Born and raised in Coldwater, Jill Dunlop developed a love and appreciation of rural Ontario and community engagement.
Jill grew up in a family headed by two strong political figures—her father (Garfield) as MPP and her mother (Jane) with an active, passionate voice that drew her into a role as Township of Severn Councillor. Jill has been active and interested in the local political and economic landscape since helping her father on his campaign as a child. Through watching her parents connect with their neighbours across the region, she came to understand the importance of truly listening to and participating in those dialogues.
Jill started her career as a faculty member at Georgian College. A few years ago, she along with a group of fellow faculty members saw a need and began informally building relationships between the college and employers. This evolved into a position that allowed her to actively create connections for students to receive on-the-job experience, and ultimately careers, in local communities.
Jill believes that we need to create partnerships between education, employers and their communities. These partnerships build successes that engage all Ontarians, especially businesses, youth and Ontario’s most vulnerable. As Minister, Jill is committed to ensuring that all communities feel supported by this government, and that the voice of women is heard at the Cabinet table.
Jill currently serves as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Simcoe North, and the Minister of Children and Women’s Issues.
As a mother and a teacher, she is uniquely keyed into the challenges facing Ontarians across the province. From a changing workforce to industry challenges, Jill believes that Ontario can succeed if we come together to meet these problems head on; which begins with building partnerships across all sectors.