In the early years of
Confederation, a Commissioner of Agriculture and Arts and a
Bureau of Agriculture and Arts existed. "Arts", at the time however, referred to the practical application of an industrial, manufacturing, or scientific pursuit, rather than to its current meaning. A
Tourist and Publicity Bureau was set up in 1924 to promote Ontario’s attractions, especially those associated with nature and the outdoors. The bureau was initially a part of the Highways Department. In 1935, the bureau was renamed the
Travel and Publicity Bureau, and was moved to
Department of the Prime Minister. In 1944, the bureau moved to the
Treasury Department. In 1946, the bureau was upgrade to the
Department of Travel and Publicity. At establishment, the department consisted of only approximately fifteen employees in four branches: publicity, the information, winter promotion, and development branches. In 1958, the department began taking on responsibilities for the cultural area, with the establishment of the historical branch and the transfer of the theatres branch from the Treasury Department. In March 1964, the department restructured and renamed the
Department of Tourism and Information. In April 1972 the department merged with the Department of Trade and Development to become the
Ministry of Industry and Tourism. In 1975, a standalone
Ministry of Culture and Recreation was established, taking on responsibilities for cultural (transferred from the
Ministry of Colleges and Universities), recreational and citizenship (transferred from the
Ministry of Community and Social Services). It took on oversight functions for key institutions such as
Ontario Arts Council,
Ontario Heritage Foundation,
Art Gallery of Ontario, and
Ontario Science Centre. In the government restructuring in 1982, the various tourism and culture related responsibilities were distributed to the
Ministry of Tourism and Recreation and the
Ministry of Citizenship and Culture. In 1987, the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture was further divided into Ministry of Citizenship and the Ministry of Culture and Communications (taking on responsibilities for communications and broadcasting from the
Ministry of Transportation and Communications). In 1993 the responsibilities for tourism and culture were united under the newly amalgamated
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation. (Communications functions were transferred to the
Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.) However, those two responsibilities would be divided and re-united numerous time over the next two decades. When the
Progressive Conservatives under
Mike Harris came to power in 1995, it again separated the tourism functions and culture functions, to
Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism and
Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation. The
Ministry of Tourism again became a standalone ministry in 1999, and was reunited with the cultural functions in 2001 as
Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. The two functions were divided again in 2002, and were merged again in 2010. Sport was added to the ministry's name at the cabinet reshuffle following the
2011 provincial election. The ministry was renamed to
Ministry Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries in 2019. Following the appointment of
Neil Lumsden as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport in 2022, the Ministry was renamed back to
Tourism, Culture and Sport. Following the appointment of
Stan Cho as the Minister of tourism, culture and gaming, with responsibility for
OLG on June 6 2024, the Ministry was divided into the
Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and
Ministry of Sport. ==Agencies==