Premiership of Doug Ford
{{Short description|26th and current premier of Ontario, Canada}}
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox administration
| image = Doug Ford at Building Faster Fund announcement 2024-03-22 02 (cropped).jpg
| name = Premiership of Doug Ford
| term_start = June 29, 2018
| term_end = present
| monarch = Elizabeth II
Charles III
| premier = Doug Ford
| premier_link = Premier of Ontario
| cabinet = Ford Ministry
| party = Progressive Conservative
| election = {{Flatlist|
| appointer = Elizabeth Dowdeswell
| seat = Queen's Park, Toronto
| constituency = Etobicoke North
| predecessor = Kathleen Wynne
| successor =
| official_url = https://www.fordmpp.ca/
}}
{{Doug Ford sidebar}}
Doug Ford is the 26th and current premier of Ontario ({{langx|fr|Premier ministre de l'Ontario}}), Canada. He won a majority in the 2018 Ontario general election, as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (PCPO) caucus in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and was sworn in as premier on June 29, 2018.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/06/29/doug-ford-sworn-in-as-ontario-premier.html |title=Doug Ford sworn in as Ontario premier |first1=Robert |last1=Benzie |first2=Rob |last2=Ferguson |first3=Kristin |last3=Rushowy |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=June 29, 2018 |accessdate=July 17, 2018}} He was re-elected with an increased majority in 2022, and again after calling a snap election for February 27, 2025.{{Cite web |title=Ontario Newsroom |url=https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1005670/ontario-election-to-be-held-on-february-27 |access-date=2025-02-23 |website=news.ontario.ca}}
Elections
=2018 Ontario general election=
{{main|2018 Ontario general election}}
Ford won the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election on March 10, 2018. He represented Etobicoke North.
In the 2018 Ontario general election held on June 7, 2018, Ford won a majority government with 76 of the 124 seats in the legislature{{cite news|last=Ferguson|first=Rob|title=Ontario moves election date to June 7, 2018|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2016/10/19/ontario-moves-election-date-to-june-7-2018.html|access-date=October 11, 2019|work=Toronto Star|date=October 19, 2016}} with approximately 56.67% of potential voters voting.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2018/results/officialresults-yellowbook/electionstatisticsfromrecords/pdf/Provincial%20General%20Election%20Turnout%20-%201867%20to%20Present.pdf|title=General Elections Statistics from the Records|website=Elections Canada}}
=2022 Ontario general election=
{{main|2022 Ontario general election}}
Ford led the Progressive Conservatives to another majority government in the 2022 provincial election. The PCs gained seven more seats than they had won in 2018.{{Cite web |last=Powers |first=Lucas |date=3 June 2022 |title=Ontario's Progressive Conservatives sail to 2nd majority, NDP and Liberal leaders say they will resign |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-election-2022-results-ford-horwath-del-duca-1.6473595 |website=CBC News}}
=2025 Ontario general election=
{{main|2025 Ontario general election}}
Ford won an 80 seat majority in the 44th Ontario general election. Originally scheduled by election date laws to be held by June 4, 2026, Ford triggered an early provincial election, called a snap election, for Feb. 27, 2025 after meeting with Ontario's lieutenant-governor.{{Cite web |last=Petz |first=Sarah |date=Jan 28, 2025 |title=Early Ontario election official after Ford meets with lieutenant-governor |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-lieutenant-governor-meeting-election-call-1.7443368 |access-date=January 31, 2025}}{{Cite web |title=Ontario Newsroom |url=https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1005670/ontario-election-to-be-held-on-february-27 |access-date=2025-02-23 |website=news.ontario.ca}}
Policies
=Economic policy=
In June 2019, Rod Phillips, who served as Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, replaced Vic Fedeli as Ontario's finance minister. Andrea Khanjin was appointed as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in June 2018.{{Cite web| title = Premier Ford Announces Parliamentary Assistant Assignments as Part of Ontario's Government for the People| work = Ontario News| access-date = October 13, 2019 |date=June 29, 2018| url = https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2018/06/premier-ford-announces-parliamentary-assistant-assignments-as-part-of-ontarios-government-for-the-pe.html}}
Starting in January 2019, those who are working full-time and earning less than $30,000 a year would pay no provincial income tax, in the new LIFT program but minimum wage would be frozen at $14 per hour.{{Cite news| last = Powers| first = Lucas| title = Ontario PCs slash spending and oversight, unveil tax cut| work = CBC News |access-date=October 13, 2019| date = November 15, 2018| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-pc-fall-economic-outlook-cuts-tax-lcbo-1.4906718}} They eliminated 3 legislative offices including the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO), child and youth advocate and French language services commissioner positions. The surtax on the highest earning Ontarians that would have generated about $275 million in revenue, was cancelled. The proposed French language university was cancelled as were three university satellite campuses.
