based future, and partner with ministries to explore opportunities to address accessible, affordable broadband services for underserved and vulnerable populations. Implement modern services to improve digital interactions with the public, BPS entities and within the OPS, as part of the Ontario Public Service Cyber Security Strategy.
• Continue focusing on maximizing the value and use of government information while ensuring Ontarians benefit from best-in-class recordkeeping, access to information, and privacy protections.
• Through the development of the Archives and Information Management System, the ministry is building an integrated collections and management system to improve management of, and both online and in-person access to the Archives of Ontario’s archival, library and art collections.
• Continue to implement the technology roadmap to create a future-ready workforce with tools and services that support remote productivity and recovery planning work across the OPS.

Driving Efficiencies: Making critical services and back-office functions more efficient.

• Work with Infrastructure Ontario to improve the management of the General Real Estate Portfolio to lower costs, generate revenue, optimize office space, and reduce red tape for businesses.
• Deliver critical services efficiently, including pay and benefits, procurement and supply chain administration, transfer payment administration, frontline human resources service delivery, and financial processing.
• Continue to implement a whole-of-government approach to purchasing goods and services across the government, BPS, and health sector entities through Supply Ontario.
• Continue to enable government-wide transfer payment modernization through commitments to Transfer Payment Consolidation, with a specific focus on the human and social services sector in partnership with Treasury Board Secretariat and the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.
• Use Robotic Process Automation and Machine Learning solutions to increase efficiencies and streamline back-office processing for invoice submission and processing, and Central Agency Cluster Purchase Order Requisition Automation.
• Through Vendor Modernization, the ministry will transform the way vendors do business with the Government of Ontario. A self-serve portal will improve the overall end-to-end experience, reduce the time between invoice submission and payment, and enable payment tracking — making it simpler, faster, and better for vendors.
• The ministry will continue its efforts to reduce administrative burden for OPS employees and managers through lean, digital, and paperless human resources and payroll service delivery processes, and case management tools to support critical human resource functions, including the Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Prevention program.
• Deliver the Digital Reminders service for driver’s licences and health card renewals — allowing customers to subscribe to receive reminders for renewals by email, text, and phone.
• Implement improvements at public and private retail locations for quicker service and to reduce wait times.

Supporting Businesses: Simplifying Ontario’s regulatory framework and reducing the administrative burden on businesses to make it easier to engage with the Government of Ontario.

• Implement the Rebuilding Consumer Confidence strategy, which continues to transform many key regulatory frameworks including the Condominium Act, 1998 and the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act. The ministry is also undertaking a comprehensive review of the Consumer Protection Act, 2002 — the first such review in over 15 years.
• Continue to demonstrate action and strengthen consumer protection by overhauling Ontario’s new home warranty program and building on the implementation of Ontario’s new regulator of new home builders, the Home Construction Regulatory Authority launched in February 2021.
• Reduce burden on business to improve Ontario’s competitive advantage and continue to support the government’s commitment to improve the province’s business law framework to meet the changing needs of business. The ministry led several amendments to modernize its business law statutes and is actively reviewing key business law improvements, including, but not limited to amendments to the Business Corporations Act.
• Continue the launch of the new Ontario Business Registry, making it easier, simpler, and more affordable for millions of businesses and not-for-profit corporations to access government services, while offering direct access to online transactions to save time and money.

People and Culture: Fostering talent, leveraging our skills and knowledge, and assigning accountability to show quick, iterative progress on the delivery of commitments:

• Advance work in support of the commitments in the Leadership Pledge (enhance and expand services of the Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Prevention Program, streamline employment accommodation processes, and expand mental health resources and services) to transform inclusive policies and programs.
• Improve mental wellbeing and developing resilience by promoting mental health awareness and understanding racial trauma and the importance of psychological safety in the workplace.
• Enable leading with authenticity and respect by training and empowering all OPS managers to efficiently lead with a people-first approach, interrupt bias in recruitment, hold courageous conversations, and create a psychologically safe work environment.
• Deliver executive outreach programs that build connections and community by connecting staff to senior leadership and the leadership team to each other.
• Provide leadership and support to the OPS in information management, recordkeeping, freedom of information, and privacy protection. Through the Archives of Ontario, the ministry is responsible for making public government records accessible and for collecting and preserving private records of provincial and historical significance.

