Ontario Premier Doug Ford rocked Queen’s Park on Thursday with a sweeping nine-minister cabinet shakeup, pulling embattled Labour Minister David Piccini out of the portfolio at the centre of an integrity commissioner investigation and, for the first time, creating a dedicated artificial intelligence file inside Ontario government.
The reshuffle lands just weeks before MPPs return to the legislature, and Ford framed the timing as preparation for a long-running trade standoff with President Donald Trump.
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Piccini Moved Off Skills Fund Amid Ethics Probe
Piccini, who has faced months of scrutiny after the auditor general flagged concerns over his handling of the $2.5-billion Skills Development Fund, is shifting from Labour to Infrastructure.
Ford insisted the move wasn’t tied to the ongoing probe, calling it simply “a natural move,” according to the reports.
The integrity commissioner’s review into whether Piccini broke MPP ethics rules has dragged on longer than the office’s earlier Greenbelt scandal probe, and sources say the premier ultimately stopped waiting for a ruling before acting.
Taking over the labour file is Trevor Jones, previously Ontario’s agriculture minister.
Filling the agriculture vacancy is Sam Oosterhoff, who steps up from an associate minister role – part of a broader wave of promotions inside the Ontario government this week.
Treasury Board, Tourism and a New AI Ministry
Kinga Surma, formerly infrastructure minister, now takes over as President of the Treasury Board, a post left empty since Caroline Mulroney’s resignation earlier this year.
Mulroney was one of three ministers Ford lost since spring, a gap that made Thursday’s shuffle all but inevitable, per reports.
Zee Hamid moves into tourism, culture and gaming, replacing Stan Cho, who resigned from cabinet amid backlash over roughly $16,000 in Toronto hotel expenses, despite representing a Toronto riding himself.
Brian Saunderson, a former Olympic rower, also joins cabinet in a sport-focused role, and the government confirmed a newly created artificial intelligence portfolio, reflecting Queen’s Park’s growing focus on tech policy.
In total, Ford’s cabinet now sits at 37 members, including eight associate minister positions, a far cry from the leaner, 21-person cabinet he promised when first elected in 2018, as per reports.
Ford Defends the Shuffle, NDP Pushes Back
Speaking with reporters, Ford described the changes as an opportunity for “a fresh outlook, a fresh start within new ministries,” acknowledging that choosing who stays in cabinet is among the toughest calls a premier makes.
Not everyone is convinced, NDP Leader Marit Stiles argued Ford missed a chance for real accountability by keeping Piccini in cabinet at all, saying his record shows he “can’t be trusted with public dollars and contracts,” according to reports.
Critics say simply reassigning ministers under investigation, rather than removing them, sends the wrong message to Canadians watching how their government handles accountability.
Why This Shuffle Matters for Ontario
The timing isn’t accidental. Ford’s government is juggling a slowing jobs market, tighter immigration rules, and ongoing pressure over the cost of living, all while trying to project stability ahead of a bruising trade fight with Washington.
Ontario has also been navigating shifting immigration policy and questions over provincial spending, both of which fall under ministries touched by this week’s changes.
The province has been under a magnifying glass on multiple fronts lately, from housing affordability debates to post-secondary enrollment shocks and even everyday consumer stories like where Ontarians can cash in old smartphones.
Against that backdrop, a shakeup this large signals Ford wants fresh faces heading into a politically charged fall session, one that will also touch federal-provincial relations as Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government works alongside the province on economic files.
Public sentiment toward cross-border relations remains tense too, a recent poll found a majority of Canadians say trust in Americans has permanently shifted, even as Canadian tourism numbers climb while U.S. travel slows.
Ford’s new tourism minister inherits that file at a pivotal moment, as more Canadians choose to skip American vacations altogether in favour of destinations closer to home, including standout spots like Prince Rupert and Powell River or award-winning hubs like YVR.
Meanwhile, the province’s new Treasury Board president inherits oversight of government payments and spending decisions at a time when Canadians across the country are also watching federal immigration targets and broader demographic shifts reshape provincial budgets. Even cultural institutions, like Toronto’s Textile Museum, fall under the newly reshuffled tourism and culture ministry’s mandate going forward.
For a deeper look at how Ontario’s political landscape has evolved this year, CTC News has been tracking the story closely, including our essential Ontario resources roundup and continuing coverage in our Canada News, World, Health, Sports and Entertainment sections.
Doug Ford’s office has not signalled whether further changes are coming, but with the legislature set to resume within weeks, this shuffle is likely to dominate Queen’s Park headlines through the fall.
Ontario’s political chessboard just shifted in a big way, and with Piccini still under investigation, Stiles and the NDP aren’t likely to let this go quietly. Whether this “fresh start” restores public confidence or reignites the accountability debate will become clear once MPPs are back at Queen’s Park. CTC News will continue following this story as it develops.
This article was compiled using verified reporting from major Canadian news publishers as well as Government of Ontario Official sources as of September 10, 2026. Details may be updated as Queen’s Park releases further information.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects publicly available reporting at the time of publication. CTC News is not affiliated with the Government of Ontario. Readers should consult official Government of Ontario sources for the most current cabinet listings and policy details.
