Doug Ford to mingle cabinet Monday after resignation of PC legislator Jim Wilson

Ontario Premier Doug Ford will move his cabinet on Monday after the early departure of a long-time Progressive Conservative legislator, CBC Toronto, learned.

Jim Wilson resigned from his position as Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Friday to seek treatment for addiction issues. That left a hole in Ford's cabinet, which he had created only four months earlier, and will entail the change of roles of at least six legislatures this morning, government sources said.

Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister Sylvia Jones will lead the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. The MP for Dufferin-Caledon was named to Ford's first cabinet this summer.

Jones will replace Michael Tibollo, a novice Vaughan-Woodbridge MP, whose short term as Ontario's OPP minister has sparked controversy. More recently, media reports revealed that Tibollo had been criticized by the Ontario Securities Commission for his actions as a lawyer in the 1990s due to stock market fraud. $ 30 million.

Ford was renting Tibollo as recently as Thursday. During question period, the Prime Minister called Tibollo "the most credible minister in the world".

"He has integrity, he has transparency and he is an absolute champion and I will stay with him every 365 days a year," Ford said.

Last month, Tibollo denied campaigning for a candidate for Vaughan City Council whose home and her husband are being investigated by the Ontario Provincial Police.

Tibollo was also criticized for his comments during the question period of July when he announced his intention to reintroduce the controversial patent practice. He told the chamber that he was wearing a bullet-proof vest during a police walk in Jane's and Finch's neighborhoods in Toronto, drawing criticism from the three opposition parties.

The shuffle occurs 4 months after the appointment of the firm.

Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Jeff Yurek was also promoted. The member for Elgin-Middlebad-London will become the Minister of Transport, replacing longtime MP John Yakabuski, who represents Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke.

Meanwhile, Government House Leader Todd Smith will badume Wilson's portfolio as Minister of Economic Development and Trade. The member for Bay of Quinte was originally announced on Friday as Wilson's successor. Ford should make this role permanent in Monday's shuffle.

New Cabinet Member Bill Walker will take over from the former position of Smith's Minister of Government and Community Services.

Wilson, who was first elected in 1990, was one of the most experienced members of the Ford team, having previously served several cabinet portfolios for PCs under the Mike Harris and Ernie Eves governments. He represented the riding of Simcoe-Gray in Georgian Bay.

In announcing Wilson's resignation Friday night after appearing together at a border crossing near Sarnia, Ontario, Ford also said Wilson was leaving the PC caucus, which rarely happens when a minister retires.

Wilson has not published his own statement, but remains an independent parliamentary deputy.

Monday's reshuffle comes just four months after the swearing-in of the 21-person cabinet. The PCs won a majority of 76 seats in the June 7 provincial election for the first time the party has been in power for nearly 15 years.