Key Performance Indicators

The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services has several key performance indicators that it uses to measure ministry priorities, such as customer satisfaction rates and service standards/guarantees. Monitoring customer satisfaction rates helps determine the level of customer satisfaction with the services we provide, while service standards/guarantees tell us whether we are meeting our commitment to clients in a timely manner.

Ministry

Customer satisfaction levels are currently measured for programs in Enterprise Information Technology Services, Ontario Shared Services, and ServiceOntario (online only).

Service standards/guarantees are measured for programs in Enterprise Information Technology Services, Information, Privacy and Archives, Ontario Shared Services, and ServiceOntario.

Ministry results are an aggregation of program area results, some of which are highlighted below:

Information, Privacy and Archives

Ontario Shared Services

ServiceOntario

Key ServiceOntario service standards measure the percentage of transactions delivered within established timeframes and the effectiveness of service delivery processes. ServiceOntario met or exceeded most of its service standards in 2021–22. The table below shows the total number of services with a standard and what percent of those services achieved its target. The total of 54 includes the seven services that have a money-back service guarantee.

ServiceOntario is accountable for seven money-back service guarantees including online birth, marriage, and death certificates; premium online birth, marriage, and death certificates; and online personalized licence plate orders.

Note: from March 2020 onwards, service guarantees for personalized licence plates and online birth, marriage, and death certificate requests were suspended due to operational impacts caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic; service standard achievement results are not included.

ServiceOntario’s money-back service guarantees were met on average, 99.9% of the time between April 2018 and March 2022. The goal for 2022–23 is to maintain a service standard achievement rate above 99% through strict process control and continuous improvement.

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Enterprise Information Technology Services Program

Detailed Financial Information

Table 1: Ministry Planned Expenditures 2022–23 ($M)

Note: Numbers may not add due to rounding.

Table 2: Combined Operating and Capital Summary by Vote

For additional financial information, see:

• Expenditure Estimates
• Public Accounts of Ontario: past editions
• Ontario Budget: past editons

Agencies, Boards and Commissions (ABCs)

Supply Ontario was established in 2020 under O. Reg  612/20 of the Supply Chain Management Act (Government, Broader Public Sector and Health Sector Entities), 2019. It aims to accelerate Ontario government efforts to centralize and transform public sector supply chains by harnessing Ontario’s buying power to enable economic development, province-wide resilience and optimize value for Ontarians. Supply Ontario will enable a whole-of-government approach to purchasing goods and services for the government, Broader Public Sector, and health sector entities, ensuring consistent access to high-quality products and services.

COVID‑19 Response

Supply Ontario will continue to contribute to the government’s response to the COVID‑19 pandemic by developing a clinical supply chain management model.

Administrative authorities

The ministry’s administrative authorities are governed by several pieces of legislation; they are self-funded through the fees they charge their respective sectors. The Safety and Consumer Statutes Administration Act, 1996, provides a framework for the delegation of the administration of legislation with respect to electrical safety; regulation of motor vehicle dealers and salespersons; travel sales by travel agents and wholesalers; regulation of bereavement services (ie., funeral, cemetery, crematorium, and transfer services); as well as the regulation of real estate salespersons, brokers, and brokerages.

There are also individual statutes that apply an administrative authority’s oversight framework to technical safety standards, new home warranties, condominium management, the condominium sector, and appellations of Ontario-made wine.

These individual statutes and the Safety and Consumer Statutes Administration Act, 1996, establish the accountability and governance framework that applies between the ministry and the not-for-profit corporations that administer legislation in specific consumer protection or public safety areas.

The ministry monitors administrative authorities’ service delivery and is responsible for the legislation and regulations. The administrative authorities typically deliver services such as licensing, inspections, complaint handling and enforcement. As part of the Rebuilding Consumer Confidence Act, which was passed in July 2020, the ministry made improvements to the governance frameworks of the administrative authorities and created consistency between the individual statutes and the Safety and Consumer Statutes Administration Act, 1996. The ministry has continued to implement and proclaim remaining sections of the Rebuilding Consumer Confidence Act, 2020.

