Doug Ford unveils new education minister, weeks after naming her ...

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has named his new education minister hours after her processor, Todd Smith, announced his surprise resignation from politics to take a role in the private sector.

On Friday afternoon, Ford confirmed former minister of colleges and universities Jill Dunlop would move to education, while junior cabinet minister Nolan Quinn would take over Dunlop’s old file.

The emergency mini-reshuffle came on a Friday the Progressive Conservative Party had hoped to focus only on celebrating Ford Fest in Milton, Ont., with growing expectations of an early election.

Smith’s shock resignation came barely two months after he was appointed to be education minister and just weeks before the school year begins. He made the announcement in a social media post, saying he was stepping down as both a cabinet minister and MPP “effective immediately.”

“I have spoken to Premier Ford to let him know that I am resigning my seat and stepping down from my cabinet duties effective immediately and that I will not be seeking reelection,” Smith’s statement read.

Smith had served for years as Ontario’s minister of energy and played a key role in the government’s drive toward electrification and nuclear energy. He fronted a series of major announcements, including plans to refurbish Pickering Nuclear Power Station to keep it beyond its useful life.

In a June 10 cabinet shuffle, Smith — who has been an MPP for 13 years — swapped portfolios with then-education minister Stephen Lecce. Smith was appointed minister of education and Lecce moved to a slightly tweaked role of minister of energy and electrification.

The move was mooted by some in the government as a promotion for Lecce, with plans for the Ford government to make electrification a key focus during a potential early election campaign.

Education, which also includes responsibility for delivering a child care deal alongside the federal government, was set to be a less central ministry for the final years of the Ford government mandate because Lecce had wrapped up deals with teaching unions before the switch.

Sources told Global News Smith was unhappy at being shuffled out of energy, a role he had come to enjoy. In Smith’s resignation statement, he spoke in glowing terms about his time in other cabinet roles but made no mention of his brief stint in education.

The move means Smith will not contest the next provincial election, which is expected by many at Queen’s Park to be held early. Opposition parties are already gearing up for Ford to seek a new mandate early.

The date of the next election and the government’s plans will also determine if a byelection is held to replace Smith, who is stepping away from politics entirely.

The former education minister, a popular figure at Queen’s Park, said in his resignation post on social media that the decision to step down had been a difficult one.

“It hasn’t always been easy,” he wrote in his statement.

“The life of a politician is hard and takes its toll. Especially when I was away from home as often as I’ve been over the past 13 years. I couldn’t have asked for a better support system at home.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford thanked Smith, calling the outgoing Bay of Quinte MPP “a friend” in a social media post.

“He leaves politics with a record that he can be incredibly proud of, including and especially fixing the previous government’s energy policies and bringing electricity prices down for hardworking families and businesses,” Ford wrote in a post on X.

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Laryssa Waler, a former director of communications for Ford and founder of Walman Strategies, said Smith is one of the most well-liked people in Ontario politics and his presence will be missed.

“Todd Smith is a very, very personable guy, very kind and it’s not just at Queen’s Park and in the bureaucracy,” she said. “In his local constituency, he was wildly popular.”

Smith’s departure seems to be more about taking advantage of a great new opportunity rather than running away from education, Waler said, noting that contract deals with the teachers were already secured following contentious negotiations with his predecessor, Lecce.

Liberal energy critic Ted Hsu wished Smith well in a reply to Smith’s departure notice on social media.

“You were a tough opponent to have on the energy file, someone with great communication talent,” he wrote. “Good luck with your next opportunity!”

Smith resigns from his role as education minister weeks before the school year begins and without having ever stood in the legislature in his new role. He was appointed on June 10 after the house rose for the summer, with plans not to return until October.

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said Smith had “jumped ship” with major issues still to be resolved.

“Families deserve a government that invests in schools, reduces class sizes and put students and kids first,” Stiles said.

— with files from The Canadian Press