Timeline of Ontario History - Independent Canada, 1982 and After

Independent Canada, 1982 and After

• 1982 – Canada Act 1982, an Act of Parliament passed by the British Parliament that severed remaining constitutional and legislative ties between the United Kingdom and Canada.
• 1985 – The Progressive Conservative government of Frank Miller falls, ending 42 years of the "Big Blue Machine". David Peterson's Liberals gain power to be lost in 1989 to the NDP.
• 1985 - Brewer's Retail strike cripples the hospitality industry throughout the summer
• 1988 - Toronto hosts the 14th G7 conference
• 1989 - Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement goes into effect
• 1990–1992 - A major recession hits Ontario. Many companies began to massively downsize and threaten to leave Canada all together. New advancements in manufacturing such as automation and globalization further destabalize the Province, and lead to a decade of instability
• 1993–Due to major budget shortfalls, the government of Bob Rae introduces its so-called social contract (nicknamed Rae Days) which re-opens public-sector collective agreements with the intent of rolling back wages; his New Democratic Party's traditional labour support is greatly weakened.
• 1994 - The North American Free Trade Agreement comes into effect.
• 1994 - The Ontario budget deficit reaches $17 billion (CAD)
• 1995 - The Progressive Conservative Party wins a large majority running on the concept of the Common Sense Revolution
• 1995 - Native protester Dudley George killed by Ontario Provincial Police officers at Ipperwash.
• 1997 - The province passes the Bill 103 (the 'Mega City' bill) that calls for the dissolution of Metro Toronto and merging of 6 cities within it to create the new City of Toronto.
• 1998 – The government of Mike Harris begins privatizing the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario.
• 1999 - Highway 407 is sold to a private company (built in 1997)
• 2000 – Seven people die after contamination of Walkerton's water supply.
• 2001 - The former City of Ottawa merges with the Regional Municipality of Ottawa–Carleton to form the new city Ottawa.
• 2003 - Outbreak of SARS in Toronto; 44 die and tourist revenue drops by half. The World Health Organization advises against all but essential travel to the city.
• 2003 – Two decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario legalize same-sex marriage in Ontario.
• 2003 - Most of Ontario is plunged into darkness after a major electrical blackout hits Eastern North America
• 2003 - The Liberal party returns to power under the leadership of Dalton McGuinty.
• 2007 - The Liberal party remains in power and keeps control of its majority government.
• 2010 - Dalton McGuinty's Liberals end Ontario's use of the GST and creates the HST
• 2010 - Muskoka host the G8 summit, and Toronto Hosts the G20 summit.
• 2010 - The Ontario debt surpasses $200 billion (CAD)
• 2011 - The Ontario Liberals lose their majority, yet remain in power with a minority government in the Ontario general election.
• 2012 - Premier Dalton McGuinty resigns amidst numerous scandals.