The Bereavement Authority of Ontario administers most provisions under the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002. The Bereavement Authority of Ontario is responsible for licensing and regulating (e.g., conducting inspections and investigations) operators of cemeteries, crematoriums, and transfer services; salespersons for those operators; funeral directors; funeral establishment operators; and funeral preplanners. The Bereavement Authority of Ontario is also responsible for the management of a Funeral Services Compensation Fund that compensates persons who suffer a financial loss due to a failure on the part of certain licensees under the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002, to comply with that act, its regulations, or the terms of an agreement made under that Act.

The Condominium Authority of Ontario is responsible for administering delegated provisions under the Condominium Act, 1998. The Condominium Authority of Ontario provides easy-to-use information to help owners and residents understand their rights and responsibilities, mandatory training for condominium (condo) directors, resources to help condo owners and residents resolve common issues associated with condo living, and a public database of key information about every condominium in Ontario. In addition, the Condominium Authority of Ontario oversees and operates the Condominium Authority Tribunal, a unique online dispute resolution system that helps to resolve prescribed disputes under the Condominium Act, 1998.

The Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario administers the Condominium Management Services Act, 2015. This includes administering licensing for all condo managers and condo management providers, establishing and delivering the required education program for condo managers, maintaining a list of all licences in the province, dealing with complaints, administering the discipline committee and appeals committee, and enforcement.

The Electrical Safety Authority is responsible for administering Part VIII of the Electricity Act, 1998, enforcing the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, the licensing of electrical contractors and master electricians, overseeing electricity distribution system safety, and electrical product safety.

The Home Construction Regulatory Authority is responsible for the mandatory licensing and regulation of new home builders and vendors under the New Home Construction Licensing Act, 2017. It also maintains the Ontario Builder Directory, which provides consumers with information about licensed new home builders and vendors. In addition, it holds new home builders and vendors to account for violations of the Code of Ethics.

The Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council administers the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, 2002, and the Motor Vehicle Dealers Compensation Fund — a fund for consumers who have lost money involving a registered motor vehicle dealer. The council registers motor vehicle dealers and salespersons, and conducts inspections and investigations to ensure compliance with the Act.

The Real Estate Council of Ontario administers the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002, which regulates the conduct of real estate and business brokerages, brokers, and salespersons. The Real Estate Council of Ontario registers salespersons, brokers, and brokerages; enforces standards to obtain/maintain registration; requires brokers and salespersons to meet educational standards; conducts inspections of brokerage offices to ensure compliance with the act; investigates complaints; and carries out enforcement action with respect to violations of the Act.

The Tarion Warranty Corporation administers the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act, which provides warranty coverage and other protections to new home buyers and owners. Tarion enrols new homes for warranty coverage; resolves warranty disputes between builders/vendors and homeowners; maintains a Guarantee Fund that provides for the payment of compensation under the plan; informs and educates new home builders; and through research programs, promotes progressive improvement in the quality of housing in Ontario.

The Technical Standards and Safety Authority administers the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000. This includes enforcement of public safety laws in industry sectors such as amusement devices, elevating devices, ski lifts, fuels, boilers and pressure vessels, and operating engineers.

The Travel Industry Council of Ontario administers the Travel Industry Act, 2002. It registers travel agents and travel wholesalers, monitors their financial performance to identify financial risk, inspects their operations to ensure compliance with the act, and manages Ontario’s Travel Industry Compensation Fund. Customers with eligible claims for travel services paid to or through a registered travel agent, but not provided, may be reimbursed from the fund up to certain amounts.

The Vintners Quality Alliance Ontario (operating as the Ontario Wine Appellation Authority) is responsible for administering an appellation of origin system governing the production and quality standards of Ontario wines under the Vintners Quality Alliance label in accordance with the Vintners Quality Alliance Act, 1999.

