Todd Andrew Smith born October 7, 1970 in Riverview, New Brunswick, Canada is a Canadian politician and former Ontario cabinet minister and Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.
He was first elected as MPP of Prince Edward—Hastings on October 6, 2011 and was elected to the redefined Bay of Quinte riding in 2018 and represented it until August 16, 2024.
Roles as Member of Provincial Parliament
- Minister of Education – June 6, 2024 – August 16 2024
- Minister of Energy – June 20, 2021 – June 6, 2024
- Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade – November 2, 2018 – June 20, 2019
- Minister of Government and Consumer Services – June 29, 2018 – November 5, 2018
- Government House Leader – June 29, 2018 – June 20, 2019
- Minister of Children, Community and Social Services – June 20, 2019 – June 18, 2021
- Critic for Energy – February 7, 2017 – May 8, 2018
- Critic, Natural Resources and Forestry – April 18, 2016 – February 7, 2017
- Member, Standing Committee on Estimates – September 14, 2015 – May 8, 2018
- Critic, Hydro One Sale – September 11, 2015 – February 7, 2017
- Member, Standing Committee on Justice Policy – July 16, 2014 – September 14, 2015
- Critic, 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games – July 2, 2014 – September 11, 2015
- Member, Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly – October 11, 2013 – May 2, 2014
- Critic, Citizenship and Immigration – September 30, 2013 – May 2, 2014
- Member, Standing Committee on General Government – February 20, 2013 – October 11, 2013
- Member, Standing Committee on General Government – February 23, 2012 – September 9, 2012
- Critic, Small Business and Red Tape – October 26, 2011 – September 30, 2013
Career & business interests
A graduate of Loyalist College in Belleville, he worked for more than 16 years on the radio with Quinte Broadcasting’s CJBQ, Mix 97 and Rock 107, eventually becoming the news director for Quinte Broadcasting.
August 16, 2024 – Resigned as MPP and Minister of Education
Smith suddenly resigned as MPP and Minister on after accepting a job in the private sector, triggering a byelection for Bay of Quinte.
August 19, 2024 – Received a lot of interesting offers from the energy sector
He did say he received a lot of interesting offers from the energy sector and beyond since that cabinet shuffle.
Lorne Brooker Show
I mean I was loving being the Energy Minister, but I was already starting to think about an exit plan at that time. I mean I’m 53 years old. As we’ve talked about on numerous occasions, MPPs don’t have a pension. If a great offer came along, I was going to consider it.
Todd Smith on the Lorne Brooker Show
August 30, 2024 – Named Vice-President of Marketing and Business Development for Candu Energy Inc., subsidiary of AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC-Lavalin Inc.)
Candu Energy is a subsidiary of AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC-Lavalin Inc.) which specializes in the design and supply of CANDU design nuclear reactors, a Canadian technology first developed in the late 1950s and 1960s with 18 of which are in Ontario, 1 in New Brunswick and 11 in operation outside of Canada. Smith will be reportedly serving the company internationally.
Activities
Increased the use of nuclear power, natural gas in Ontario
As energy minister, Smith put a focus on nuclear power as a key way to secure enough electricity generation to meet Ontario’s fast-growing needs, and was easing the province back into bringing more green energy into the system after the Tories cancelled projects in 2018.
However, as part of the efforts to ensure a steady supply of electricity Smith also brought more natural gas generation into the system, increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the sector, a move for which he was heavily criticized by environmental groups.
Ontario Education Minister Todd Smith resigns – CBC
2024 – Reversed independent regulator’s decision, allowing Enbridge to continue receiving a subsidy of $250M per year for expanding and adding new pipelines, paid for by existing natural gas customers
2018 – Supported cancelling German-owned White Pines 18.5MW wind project in Prince Edward County (4 out of 9 wind turbines had been constructed), at a cost of $100M in penalties, helping powerful local anti-wind farm advocacy group that raised $1.5M for legal funds
On the cap-and-trade carbon pricing system
We will strike Ontario’s cap-and-trade carbon tax law from the books, and repeal any legislation that would enable a future government to impose a cap-and-trade carbon tax in future
MPP Todd Smith
Personal life
Smith is married to wife Tawnya, a local high school vice-principal, and has two daughters Payton and Reagan.