The Honourable Michael Coteau ECO MP
Coteau in 2017
Member of Parliament forScarborough—Woburn
Incumbent
Assumed office April 28, 2025
Preceded by	Riding established
Member of Parliament forDon Valley East
In office September 20, 2021 – April 28, 2025
Preceded by	Yasmin Ratansi
Succeeded by	Riding dissolved
Minister of Community and Social Services
In office February 26, 2018 – June 29, 2018
Premier	Kathleen Wynne
Preceded by	Helena Jazeck
Succeeded by	Lisa MacLeod
Minister of Children and Youth Services
In office June 13, 2016 – June 29, 2018
Premier	Kathleen Wynne
Preceded by	Tracy MacCharles
Succeeded by	Lisa MacLeod
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
In office June 24, 2014 – June 13, 2016
Premier	Kathleen Wynne
Preceded by	Michael Chan
Succeeded by	Eleanor McMahon
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
In office February 11, 2013 – June 24, 2014
Premier	Kathleen Wynne
Preceded by	Michael Chan
Succeeded by	Michael Chan
Member of theOntario Provincial Parliament forDon Valley East
In office October 6, 2011 – August 17, 2021
Preceded by	David Caplan
Succeeded by	Adil Shamji
Personal details
Born	Michael Joseph Coteau 1972 (age 53–54) Huddersfield, England
Party	Liberal
Spouse	Lori Coteau
Children	2
Residence(s)	Toronto,Ontario, Canada
Alma mater	Carleton University (BA)
Occupation	Educator, businessman

Michael Joseph Coteau^[1] is a Canadian politician who has served as themember of Parliament (MP) forScarborough—Woburn in theHouse of Commons of Canada since 2025, having previously representedDon Valley East from 2021 to 2025.

From 2011 to 2021, Coteau representedDon Valley East in theLegislative Assembly of Ontario as a member of theOntario Liberal Party. He held severalcabinet positions under PremierKathleen Wynne from 2013 to 2018, includingCitizenship and Immigration,Tourism, Culture and Sport andCommunity and Social Services. Coteau was one of seven Liberals elected in the2018 Ontario election and later ran in the2020 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election, finishing second. He resigned his provincial seat in 2021 to enter federal politics.

Coteau was born inHuddersfield,England. His father is fromCarriacou,Grenada and his mother, Sandra, was fromYorkshire, England.^[2] He came to Canada with his parents in 1976 and grew up in social housing in Flemingdon Park in North York.^[3] Coteau's family was low-income and he had to borrow the money needed to cover his university application fee from a friend's father.^[4] After graduating fromLeaside High School,^[5] he attendedCarleton University and received a degree in history and political science.^[6]

After graduation, he taught English inSouth Korea.^[7]

Coteau was aToronto District School Board Trustee for Ward 17, winning elections in 2003, 2006, and 2010.^[6] As a trustee, he advocated for student nutrition, community use of space, and the use of educational technology.^[6] He initiated the 'Community Use of Schools' motion that cut user fees and made schools more accessible to groups that offer programs for children.^[6] He helped introduce nutritional changes in schools that supported healthy food programs and increased awareness of student hunger.^[6]

In addition to his work as a trustee, Coteau served as the executive director and chief executive officer of a nationaladult literacy firm, and worked as a community organizer in theMalvern area of Scarborough, Ontario with theUnited Way.^[8] He also owned and operated his own small business.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011, he ranprovincial election in the riding ofDon Valley East. He won the election, beatingProgressive Conservative candidate Michael Lende by 7,645 votes.^[9] He was re-elected in2014.^[10]

The Liberals won a minority government and Coteau was appointed asparliamentary assistant to the minister of tourism and culture. In 2013, afterKathleen Wynne replacedDalton McGuinty aspremier, Coteau was namedMinister of Citizenship and Immigration.^[11] He was one of ten members of the Wynne's cabinet with no prior cabinet experience.^[12] In June 2014, Coteau was made Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport by Premier Kathleen Wynne, as well as Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games.^[13] He made headlines advocating for children to be able to play street hockey. On February 16, 2016, it was announced that Coteau would add responsibility for anti-racism, responsible for establishing various anti-racism programs.^[14] On June 13, 2016, he was appointed Minister of Children and Youth Services, and in particular worked collaboratively with parents to deliver a reformed Ontario Autism Program.^[15] He also was subsequently appointed Minister of Community and Social Services, holding down three separate portfolios for the government.^{[citation needed]}

In 2018, Coteau defeated Progressive Conservative candidateDenzil Minnan Wong, Toronto's deputy mayor, to win his third election in the North Toronto constituency.^[16] He was one of just seven Liberals elected.^[17]

In June 2019, Coteau entered the race forleadership of the Ontario Liberal Party. Coteau said he had "a different vision" and would "restore decency to our politics".^[18] At the leadership convention on March 7, 2020, he received 16.9% of the vote, finishing second behind the winner,Steven Del Duca.^[19][20]

Coteau resigned from the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on August 17, 2021, to run for his constituency's federal seat, vacated byYasmin Ratansi, in the2021 federal election.^[21]

In August 2021, Coteau was nominated as the federal Liberal candidate inDon Valley East, ahead of the2021 election.^[22] He was elected on September 20, 2021.^[23]

During the2022 Canadian federal electoral redistribution, Don Valley East was merged withScarborough Centre to create the new riding ofScarborough Centre—Don Valley East, setting up a potential face-off with fellow Liberal MPSalma Zahid for the party's nomination. After previously considering running inToronto—St. Paul's inthe 2024 by-election to replaceCarolyn Bennett, Coteau ultimately won the Liberal nomination inScarborough—Woburn following the retirement ofJohn McKay.^[24][25] He was re-elected in the2025 election.^[26] He was elected as the chair of theCanadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in the45th Canadian Parliament.

• Ontario Legislative Assembly parliamentary history
• Michael Coteau – Parliament of Canada biography

Wikimedia Commons has media related toMichael Coteau.

• 1972 births
• Living people
• 21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada
• 21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
• Black Canadian politicians
• Canadian people of Grenadian descent
• Canadian schoolteachers
• Carleton University alumni
• English emigrants to Canada
• Liberal Party of Canada MPs
• Members of the Executive Council of Ontario
• Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Toronto
• Members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from Toronto
• Ontario Liberal Party MPPs
• Toronto District School Board trustees

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use Canadian English from September 2021
• All Wikipedia articles written in Canadian English
• Use mdy dates from September 2021
• All articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced statements from August 2025
• Canada election preliminary results
• Commons category link from Wikidata