Statutory Corporation

The ministry oversees one not-for-profit statutory corporation. Ontario One Call (also known as One Call) administers the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012. The Act requires owners of underground infrastructure to be members of One Call and to provide the location of the infrastructure to excavators, when requested. One Call operates a locate request routing service and enforces compliance by its members, which include gas, electrical, and telecommunications utilities and municipalities.

Ministry organization chart

• Minister of Government and Consumer Services — Hon. Kaleed Rasheed
  • Deputy Minister of Government and Consumer Services — Renu Kulendran
    • Director: Legal (1*) — Fateh Salim
    • Director: Communications (2*) — Jennifer Proulx
    • Director: Operations — Justin Peffer
    • ADM Ontario Shared Services — Kristen Delorme (A)
      • ADM HR Service Delivery Division — Tracey McConnell (A)
      • ADM Pay and Benefits Services — Bev Hawton
      • ADM Enterprise Business Services Division — Flolet Loney-Burnett
      • ADM Supply Chain Ontario — Doug Kent
      • ADM Enterprise Financial Services — Noah Morris
    • ADM Supply Chain Transformation Office — Chris Gonsalves (A)
    • Corporate CIO and Government Information Technology — Mohammad Qureshi
      • CIO Infrastructure Technology Services — Mike Amato (A)
      • Chief Information Security Officer Cyber Security — Rhonda Bunn
      • Chief Technology Officer Enterprise Technology Strategy — John van den Hoven (A)
      • Chief Technology Officer Enterprise Technology Delivery — Scott Bolton
    • ADM Realty — Bruce Singbush
    • ADM Office Optimization — Suzan Harrison
    • CPO and Archivist of Ontario Information, Privacy and Archives — John Roberts
    • CIO, Government Service Integration Cluster (GSIC) — Manish Agarwal
    • CAO and ADM Corporate Services — Shawn Lawson
    • ADM Consumer Services Operations — Barbara Duckitt 
    • ADM Policy Planning and Oversight — Michèle Sanborn
    • ADM: ServiceOntario — Dafna Carr
      • ADM Operational Support — Joanne Anderson
      • ADM Customer Care — Nelson Loureiro (A)
      • ADM Central Services — Beverly Thomas-Barnes (A)

Acts administered by the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services

