The Ontario government says it’s imposed a hiring freeze across all provincial agencies, boards and commissions starting September 27, 2025.
Treasury Board President Caroline Mulroney announced the measure Friday, describing it as part of the province’s effort to ensure taxpayer money is spent responsibly and directed to frontline services.
According to the province, staffing within agencies has grown more than five times faster than the Ontario Public Service since 2023. The new freeze mirrors a policy already in place for the Ontario Public Service since 2018, which the government says has maintained high standards of professionalism and service delivery.
Provincial agencies and boards oversee everything from infrastructure development to health care delivery. Mulroney emphasized that while hiring is being curbed, the province’s record investments in hospitals, transit, highways and other projects-the largest infrastructure plan in Canadian history-will continue. The government says these investments will be focused on improving frontline services rather than expanding administration.
Since 2018, Ontario has reduced its total number of provincial agencies from 191 to 143 as part of its broader efficiency push. Officials say the hiring freeze builds on this progress, enhancing oversight and improving data collection to ensure agencies operate as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Over the coming weeks, the province plans to work with agency leaders to align their human resource strategies with the new direction. Mulroney said the changes are designed to strengthen accountability and “deliver on our mandate to the people of Ontario.”
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
