Ministry of Transportation of Ontario

Ministry of Transportation

Ministère des transports (French)
Ministry overview
Formed	1916
Preceding Ministry	Ministry of Transportation and Communications
Jurisdiction	Government of Ontario
Headquarters	77 Wellesley Street West Toronto, Ontario
Ministers responsible	Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Transportation
Deputy Minister responsible	Douglas Jones, Deputy Minister of Transportation
Website	www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-transportation

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is the provincial ministry of the Government of Ontario that is responsible for transport infrastructure and related law in Ontario, Canada. The ministry traces its roots back over a century to the 1890s, when the province began training Provincial Road Building Instructors. In 1916, the Department of Public Highways of Ontario (DPHO) was formed and tasked with establishing a network of provincial highways. The first was designated in 1918, and by the summer of 1925, sixteen highways were numbered. In the mid-1920s, a new Department of Northern Development (DND) was created to manage infrastructure improvements in northern Ontario; it merged with the Department of Highways of Ontario (DHO) on April 1, 1937. In 1971, the Department of Highways took on responsibility for Communications and in 1972 was reorganized as the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MTC), which then became the Ministry of Transportation in 1987.

Overview

The MTO is in charge of various aspects of transportation in Ontario, including the establishment and maintenance of the provincial highway system, the registration of vehicles and licensing of drivers, and the policing of provincial roads, enforced by the Ontario Provincial Police and the ministry's in-house enforcement program (Commercial vehicle enforcement).

The MTO is responsible for:

• 10.4 million vehicle registrations
• 8.5 million driving licences
• 55 driver examination centres and 37 travel points (both operated by Plenary Serco (PS) DES, as DriveTest Centres)
• 281 privately owned Driver and Vehicle Licence Issuing Offices across the province
• Metrolinx (responsible for GO Transit, Union Pearson Express, and Presto card)
• 16525 kilometres of provincial highways
• ServiceOntario kiosks
• Commercial vehicle enforcement program vehicles and infrastructure (varies annually).

History

Early roads in Ontario were cleared when needed for local use and connections to other settlements. Key roads such as Yonge Street and Kingston Road were cleared by order from officials by various parties such as settlers, British Army units (portion of Yonge c. 1795 Queen's Rangers) or private contractors (Toronto to Trent section of Kingston Road c. 1799-1800 by Asa Danforth). Road standards varied (poor in winter or after rainfall) and used by horses or horse drawn stagecoaches.

With the arrival of motor vehicles proper road development an maintenance was needed. The earliest Ontario government office responsible for roads and transportation was the position of the Provincial Instructor in Road-Making, first appointed in 1896 and attached to the Ontario Department of Agriculture. A.W. Campbell held the position of Provincial Instructor in Road-Making from 1896 to 1900 and Director of the Office of the Commissioner of Highways from 1900 until 1910. He was tasked with training Provincial Road Building Instructors. These instructors worked to establish specifications for the almost 90,000 kilometres (56,000 mi) of county- and township- maintained roads.

The name of the office was changed to the Commissioner of Highways and transferred to the Department of Public Works in 1900. By 1910, the office was generally referred to as the Highways Branch. In 1910, W.A. McLean, Provincial Engineer of Highways, succeeded A.W. Campbell as the director of the Highways Branch.

Under considerable pressure from the Ontario Good Roads Association and the ever-increasing number of drivers, which the province itself licensed at that time, the Department of Public Highways was formed in 1916 with the goal of creating a provincial highway network. The department assumed all the functions of the Highways Branch. The department assumed its first highway, the Provincial Highway, on August 21, 1917. On February 20, 1920, the department assumed several hundred kilometres of new highways, formally establishing the provincial highway system. Although established as a separate department, the Department of Public Highways shared ministers with the Department of Public Works prior to 1931 and seems to have been in a quasi-subordinate relationship with this department.

In 1916, the Motor Vehicles Branch was established within the Ontario Department of Public Highways. Prior to this, responsibility for the registering and licensing of motor vehicles rested with the Provincial Secretary (a responsibility it held since 1903). Although there are references to motor vehicle licensing and registration between 1916 and 1918, there is no mention in the Annual Reports of what agency actually performed this function; it is, however, likely that it was a form of, or precursor to, the Motor Vehicles Branch. In 1919, a Registrar of Motor Vehicles, as head of the Motor Vehicles Branch, is clearly identified.

In 1917, the Provincial Highway Act was passed, giving the department authority to maintain and construct leading roads throughout the province as provincial highways (designated King's highways in 1930). The Department of Public Highways was renamed the Department of Highways in 1931 and was assigned its own minister, Leopold Macaulay, though Macaulay later held both portfolios in 1934.

In 1937, the Department of Northern Development, previously responsible for highways in the northern parts of the province, was merged into the Department of Highways, thus bringing all highway work in the province under one administration.

On July 1, 1957, legislation was passed which established a separate Department of Transport, and the Motor Vehicles Branch was transferred to this new department. The new department assumed responsibilities for vehicle licensing, vehicle inspection, driver examination, driver licensing and improvement, traffic engineering, accident claims, and highway safety. In addition, it was responsible for the Ontario Highway Transport Board.

