Deputy Minister

Mollie Johnson was appointed Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada in June 2025.

Prior to her appointment, Mrs. Johnson served as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Plans and Consultations) at the Privy Council Office (PCO) for 2 years, where she was responsible for strategic policy planning and coordination across the Canadian government.

She provided economic and fiscal advice to the Prime Minister and the Clerk of the Privy Council, as well as support for Cabinet and Cabinet retreats. She also led government transition processes and the federal budget process within PCO.  In January 2025, Mrs. Johnson also took on leadership of PCO’s Clean Growth Office.    

Prior to her appointment at PCO, Mrs. Johnson was Associate Deputy Minister Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), and Special Advisor to the Clerk on Decarbonization, where she played a key role in the government’s commitment to building prosperous, inclusive energy and resource sectors.

Mrs. Johnson spent 4 of her 8 years at NRCan heading up the Energy Systems Sector and its predecessor, the Low Carbon Energy Sector, both of which were tasked with advancing Canada’s national energy priorities as part of the government’s commitment to energy transition.

This followed her time as NRCan’s Assistant Deputy Minister, Communications and Portfolio Sector, and Director General of Policy, Major Projects Management Office. Prior to that, she held executive positions at Environment Canada and Canada’s Competition Bureau. 

Mrs. Johnson has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Western Ontario, and a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. Originally from Port Credit, she lives in Ottawa with her husband and 2 daughters.