• Alternative Filing Methods for Business Act, 2020, S.O. 2020, c.  7, Sched. 1
• Apportionment Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. A.23
• Archives and Recordkeeping Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 3S.O.4, Sched. A
• Arthur Wishart Act (Franchise Disclosure), 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 3
• Assignments and Preferences Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. A.33
• Bailiffs Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. B.2
• Boundaries Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. B.10
• Building Ontario Businesses Initiative Act, 2022
• Business Corporations Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. B.16
• Business Names Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. B.17
• Business Regulation Reform Act, 1994, S.O. 1994, c. 32
• Change of Name Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.7
• Collection and Debt Settlement Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.14
• Condominium Act, 1998, S.O. 1998, c. 19
• Condominium Management Services Act, 2015, S.O. 2015, c. 28, Sched. 2
• Consumer Protection Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 30, Sched. A
• Consumer Reporting Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.33
• Co-operative Corporations Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.35
• Corporations Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.38
• Corporations Information Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.39
• Discriminatory Business Practices Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. D.12
• Electricity Act, 1998, S.O. 1998, c. 15, Sched. A, in respect of Parts VIII and IX.1
• Electronic Land Registration Services Act, 2010, S.O. 2010, c. 1, Sched. 6
• Electronic Registration Act (Ministry of Consumer and Business Services Statutes), 1991, S.O. 1991, c. 44
• Extra-Provincial Corporations Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.27
• Factors Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F.1
• Film Content Information Act, 2020
• Financial Administration Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F.12, in respect of section 1.0.19 and clause 38 (1) (a.3)
• Forfeited Corporate Property Act, 2015, S.O. 2015, c. 38, Sched. 7
• Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F.31
• Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 33
• Government Services and Service Providers Act (ServiceOntario), 2012, S.O. 2012, c. 8, Sched. 21 (not yet in force)
• Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, in respect of Part III
• Home Inspection Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c. 5, Sched. 1 (not yet in force)
• Horse Riding Safety Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 4
• Land Registration Reform Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.4
• Land Titles Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.5
• Limited Partnerships Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.16
• Marriage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.3
• Ministry of Consumer and Business Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.21
• Ministry of Government Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.25, except in respect of services provided by the Treasury Board Secretariat
• Ministry of Infrastructure Act, 2011, S.O. 2011, c. 9, Sched. 27, in respect of Government property, including acquisition, and in respect of clause 7(1)(e), clause 7(1)(g), and subsection 7(5), the administration of the Act is shared between the Minister of Government and Consumer Services and the Minister of Infrastructure
• Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.M.41
• Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 30, Sched. B
• Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56
• New Home Construction Licensing Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c. 33, Sched. 1 (not yet in force)
• Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010, S.O. 2010, c. 15 (not yet in force)
• Official Notices Publication Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.3
• Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation Act, 2011, S.O. 2011, in respect of the Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation's powers and responsibilities regarding Government property, except subsection 4(1) 2.ii
• Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.31
• Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012, S.O. 2012, c. 4
• Partnerships Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.5
• Payday Loans Act, 2008, S.O. 2008, c. 9
• Personal Property Security Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.10
• Protection for Owners and Purchasers of New Homes Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c. 33, Sched. 2 (not in force)
• Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 30, Sched. C
• Registry Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. R.20
• Repair and Storage Liens Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. R.25
• Retail Business Holidays Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. R.30
• Safety and Consumer Statutes Administration Act, 1996, S.O. 1996, c. 19
• Securities Transfer Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 8
• Skydome Act (Bus Parking), 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 8, Sched. K
• Supply Chain Management Act (Government, Broader Public Sector and Health Sector Entities), 2019, S.O. 2019, c. 15, Sched. 37
• Supporting Local Restaurants Act, 2020, S.O. 2020, c. 31 only in respect of Parts III, IV and V of the Act
• Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 16
• Ticket Sales Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c. 33, Sched. 3
• Travel Industry Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 30, Sched. D
• Vintners Quality Alliance Act, 1999, S.O. 1999, c. 3
• Vital Statistics Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. V.4

2021–22 Annual Report

Highlights of 2021–22 Results

The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services is transforming services in a way that puts people at the centre of everything we do. The ministry is committed to helping the government fulfill its promise to find efficiencies and reduce burden for consumers and businesses.

Some of the ministry’s achievements include:

