High-profile cabinet minister Rod Phillips to resign seat, won't seek re-election

High-profile Ontario cabinet minister Rod Phillips says he is resigning at the end of next month and won't be seeking re-election.
    
The long-term care minister says it has been an honour to serve in three cabinet portfolios, but he is looking forward to returning to the private sector.
    
Phillips, who represents the riding of Ajax, served as environment minister for the first year of Premier Doug Ford's government.
    
He was then named finance minister, but resigned from that position in December 2020, hours after he returned from a controversial two-week trip to St. Barts despite public health rules against travel at the time.
    
Ford brought him back into cabinet last year as the long-term care minister, and Phillips says in his statement that the timing of his announcement today will allow the premier to appoint someone else to lead the ministry.
    
Phillips' announcement comes a week after another caucus member - Jeff Yurek, who was shuffled out of cabinet last year - also said he would resign next month and not seek re-election.