In May 1971, the Department of Transport and the Department of Highways were amalgamated to form the Department of Transportation and Communications. The new department was presided over by the Charles MacNaughton, who had been both the Minister of Highways and the Minister of Transport prior to the amalgamation. The department was renamed the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in 1972 as part of a government wide reorganization.

In September 1987, the responsibilities for communications were transferred to the Ministry of Culture and Communications, and the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Transportation.

List of ministers

	Name	Term of office		Tenure	Political party (Ministry)	Note
	Minister of Public Works and Highways
	Findlay G. MacDiarmid	April 8, 1915	November 14, 1919	4 years, 220 days	Conservative (Hearst)
	Frank Campbell Biggs	November 14, 1919	July 16, 1923	3 years, 244 days	United Farmers (Drury)
	George Stewart Henry	July 16, 1923	September 16, 1930	8 years, 15 days	Conservative (Ferguson)
	Minister of Highways
	George Stewart Henry	September 16, 1930	December 15, 1930
December 15, 1930		July 31, 1931	Conservative (Henry)		While Premier
	Leopold Macaulay	July 31, 1931	July 10, 1934	2 years, 344 days	Concurrently Minister of Public Works (January 12, 1934 – July 10, 1934)
	Thomas McQuesten	July 10, 1934	October 21, 1942	9 years, 38 days	Liberal (Hepburn)	Concurrently Minister of Public Works, Minister of Northern Development (from October 12, 1937)
October 21, 1942		May 18, 1943	Liberal (Conant)
May 18, 1943		August 17, 1943	Liberal (Nixon)
	George Doucett	August 17, 1943	October 19, 1948	11 years, 141 days	PC (Drew)	Concurrently Minister of Public Works (August 17, 1943 – October 2, 1951)
October 19, 1948		May 4, 1949	PC (Kennedy)
May 4, 1949		January 5, 1955	PC (Frost)
	James N. Allan	January 5, 1955	April 28, 1958	3 years, 113 days	Named Minister of Transport, a new position, on June 26, 1957.
	Fred Cass	April 28, 1958	November 8, 1961	3 years, 194 days	Separate Ministers of Transport held office during this time: Matthew Dymond (April 28 to December 22, 1958) John Yaremko (December 22, 1958 to November 21, 1960) Leslie Rowntree (November 21, 1960 to October 25, 1962) James Auld (October 25, 1962 to August 14, 1963) Irwin Haskett (August 14, 1963 to March 1, 1971)
	William Arthur Goodfellow	November 8, 1961	October 25, 1962	351 days		PC (Robarts)
	Charles MacNaughton	October 25, 1962	November 24, 1966	4 years, 30 days (first instance)
	George Gomme	November 24, 1966	March 1, 1971	4 years, 97 days
	Charles MacNaughton	March 1, 1971	May 28, 1971	338 days (second instance) 5 years, 3 days in totoal	PC (Davis)	Concurrently Minister of Transport
	Minister of Transportation and Communications
	Charles MacNaughton	May 28, 1971	February 2, 1972
	Gordon Carton	February 2, 1972	February 26, 1974	2 years, 24 days
	John Rhodes	February 26, 1974	October 7, 1975	1 year, 223 days
	James W. Snow	October 7, 1975	February 8, 1985	9 years, 124 days
	George McCague	February 8, 1985	June 26, 1985	138 days	PC (Miller)
	Ed Fulton	June 26, 1985	September 29, 1987	4 years, 37 days	Liberal (Peterson)
	Minister of Transportation
	Ed Fulton	September 29, 1987	August 2, 1989
	Bill Wrye	August 2, 1989	October 1, 1990	1 year, 60 days
	Ed Philip	October 1, 1990	July 31, 1991	303 days	NDP (Rae)
	Gilles Pouliot	July 31, 1991	October 21, 1994	3 years, 82 days
	Mike Farnan	October 21, 1994	June 26, 1995	248 days
	Al Palladini	June 26, 1995	October 10, 1997	2 years, 106 days	PC (Harris)
	Tony Clement	October 10, 1997	June 17, 1999	1 year, 250 days
	David Turnbull	June 17, 1999	February 7, 2001	1 year, 235 days
	Brad Clark	February 8, 2001	April 14, 2002	1 year, 65 days
	Norm Sterling	April 15, 2002	February 25, 2003	316 days	PC (Eves)
	Frank Klees	February 25, 2003	October 22, 2003	239 days
	Harinder Takhar	October 23, 2003	May 23, 2006	2 years, 212 days	Liberal (McGuinty)
	Donna Cansfield	May 23, 2006	October 30, 2007	1 year, 160 days
	Jim Bradley	October 30, 2007	January 18, 2010	2 years, 80 days
	Kathleen Wynne	January 18, 2010	October 20, 2011	1 year, 275 days
	Bob Chiarelli	October 20, 2011	February 11, 2013	1 year, 114 days	Concurrently Minister of Infrastructure
	Glen Murray	February 11, 2013	June 24, 2014	1 year, 133 days	Liberal (Wynne)	Concurrently Minister of Infrastructure
	Steven Del Duca	June 24, 2014	January 17, 2018	3 years, 207 days
	Kathryn McGarry	January 17, 2018	June 29, 2018	163 days
	John Yakabuski	June 29, 2018	November 5, 2018	129 days	PC (Ford)
	Jeff Yurek	November 5, 2018	June 20, 2019	227 days
	Caroline Mulroney	June 20, 2019	September 4, 2023	4 years, 76 days
	Prabmeet Sarkaria	September 4, 2023	present	1 year, 71 days

Road maintenance

The Parclo interchange was invented by the Ministry of Transportation.

