Ontario. Provincial Secretariat for Social Development

• Provincial Secretariat for Social Development

• Ontario. Social Development Policy Field

The Provincial Secretariat for Social Development was established in 1972 as part of a general administrative reorganization of the Government of Ontario.

With this reorganisation, the Ministries of the Government, with a few exceptions, were grouped into three common areas of interest called policy fields. The three policy fields established were the Justice Policy Field, the Social Development Policy Field and the Resources Development Policy Field.

Cabinet Committees were established for each field, to be chaired by a Provincial Secretary given Cabinet Minister status, and to be responsible for co-ordinating and developing policies for the various Ministries which formed that policy field. In addition, Secretariats were established for each field in order to provide analytical and research support to the Provincial Secretaries and the Cabinet Committees.

As such, the Provincial Secretariat for Social Development provided support services to the Cabinet Committee on Social Development, which was responsible for co- ordinating and developing policies for the Ministries of Education, Colleges and Universities, Community and Social Services, Citizenship and Culture, and Health.

Agencies that reported to the Ontario Government through the Secretariat included the Ontario Youth Secretariat, the Seniors Secretariat, and the Rehabilitation Services office. In addition several advisory councils reported to the Secretariat including the Advisory Council on the Physically Handicapped, the Advisory Council on Senior Citizens, the Advisory Council on Multiculturalism, and the Ontario Status of Women Council.

The Secretariat enjoyed considerable influence over the formulation of government policy during the years 1972-1974, but saw its influence erode as the Ministries reasserted their control over policy development.

The Secretariat was disbanded by Premier Frank Miller in 1985.

The Provincial Secretariat for Social Development provided analytical and research support to assist the Cabinet Committee on Social Development in the co-ordination and development of government policies in the areas of youth, the family, rehabilitation services, seniors and group homes.

The Executive Council Amendment Act, Statutes of Ontario l97l, Chap. 14

The Re-Organisation of Government Act, Statutes of Ontario l972, Chap. 1

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Canadiana Name Authorities, 1996-12- 24

Government of Ontario Telephone Directories

KWIC Indexes

Archivist(s):
R. Anger