Mike Harris Jr. appointed Ontario's natural resources minister

On Wednesday, Mike Harris Jr., the MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga, was appointed as Ontario's new minister of natural resources. The announcement came during a swearing-in ceremony in Toronto. Harris has been in office since 2018 and previously served as the first minister of red tape reduction in 2024. Harris is the only representative from the Waterloo region in Premier Doug Ford's new cabinet. He won re-election for his third term in February. His father, Mike Harris Sr., is a former Premier of Ontario. Premier Ford's cabinet features several familiar faces, with some ministers switching portfolios. Paul Calandra has moved from municipal affairs and housing to education. Rob Flack will now handle the municipal affairs and housing role. Most major ministries remain unchanged. Sylvia Jones continues as health minister and deputy premier. Vic Fideli stays on as minister of economic development, while Peter Bethlenfalvy is still finance minister. Stephen Lecce maintains his position as minister of energy and mines, now also overseeing broadband expansion. Ford's cabinet includes 37 members, the same size as before the 2025 election. The lieutenant governor, Edith Dumont, is administering the oath at the Royal Ontario Museum. The Ontario Legislature is set to resume on April 14.