Monte McNaughton is a lifelong conservative and a former small business owner from southwestern Ontario serving as Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. He is in his third term as a Member of Provincial Parliament for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex.
Monte grew up working in his family’s hardware and building supply store where he learned the importance of customer-service and making a payroll. These values got him elected councillor in his hometown of Newbury at the age of 20. He was re-elected to two further terms.
Monte took the voice of Main Street to the provincial legislature in 2011. He held numerous critic positions, most notably as Critic for Economic Development where he fought against red tape and government waste.
Monte was appointed Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure in June 2018. As Minister, he expanded natural gas and high-speed Internet to rural and northern communities.
In June 2019, Monte McNaughton was appointed Minister of Labour. He quickly established worker safety as his top priority while reducing insurance premiums and rewarding safe employers. He met with more than 100 labour leaders – and became the first conservative labour minister in a generation to march in the Labour Day Parade – in his first hundred days and continues to build on these partnerships.
His portfolio was expanded to include Training and Skills Development in October 2019. In this role, he is on a mission to spread opportunity and connect people with good jobs in their communities, particularly in the skilled trades.
Monte and his wife Kate live in Mt. Brydges, Ontario, with their daughter, Annie.