Meet Greg Rickford

Greg Rickford was first elected to the Ontario Legislature as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Kenora—Rainy River in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022 and 2025. MPP Rickford also serves as Ontario’s Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation, Minister Responsible for the Ring of Fire Economic and Community Partnerships, and Chair of the Cabinet Committee for Economic and Resource Policy.

MPP Rickford has also served as the Minister of Energy, Minister of Mines, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, and Minister of Northern Development.

As Chair of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) for over six years, MPP Rickford and the NOHFC Board of Directors extensively modernized programming to enhance economic development opportunities in every corner of the North. From creating tailor-made funding streams that respond to industry demands to elevating the organization’s profile to attract global investors, the NOHFC has expanded skilled training pathways and invested in more businesses than ever before.

MPP Rickford’s academic and professional journey reflects a lifelong commitment to excellence in advocacy, spanning three careers: nursing, law, and politics.

He holds a diploma in Nursing from Mohawk College and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Victoria, with a specialization in community health. His nursing career included work in various specialized clinical settings across North America, as well as nearly a decade serving in Northern isolated Indigenous communities across Canada.

MPP Rickford also earned an MBA from Université Laval, and Bachelor of Common Law and Bachelor of Civil Law degrees from McGill University. His law practice focused on Indigenous matters, including Indigenous governance, health and economic development, and he was a signatory to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.

From 2008 to 2015, MPP Rickford served as the federal Member of Parliament for Kenora, with additional roles as Parliamentary Secretary for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Minister of State for Science and Technology, Minister Responsible for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, and finally, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources.

Above all, MPP Rickford considers his most important role to be that of a father to his two daughters.