Service Delivery Excellence

• Delivered more than 50 million ServiceOntario interactions (transactions and information and referrals) through its network of centres, online, by telephone and mail:
  • Processed over 16 million transactions, including 6.71 million deferred transactions, as part of the resumption of services — over a period of six months. During this time, ServiceOntario utilized lean and modest technical improvements to increase productivity and responsiveness. Online uptake targets were consistently met or exceeded, with a more than 50% increase in driver’s licence, licence plate stickers, and health card online renewals. Retail locations handled the surge of in-person visits (two million in the peak month) while contact centres handled an additional 500,000 calls;
  • Made it easier for people to renew their driver’s licences online by temporarily waiving requirements for people to renew their driver’s licences in-person, including those for senior drivers. Eligible drivers were able to renew their driver’s licences online at ServiceOntario.ca, including those aged 80 and over; and
  • Ensured convenience for Ontarians by offering more than 40 services online 24/7 — enabling customers to skip the lines by renewing their documents using ServiceOntario’s easy-to-use and secure online services, right from the comfort and safety of their home.
• Successfully implemented, in partnership with the Ministry of Transportation, a program to eliminate licence plate stickers and introduce free licence plate validation for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles, and mopeds, making life more affordable and convenient for more than 7.5 million Ontario vehicle owners. As the designated service provider, the ministry is handling all logistics related to customer refunds, address change requests, and ongoing licence plate renewals. As of March 2022, the ministry has begun to process refund cheques for eligible vehicle owners.
• Successfully procured and delivered supplies to support the safe re-opening and ongoing operation of over 4,800 schools and over 5,000 childcare facilities. Leveraged our collective buying power in critical supplies, equipment, and personal protective equipment marketplaces, and introduced new domestic sources of supply to ensure a consistent and reliable supply chain.
• Enabled, in partnership with the Ministry of the Attorney General, the appointment of paralegals as notary publics as part of Government Modernization of the Notaries Act. Since the launch of the act, Official Document Services continues to see a 45% increase of notary public applications processed under a newly revamped digital intake process, increasing access to legal services for Ontarians across the province.
• Redesigned the online Newborn Registration Service to simplify and streamline the flow of the application, leading to fewer instances of user errors, faster turnaround times, and increased customer satisfaction. The service has been made fully web responsive and mobile device compliant.
• Enabled new online payment options for driver and vehicle transactions in response to user feedback including Co-branded debit card payments to provide more options to customers who make payments online.
• Supported consumers through mediation efforts, assisting in resolving complaints in collaboration with Pro Bono Ontario, and conducting inspections:
  • Actively suspended and/or limited mediation efforts through Consumer Protection Ontario due to the closure of non-essential businesses on a regional or province-wide basis. The ministry recognized these closures caused business owners and/or management significant challenges. During this period, ministry staff focused on responding to public inquiries through its 1-800 number, providing referrals to other regulatory authorities and/or the ministry’s investigations unit, and processing correspondence.
  • Leveraged the continued collaboration with Pro Bono Ontario throughout the COVID‑19 pandemic, referring complaints, where appropriate, to ensure that consumers have access to information and assistance with civil claims. Up to March 2023, the ministry can refer certain consumer complaints to Pro Bono Ontario. The joint agreement benefits consumers by helping them seek free legal advice; cancel or rescind agreements; obtain refunds, repairs, warranties; negotiate settlements; or use the justice system to secure court awards.
  • Adapted its consumer protection measures to focus on desktop inspections, along with alternative methods (i.e., virtual meeting technology) to investigate consumer complaints while respecting public health restrictions. Between January 1 and December 31, 2021, the ministry received 27,479 consumer complaints, incidents, and inquiries; negotiated $605,312 in resolution amounts for consumers; laid 358 charges under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002 and other enforced legislation; and conducted over 150 desktop inspections, focusing on the sectors that posed risks to consumers including payday loans, collection agencies, auto repair, moving and storage, home construction, maintenance, and renovations.
• Provided critical and timely subject-matter expertise, advice, and guidance related to client ministry’s efforts to create COVID‑19 related line-of-business specific processes, policies, or guidelines, and help with managing the shift to remote work.
• Continued to provide integrated services and advice to ministries, agencies, the BPS, and the public to ensure that recordkeeping, access to information, and protection of privacy activities are integrated and effective. This includes coordination and management of inquiries from Members of Provincial Parliament, institutions, and municipalities. In addition, this included public inquiries on access, privacy, and application of legislation, such as the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
• Continued to champion the Trillium Gift of Life program by adding over 112,000 Ontarians to the Organ Donor Registry between April 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021.
• The Cyber Security Centre of Excellence continued to help ministries and BPS service delivery partners to improve digital resilience with education and awareness activities, and cyber threat knowledge and intelligence-sharing. For example, during 2021–22, the Cyber Security Centre of Excellence hosted a virtual cyber security conference for the Broader Public Sector called, “Building Cyber Resilience: Securing Ontario’s Public Sector” that brought together nearly 700 cyber security practitioners from across Ontario.
• The Alvin D. McCurdy collection has been inscribed on the Canadian Commission for The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Canada Memory of the World Register. This is a ‘first’ for one of the Archives of Ontario’s collections and demonstrates the importance of the McCurdy fonds to the collective history of Canada. The records document the development of some of the oldest Black communities in Ontario, many of which were terminals of the Underground Railroad. It is also one of the pre-eminent collections that aids in understanding the history and stories of Black Canadians’ journeys and contributions to Canada.

