Canadian politician
Kinga Surma (born c. 1987/1988 in Poland) is a Canadian politician and the Ontario Minister of Infrastructure since June 18, 2021. She represents the riding of Etobicoke Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party. She previously served as Ontario's first Associate Minister of Transportation. In the cabinet shuffle announced on June 18, 2021, she was promoted to the position of Minister of Infrastructure.
Early life and education.
Surma was born in Poland and moved with her family to Canada when she was four years old. She was raised in Ottawa.
Surma attended the University of Guelph where she studied Public Policy, Business and Commerce. She spent a year in France studying Economics. After graduation, Surma relocated to Toronto.
Political career.
Surma worked for former Toronto City Councillor Peter Milczyn, and at the same time was the President for the Etobicoke-Lakeshore Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (PC) riding association. Surma worked on the Etobicoke—Lakeshore 2013 by-election for PC candidate. Following the election she was fired from her job at Toronto City Hall.
2014 Toronto Municipal Election.
Surma ran for City Councillor in Ward 5 in the 2014 Toronto municipal election and placed second with 13.9% of the vote.
2018 Ontario General Election.
Surma won the contested PC nomination in the riding of Etobicoke Centre in November 2016. It was alleged that then former City Councillor Doug Ford intimidated her opponent in favour of Surma. Further controversies regarding the election followed as Ford was accused of breaking party rules by purchasing party memberships to secure voters for the election of Surma. This came after the release of an audio recording of Ford recruiting members with Surma, claiming memberships are free despite voting being only open to party members who pay a membership fee. PC party chair Walied Soliman cleared Ford of wrongdoing in 2018.
Surma ran in the 2018 Ontario general election and won her riding of Etobicoke Centre with 42.67% of the vote.
Member of Provincial Parliament.
Surma presented her first successful motion in her first year in government in support of the Toronto Catholic School Board's International Languages Program (ILP). In 2019 a nepotism scandal drew criticism from within the Conservative Party when it came to light her father, Miroslaw Surma, was working a policy adviser to Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli.
Surma sought funding for a new Toronto Catholic District School Board school in her riding. On August 27, 2020 she announced provincial funding to replace the Buttonwood hill school. On October 30, 2020 she announced a $26.4 million investment to build a new Catholic Secondary School in Etobicoke Centre and $35 of funding for the refurbishment of Bishop Allen Academy.
In the summer of 2022, Surma worked with Polish-Canadian residents in Toronto to successfully preserve the Polish Festival on Roncesvalles Ave after the local Business Improvement Association proposed to change the naming of the festival excluding "Polish" into the festival. Surma and residents gained support from the Polish Government demanding the BIA to preserve the Polish name, and Polish heritage of the festival on Roncesvalles Ave.
Associate Minister of Transportation (GTA).
On June 27, 2019, Surma was appointed as the Associate Minister of Transportation (GTA). She is the youngest female member of Executive Council of Ontario. The same year, she spoke in favour of expanding subways in the Greater Toronto Area. She also spoke in favour of expanding the provincial GO Transit rail network to provide two-way, all-day service on key segments of the network. In 2020, during COVID-19 pandemic, Surma introduced legislation to fast track construction on the province's new subway projects. This legislation also introduced the province's new Transit Oriented Communities program which would allow the government to enter into new commercial agreement with partners to integrate transit in communities by building it closer to housing complexes, and downtown cores. On April 26, 2021 Surma introduced the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act regulating road safety, street racing, stunt driving.
Minister of Infrastructure.
Surma was appointed Minister of Infrastructure on June 18, 2021, during a cabinet shuffle, replacing Laurie Scott.
In June of 2022 Surma's role as infrastructure Minister expanded to handle the province's real estate portfolios and managing provincial land assets including, the completion of the Ontario Place Redevelopment. It was revealed in March 2024, Surma's role as Infrastructure Minister expanded as The Ministry became responsible for managing The Province's Transit Oriented Communities Program. .
As Infrastructure Minister, Surma is responsible for Ontario's infrastructure funding for municipal and provincial capital project such as hospitals, roads, and highways. In November 2024, Surma announced a $100 million deal with Elon Musk's Starlink to provide internet to 15,000 homes in Northern Ontario. Surma has overseen the expansion of Ontario's broadband internet expansion to all Rural and Northern Ontario communities, which is slated to be completed by 2025.
References.
 ;templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" / ;