Who Is Dalton McGuinty? Age, Biography and Wiki
Dalton McGuinty was born on July 19, 1955, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. As of 2025, he is 69 years old. McGuinty served as the 24th Premier of Ontario from 2003 to 2013, leading the province for a decade and implementing significant policy changes, particularly in education and healthcare. His political career has been marked by a commitment to social issues and public service, and he continues to be a respected figure in Canadian politics.
| Occupation | Politician |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | July 19, 1955 |
| Age | 69 Years |
| Birth Place | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Country | Canada |
Popularity
Dalton McGuinty's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Dalton McGuinty stands at an approximate height of 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) and weighs around 170 pounds (77 kg). His body measurements, while not frequently publicized, reflect a healthy and active lifestyle, which he has maintained throughout his years in office and beyond.
This budget was focused on health care. At its core was a large infusion of new money into hospitals specifically to shorten wait times in key areas: knee and hip replacements, cancer treatment, cardiac treatment, cataracts, and MRI and CT scans.
The government also brought in free immunizations for children, 150 new Family Health Teams to improve access to physicians, almost 100,000 new home care spaces for Ontario's elderly, almost 4,000 new long-term care beds, and $200 million more to improve public health and fight potential outbreaks like SARS and West Nile fever.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Dalton McGuinty is married to his longtime wife, Terri McGuinty. The couple has four children together and they have built a strong family foundation over the years. While he is often focused on family life, he has maintained a generally private personal life, with little information publicly available regarding any relationships outside of his marriage.
He studied science at university, but ended up taking a law degree and practiced law in Ottawa. His father served as a Liberal member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) from 1987 until his death in 1990.
A provincial election was called for later that year and McGuinty successfully ran in his father's seat, though the incumbent Liberal government was defeated. After party leader Lyn McLeod resigned due to her leading the Liberals to a second defeat in the 1995 election, McGuinty was elected leader in the 1996 leadership election.
McGuinty lost the 1999 election to Progressive Conservative Premier Mike Harris, but won a resounding majority in 2003.
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Dalton McGuinty's estimated net worth is approximately $5 million. His income sources include his political career as Premier of Ontario, post-political endeavors, and investments. After leaving office, he engaged in various consultancy roles and public speaking engagements, which contributed to his financial stability.
To pay for this plan, the Liberals imposed a controversial new Health Premium of $300 to $900, staggered according to income. This violated a key Liberal campaign pledge not to raise taxes, and gave the government an early reputation for breaking promises.
The Liberals defended the premium by arguing that the previous government had a hidden deficit, and McGuinty claimed he needed to break his campaign pledge on taxation to fulfill his promises on other fronts.
His own finance critic of the time, Gerry Phillips, had predicted that the Tories' projected balanced budget would in fact result in a $5 billion deficit in a meeting of the Standing Committee of Estimates of the Legislature on June 3, 2003. Liberal MPP Monte Kwinter also predicted a $5 billion deficit.
Career, Business and Investments
Dalton McGuinty’s political career began in 1990 when he was first elected to the Ontario Legislature. He became the leader of the Ontario Liberal Party in 1996 and, through strategic policies, led the party to a historic victory in 2003. His tenure is noted for increasing funding for public education, launching the Green Energy Act, and focusing on environmental sustainability.
Post-politics, McGuinty has been involved in various business ventures and advisory roles, leveraging his extensive experience in governance and policy-making. He has also invested in several initiatives aimed at improving public services and promoting green energy.
During McGuinty's second term as opposition leader, he hired a more skilled group of advisors and drafted former cabinet minister Greg Sorbara as party president. McGuinty also rebuilt the party's fundraising operation, launching the Ontario Liberal Fund.
In preparation for the 2003 election, the party adopted a platform that emphasized lowering class sizes in schools, hiring more nurses, increasing environmental protections, and "holding the line" on taxes.
McGuinty also made an effort to improve his debating skills and received coaching from Scott Reid who also trained United States Senator John McCain.
Social Network
Dalton McGuinty remains active on social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn, where he shares updates about his work and thoughts on current events. While he maintains a low profile compared to other public figures, his insights into education and governance continue to resonate with a broad audience.
Kennedy, a former head of Toronto's Daily Bread food bank, was popular on the progressive wing of the party, while McGuinty built his core support on its establishment and pro-business right-wing. McGuinty was fourth on the first and second ballots, closely behind Dwight Duncan.
He then overtook Duncan and Joe Cordiano on the third and fourth ballots, respectively, receiving the support of their delegates to win on the fifth ballot over Kennedy.
Critics called McGuinty "Harris Lite", but his supporters argued that a right-leaning leader like McGuinty was necessary to compete against the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (PC Party) of Premier Mike Harris.
Education
McGuinty completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Toronto, followed by a law degree from the University of Ottawa. His academic background in law greatly influenced his approach to political decision-making and policy reform, especially in areas concerning social justice and education.
From 2003 to 2007, McGuinty's government increased spending for health care and education. He won another majority in 2007, though his second term was deeply affected by the 2008 financial crisis, which saw government revenues plummet. In addition, a scandal developed around a new plan to update health care records called eHealth Ontario.
Just prior to the 2011 election, another controversy developed when McGuinty's government cancelled gas plants that were located in key Liberal ridings and were widely opposed by the local residents. The cost to cancel the projects was close to $1 billion and the move was seen as pandering to the electorate in a few electoral districts.
The scandal caused the Liberals to be reduced to a minority government.