Digital Transformation

• Implemented simpler, more convenient digital options for customers and stakeholders to interact with ServiceOntario. Transitioned traditional fax lines across several business lines to digital enterprise alternatives, such as faxOPS, as well as a first of its kind integrated solution using eForms, online payment, and OPSDocs storage. The integrated solution allows for the secure submission of high-sensitivity vital events documents and payment. These secure digital options allow customers to correspond or submit documents using their preferred method, whether by email or fax.
• Launched a new Ontario Photo Card online renewal service, in partnership with the Ministry of Transportation. Since its launch in June 2021 through to the end of February 2022, 27,801 renewals were conducted online, representing 33% of all renewals completed, including in-person, over the same period.
• Implemented a modernized voice services strategy for unified communications and collaboration to replace end-of life telephone systems with modern technology that allows people to communicate and collaborate in a conversational-style workspace across any digital device.
• Developed the Governance and Management of Information and Data Assets Directive, to maximize the value and use of government information by ensuring that it is managed as a strategic enterprise asset. This complements the renewed Information and Information Technology Directive and a companion Digital and Data Directive.
• The Archives of Ontario is preparing for the launch of a new unified Archives and Information Management System to manage and provide access to the Archives of Ontario’s archival, library and art collections. The new system will improve efficiency by removing duplication and integrating processes, enhance the customer experience, improve management of physical and digital holdings, and align with the government’s digital mindset.
• The Archives of Ontario led a major public consultation on the evolution of privacy protection for the digital age, informing ongoing work under the Safe and Secure pillar of Ontario’s Digital and Data Strategy.
• OSS enabled online learning across government ministries through the provision of digital learning design and course development services.

Driving Efficiencies

• Accelerated the centralization of over 80 transfer payment programs across 10 ministries in the human and social services sectors onto the enterprise-wide Transfer Payment Ontario platform to standardize the administration of these programs.
• Onboarded over 940 programs onto the Transfer Payment Ontario platform and delivered over $27 billion in funding since 2016–17, to support the government’s Transfer Payment Consolidation initiative that reduces administrative burden and increases value-for-money for vital programs.
• Achieved a digital approach to payments by decreasing the use of manual cheques by 43% since 2017–18 and increased the adoption of low-cost electronic fund transfers.
• Expanded the Digital Corporate Employee File to store more human resource and payroll records, streamlining access to documents, while improving security and accountability and reducing the amount of office space needed for hard-copy file storage.
• Increased efficiencies and streamlined back-office processing significantly through Robotic Process Automation and Machine Learning solutions.
• Combined the Integrated Financial Information System with the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services’ Debt Administration System to streamline debt administration for approximately 7,500 accounts with $235 million in transactions in 2021–22.
• As of March 1, 2022, a total of 115 properties have been sold, generating over $161.7 million in net revenue and realizing approximately $3.7 million in annual property maintenance liability reduction.
• Returned 214 properties to productive use since April 2018, through the Forfeited Corporate Property Program, bringing in $1.8 million in revenue. Reduced the province’s liability by approximately $40 million since April 2018 through the Contaminated Sites Program. The clean-up of contaminated sites protects the environment and reduces liability of the province.
• Generated about $59 million in revenue from secondary land use in 2021–22, through the Transmission Corridor Program. A total revenue of about $40 million is forecasted in 2022–23 for the program. After deducting operating expenses, approximately $15 million was remitted to the Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation in 2021–22 to pay down the hydro stranded debt.
• Successfully completed Phase 1 of the Macdonald Block Reconstruction Project, which involved the relocation of ministry tenants from the Macdonald Block Complex to temporary office locations. The project is now in Phase 2 and reconstruction is well-underway. Reconstruction is expected to be substantially complete in spring 2024, eliminating the need for $400 million in deferred maintenance expenditures.
• Continued work to implement the government’s budget commitment of a new office model for ministries, including the centralization of funding and decision-making. A prioritization framework was developed and implemented to guide investments based on opportunities to optimize the office portfolio, emergency repairs, health and safety needs, planned repairs, maintenance and ministry realty requests.

