This is one of a series of profiles on the candidates running in Simcoe North for the Feb. 27 provincial election.
If you haven't seen Jill Dunlop or a member of her Progressive Conservative campaign team at your door, you may soon.
She and her team have been canvassing up to 1,000 doors a day in the riding of Simcoe North in preparation for the Feb. 27 provincial election.
The incumbent MPP and minister of education is seeking her third term with Premier Doug Ford's government representing the riding that includes the Orillia and Midland areas.
"My goal every day is 1,000 homes. My team, regardless of the snow and the cold, we've been out there. I've heard a lot of people say they are very happy to have a premier who is stepping up to (U.S. President Donald) Trump in this trade war," she said.
Dunlop has also been hearing local concerns such as the need for more safety measures on roads.
"I was able to work with the Ministry of Transportation to not only get lights on Atherley Road at Orchard Point but to get the ministry to pay for them so that expense won't be reflected on taxes," she said in an interview with OrilliaMatters, adding construction will start in the spring.
"Also, in Warminster, we were able to get a new crosswalk by the school with full lights."
Many are critical of the Ford government calling this early election when it didn't need to be held until June 2026.
"Considering everything going on the tariff war and with Trump, this was an important time. We don't have leadership with the federal government right now. All the premiers have united and stepped up to take on Trump to protect jobs across Ontario and Canada and also to make sure we have a strong economy here," said Dunlop.
Dunlop was appointed minister of education in August. It suits her experience, she said, noting she was a faculty member at Georgian College for eight years.
"When I was elected in 2018, I left the college and served as the minister of and children and women's issues in 2019, and then, in 2021, I was appointed minister of colleges and universities, which I thought was very exciting. At that time, my daughters were in university, so I was wearing multiple hats in the education sector," she said.
Before the election was called, Ford announced funds for new schools, and Simcoe County is benefiting from that, Dunlop said.
"Each year, we have a new round of school builds. There is a commitment of $16 billion over 10 years. We announced $1.3 billion for this year for 30 new schools and 15 upgrades. Wasaga Beach is getting a new high school, and in Simcoe North, we are doing a redevelopment at Notre Dame (Catholic School in Orillia)."
Dunlop said she is proud of the work that is being done in education in Ontario and, if re-elected, she has projects in the works.
"I am looking at how to create pathways between elementary, secondary and into post-secondary to ensure the education is relevant and is preparing students for the jobs that are out there."
If re-elected, she also intends to bring more teachers on stream.
"The thing I acknowledged Day 1 is teacher shortages ... We had a time where there was too many teachers, so the next government slowed things down and now we don't have enough teachers. I need to look at what is the best decision we could make to help fulfil the teacher shortage," said Dunlop. "That is one thing I'm focused on."
When she was a child, she occasionally accompanied her father, former Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop, and her mother, Jane Dunlop, a longtime councillor with the Township of Severn, while they were working in the community. However, she said she never expected to be a minister in the provincial government.
"My dad's advice to me back in 2018 was, 'Work hard. It's about being a good constituent MPP and that should be your focus, and if cabinet happens for you in the future, then that's amazing, but it's the people here in the community that elect you, so you need to ensure you are always focused on the work that you are doing here.'"
Critics have said Dunlop doesn't spend enough time in the Simcoe North riding but spends a lot of time in Toronto at the legislature.
"That's part of the job. When you are a minister, you are in Toronto Monday through Thursday. I'm there for debate time, and that's when bills get passed. Myself and my staff make sure we are always back here Friday, Saturday and Sunday to do my constituent work and meet with constituents. I have a great ministry staff as well," she said.
The Progressive Conservative government is being criticized for not doing enough to ease the doctor shortage in the province. There are 2.5 million people in Ontario without a family doctor, according to the Ontario College of Family Physicians.
"This is something I am very passionate about. When I was the minister of colleges and universities, we increased the number of medical seats across all schools in Ontario and we approved two new medical schools: Toronto Metropolitan University in Brampton and at York University," said Dunlop.
"The one at York University will be focused on family medicine. It's approved and will be coming online in 2027 in a new building. There will be 80 undergraduate students and 120 post-graduate students to start. That will ramp up to 240 undergraduates and 293 post-graduates.
"The other thing we did was offered the Learn and Stay program for nurses, lab techs and paramedic students. For students who work in under-serviced areas, we gave them free tuition. We've made the investment in health care and will continue to do so."
There is a need for a new Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital. Dunlop said moving that project forward will be a priority if re-elected.
"There are health care needs across the province, but I have been working with our local hospital since Day 1," she said. "That is a focus for me and something I will continue to work on. It's definitely needed. The numbers are there to show that. I will keep working with my colleague, Minister Sylvia Jones, and hope we can cross the finish line and announce a new hospital in the near future."
Ford's proposed Highway 413 Bradford Bypass extends from Highway 400 in the west to Highway 404 in the east, running through Ontario's Greenbelt that has prime agricultural land, wetlands and endangered species habitat. The road is needed, said Dunlop.
"If you look at the increase in population in Ontario and anybody who's spent any time travelling around the city, the congestion is ridiculous," she said.
"People aren't getting around. Products aren't getting around the province, so we need to continue investing in infrastructure to do that. The 413, the Bradford Bypass — yes, it will take time, but it needs to be done. If we do nothing, the congestion is just going to continue building up. It's about moving people and products across the province.
"I support the investment in highways. We need to keep making those investments. It's about moving products across the province to have a strong economy here in Ontario."
More information about Simcoe North candidates running in the Feb. 27 election can be found at OrilliaMatters.com/2025-ontario-votes.
More information about the provincial election can be found on the Elections Ontario website.