Maintenance work is performed in two different ways:

1. In Maintenance Outsource areas, where MTO staff monitor the road conditions and hire contractors on an as-need basis.
2. In Area Maintenance Contract areas, where one contractor is awarded a contract area and performs all maintenance work except for rehabilitation and new construction.

A list of Area Maintenance contractors currently under contract with the MTO includes:

• Emcon Services Inc.
• Ferrovial Services
• Fowler Construction Company Ltd.
• IMOS (Maintenance performed by Miller Maintenance)
• C-Highway Maintenance Contracting Inc.
• The 407 ETR Concession Company operates and maintains the stretch of Highway 407 from Burlington to Brougham under a lease from the Government of Ontario until the year 2098
• The 407 East Development Group (407 EDG) maintains stretch of Highway 407 from 407 ETR to Harmony Road and Highway 412
• Blackbird Infrastructure Group maintains stretch of Highway 407 from Harmony Road to Highway 115 and Highway 418
• The Windsor Essex Mobility Group (WEMG) maintains the Herb Gray Parkway, the stretch of Highway 401 connecting to the future Gordie Howe International Bridge through Windsor, Ontario

Area term contracts (ATCs) are the latest maintenance and construction alternative being reviewed by the MTO. ATCs, if they are approved for tender, will cover all maintenance operations now performed by AMC contractors, but will also include annual pavement maintenance and replacement work, bridge rehabilitation, minor capital construction programs and corridor management.

Highway Carrier Safety and Enforcement

While policing on most MTO-managed roads is provided by the Ontario Provincial Police, certain law enforcement functions are provided by MTO Transportation Enforcement Officers and Ministry of Environment Emissions Enforcement Officers.

Ministry of Transportation Enforcement Officers (TEOs) enforce a variety of provincial highway safety legislation specific to operators of commercial vehicles. Driver hours of service, cargo securement, dangerous goods transportation, weights and dimensions, and vehicle maintenance and roadworthiness are the predominant focus of TEO inspection activities. Ontario's Highway Traffic Act, its regulations, the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, and the Dangerous Goods Transportation Act are core pieces of legislation from which TEOs derive their enforcement authorities. TEOs conduct commercial vehicle inspections using a standardized procedure established by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA).

Transportation Enforcement Officers inspect commercial vehicles, their loads, and driver's qualifications and documentation. They collect evidence, issue provincial offence notices or summons to court for violations, and testify in court.

Transportation Enforcement Officer deployment ranges from highway patrol and Truck Inspection Station (TIS) duties, audits of commercial vehicle operators, inspection and monitoring of bus and motor-coach operators, and the licensing and monitoring of Motor Vehicle Inspection Stations. Blitz-style joint force operations are periodically conducted in concert with provincial and municipal police.

Although many Transportation Enforcement Officers are licensed vehicle mechanics, most are not. TEOs hail from various backgrounds including driver licensing examination, automobile repair, commercial truck driving and other law enforcement agencies.

Offices

Ministry of Transportation Headquarters in St. Catharines

MTO's headquarters are located on three campuses:

• Garden City Tower, St. Catharines, Ontario - 301 St. Paul Street
• Downsview Complex, Toronto, Ontario - 87, 125, 145, and 159 Sir William Hearst Avenue
• Ferguson Block, Toronto, Ontario - 77 Wellesley Street West

There are five regional offices:

• Eastern - Kingston, Ontario
• Central (Downsview) - Toronto, Ontario
• Northwestern - Thunder Bay, Ontario
• Southwestern - London, Ontario
• Northeastern - North Bay, Ontario

Area offices are located in:

• Bancroft, Ontario
• North Bay, Ontario
• Chatham, Ontario
• Ottawa, Ontario
• Owen Sound, Ontario
• Cochrane, Ontario
• Port Hope, Ontario
• Huntsville, Ontario
• Kenora, Ontario
• Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Kingston, Ontario
• London, Ontario
• Sudbury, Ontario
• Thunder Bay, Ontario
• New Liskeard, Ontario

See also

• Connecting Link
• Vehicle registration plates of Ontario
• Ontario's Drive Clean
• Driving licence in Canada#Ontario
• Partial cloverleaf interchange
• Ontario tall-wall

Bibliography

• Shragge, John; Bagnato, Sharon (1984). From Footpaths to Freeways. Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Historical Committee. ISBN 0-7743-9388-2.

External links

• Official website