Supporting Businesses

• Launched the modern Ontario Business Registry on October 19, 2021. As of December 31, 2021, over 261,000 transactions have been successfully completed through the new business registry by business owners and not-for-profit corporations/operators that can now better focus their efforts on growing our economy and serving our communities.
• Continued work on legislative and regulatory amendments, and conducting consultations:
  • Implemented regulatory changes to authorize the Technical Standards and Safety Authority to collect and publish elevator outage data in residential and long-term care homes. These changes took effect on July 1, 2022, in response to the Justice Cunningham report on elevator availability and the Auditor General of Ontario’s safety recommendations.
  • In July 2021, regulatory changes in response to recommendations of the Auditor General of Ontario’s 2020 Value-for-Money Audit of the Bereavement Authority of Ontario came into effect, in relation to licence display, price lists, and the consumer information guide requirements, to reduce burden on business and improve transparency for consumers of bereavement services.
  • In July 2021, new regulations introduced the first ever Code of Ethics for builders and vendors of new homes in Ontario. The Code of Ethics is administered by the Discipline Committee of the Home Construction Regulatory Authority.
  • Between June 25, 2021, and August 9, 2021, the ministry posted a consultation paper on Ontario’s Regulatory Registry to seek feedback on additional potential proposals for changes to the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act and/or its regulations to address recommendations made by the Auditor General of Ontario on the Bereavement Authority of Ontario, as well as concerns raised by stakeholders.
  • Updated rules came into force on January 1, 2022, for the care and maintenance fund or accounts in response to concerns from municipalities and other bereavement sector stakeholders about restrictions on the use of funds in cemetery care and maintenance funds or accounts under the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002.
  • To support the implementation of additional provisions in the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2020, the ministry consulted on a new principle-based Code of Ethics in summer 2021. It posted a comprehensive package of draft regulations in December 2021 for public feedback, which included enhancing disclosure requirements and other registrant obligations to better protect consumers of real estate services, improving consumer choice, and updating the Real Estate Council of Ontario’s powers and tools.
  • To reduce costs and red tape to help businesses operate more efficiently in today’s competitive film industry, the Film Content Information Act, 2020 came into effect, better reflecting current consumer behaviour in a growing digital marketplace.
  • Wine standards under the Vintners Quality Alliance Act, 1999 were updated to reflect current wine making processes.
  • In response to a recommendation made by the Auditor General of Ontario, Part VIII of the Electricity Act, 1998 was amended to enable the Electrical Safety Authority to issue administrative penalties to address illegal electrical installations in the province.
  • The Ministry has responded to a number of value-for-money audits performed by the Auditor General of Ontario on administrative authorities overseen by the Ministry, with a focus on improved services delivery, strengthening public safety, and enhancing consumer protection.
  • To support the government’s commitment to expand broadband access across the province, the ministry made amendments to the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012 to ensure underground infrastructure location information is provided within 10 business days for specific broadband projects.
  • Launched a consultation on potential proposals for changes to the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, 2002, and its regulations to reduce burden, improve regulatory efficiency, and protect consumers, the first consultation on these rules in over a decade. In addition, the ministry is responding to the recommendations stemming from the Auditor General of Ontario’s 2021 Value-For-Money Audit of the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council and the ministry’s oversight of the council.

People and Culture

• Provided OPS employees and their family members with access to mental health services and resources, including counselling and programs for help with common life challenges and resources, AbilitiCBT, an internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy program to assist those dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety and depression, and Culturally Responsive Counselling Services to pair counsellors who have self-identified to share experiences and/or specializations to meet individual needs of Indigenous, Black and Racialized employees and others with individual needs (e.g., specific spiritual, cultural, race, gender, sexual orientation and/or age).
• Continued to maintain a self-service page in the Workforce Information Network for employees to voluntarily provide demographic information including gender identity, transgender status, sexual orientation, Francophone identity, Indigenous identity, ethnic and cultural origin, race, and disability status to support the identification and removal of systemic employment barriers.
• Continued to lead a multi-year effort to modernize the OPS classification system.
• Developed, finalized, and executed a data-sharing agreement with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to enable the transfer of copies of death registrations of Indigenous school-aged children to be included in the centre’s National Student Memorial Register.

Note: Numbers may not add due to rounding.