Ontario is moving forward with its plan to reduce its number of government agencies by five per cent. In total, fourteen agencies are expected to be closed or merged.

Some agencies have functions that could be performed within government or cease to exist, and some have overlapping responsibilities or could be amalgamated.

This includes:

• Combining the Stadium Corporation of Ontario into the proposed Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC) merger.  The new IO/ORC entity would be responsible for disposing of the real estate assets currently owned by the Stadium Corporation, which will maximize the return to taxpayers.

• Merging the Ontario Mortgage Corporation and the Ontario Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Additionally, 11 other agencies that would be dissolved are:

• Biopharmaceutical Investment Program Marketing Advisory Committee
• Commodity Futures Advisory Board
• Crown Timber Board of Examiners
• Healing Arts Radiation Protection Commission
• Northern Ontario Grow Bonds Corporation
• North Pickering Development Corporation
• Ontario, Eastern Ontario and Northern Ontario Development Corporation
• Ontario Network of Excellence Advisory Committee
• ORTECH Corporation
• Social Assistance Review Board
• Toronto Area Transit Operating Agency

The province has also accepted the recommendations made by Rita Burak in her December 2010 Report Of The Special Advisor on Agencies. Greater efficiencies, service levels and accountability will result from the implementation of these recommendations.

These actions build on the steps the Ontario government has already taken requiring agencies to be more accountable and transparent and to follow strong governance and expense disclosure rules. These measures are all part of the government’s Open Ontario plan to improve accountability, eliminate waste and find savings.