The Premier of Ontario (Premier ministre de l'Ontario in French) is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act (R.S.O. 1990) stipulates that the leader of the government party is known as the "Premier and President of the Council".
The current Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty. He announced his resignation as the Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party and the Premier of Ontario on October 15, 2012. The longest serving Premier in the province's history was Sir Oliver Mowat, who was in office from 1872 to 1896. Ontario's first Premier was John Sandfield Macdonald.
The Office of the Premier of Ontario includes a number of committees:
- Priorities and Planning Committee
- Cabinet Committee on Emergency Management
- Treasury Board/Management Board of Cabinet
- Legislation and Regulations Committee
- Health, Education and Social Policy Committee
- Jobs and Economic Policy Committee