Fedeli served as minister until he was moved to economic development in June 2019 in a major cabinet shuffle.{{Cite news| title = Doug Ford cabinet shuffle: Who was demoted |work= CTV News|access-date=October 12, 2019 |date=June 20, 2019| url = https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/high-profile-ministers-demoted-in-ont-premier-ford-s-cabinet-shuffle-1.4474480 |location=Toronto}} According to CTV News Queen's Park Bureau Chief, Colin D'Mello, Premier Ford removed Fedeli as Finance Minister on June 20, 2019 in the "wake of a disastrous budget rollout that's left the Progressive Conservative government drowning in negative publicity."{{Cite news| title = Meet Ontario Premier Doug Ford's newly shuffled cabinet |first=Colin |last=D'Mello |date=June 20, 2019 |work= CTV News|access-date=October 11, 2019| url = https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/meet-ontario-premier-doug-ford-s-newly-shuffled-cabinet-1.4474596}}
Minister Fedeli tabled the Ford government's first budget on April 11, 2019.{{Citation| title = Ontario budget (2019)|access-date=October 11, 2019|date=April 11, 2019 | url = http://budget.ontario.ca/pdf/2019/2019-ontario-budget-en.pdf |work=Ministry of Finance |pages=343 |isbn= 978-1-4868-3363-4}}{{cite news |newspaper=The Toronto Star |title= Vic Fedeli unveils the Ford Tories' first fiscal plan |first=Robert |last=Benzie |url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2019/04/11/fedeli-unveils-the-ford-tories-first-budget.html |date=April 11, 2019 |access-date=October 11, 2019}} According to the Sault Star, Fedeli was demoted from "highly-touted finance post" and "blamed" for the "failure to sell voters on the $163.4-billion budget and the cost of breaking a 10-year deal that ultimately expands beer and wine sales in grocery stores, costing taxpayers $1 billion."{{Cite news| last1 =Della-Mattia| first1 = Elaine| title = Romano gets cabinet post| work = Sault Star|access-date=October 12, 2019| date = June 20, 2019| url = https://www.saultstar.com/news/local-news/romano-gets-cabinet-post}} NDP Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP, John Vanthof, said that the 2019 budget failed northern Ontario by not providing funds for Highway 69, the Ring of Fire, expanded broadband access, and cuts to Indigenous Affairs, Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, and more. Vanthof said that there "will be beer in corner stores, drinks at 9 in the morning, tailgate parties, and blue licence plates, but when the fog is cleared, there is also an over $500 million cut to the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines."{{Cite news| title = Provincial budget fails Northern Ontario, NDP MPP says |newspaper= Sudbury Star |first=Brad |last=Sherratt| access-date = October 11, 2019 |date=April 14, 2019| url = https://www.thesudburystar.com/news/provincial/provincial-budget-fails-northern-ontario-ndp-mpp-says}}
In the fiscal year 2019, the publicly funded Legal Aid Ontario will receive $133 million less than previously, representing a funding cut of 30 per cent, as part of the Ford government's deficit cutting plan, presented in the April 2019 budget. On September 11, 2019, Chief Justice of Ontario George Strathy said that the "cuts to Legal Aid Ontario will force many people to self-represent...What we judges can say is that reducing legal representation for the most vulnerable members of society does not save money. It increases trial times, places greater demands on public services, and ultimately delays and increases the cost of legal proceedings for everyone."{{Cite web| title = Ontario's top judges criticize Ford government cuts to legal aid |first=Shawn |last=Jeffords| work = Global News|access-date=October 13, 2019 |date=September 11, 2019| url = https://globalnews.ca/news/5888445/ontario-top-judges-criticize-doug-ford-government-cuts-legal-aid/}}
==The deficit==
{{main|Ontario government debt}}
From about 1989 to 2018, Ontario has reported a deficit almost every year; the province's net debt increased to approximately $311.6 billion (by October 2018); and Ontario's net debt‐to‐GDP ratio grew from 13.4% to about 40.5% in 2018–19.{{Cite web| issn = 1496-2829| pages = 155| author = Ontario Department of Finance| title = A Plan for the People: 2018 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review |series=Background Papers| publisher = Government of Ontario| date = October 2018 |url=https://www.fin.gov.on.ca/fallstatement/2018/fes2018-en.pdf |access-date=October 11, 2019}}{{rp|139}}
According to an April 11, 2018 Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) report, which was based on figures provided by the Ford government, the revised estimate of Ontario's deficit was $11.7 billion in 2018-2019 and it was projected to decrease by $1.4 billion in 2019-2020 mainly because of "the removal of the $1 billion contingency reserve." At that time it was projected that the deficit would be "completely eliminated in 2023–2024 with a small surplus of $0.3 billion."{{cite web|url=http://www.rbc.com/economics/economic-reports/pdf/canadian-fiscal/ontbud2019.pdf|title=Ontario Budget 2019|date=April 11, 2019|publisher=Royal Bank of Canada|access-date=October 11, 2019|quote=}} By October 2019, the Financial Accountability Officer, Weltman, said that the FAO had been in error when they—and the Ford government—had projected a $11.7-billion deficit that was reported in the spring 2019 budget.{{Cite web| last = Travis Dhanraj| title = Ontario's financial watchdog says deficit 'was never $15 billion' as Doug Ford previously claimed| work = Global News| access-date = October 17, 2019|date=October 17, 2019| url = https://globalnews.ca/news/6047027/ontario-deficit-financial-accountability-officer-report/}}
By June 2018, Ontario had "Canada's second-highest public debt per person and a growing budget deficit", according to The Economist.
The Ontario Finance Department reported in October 2018, that Ontario's public debt per person at $23,014, had surpassed that of Quebec at $21,606 in the fiscal year 2017–2018. Newfoundland and Labrador public debt per capita at $27,761, was the highest in Canada.{{rp|141}}
By 2019, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce reported that Ontario's debt was over $348 billion—representing about 41% of provincial GDP of almost $850 billion. Ontario's GDP is much larger than any of the other provinces and is almost half of Canada's GDP. "When combined with the federal debt (approximately $680 billion), the debt-to-GDP ratio for Ontarians nears 80 percent."{{Cite report| publisher = Ontario Chamber of Commerce| last = McKay| first = Reid| title = Accounting for Ontario's Debt| location = Toronto, Ontario| access-date = October 11, 2019|pages=15| date = 2019| url = https://www.deslibris.ca/ID/10100428}}
In October 2019, Financial Accountability Office said that the deficit had increased from $3.7-billion deficit in 2017—at the end of the Liberal administration—to $7.4 billion in 2018 under Premier Ford. The deficit had almost doubled partly because of "cancelled climate-change initiatives and subsidizing hydro bills" according to the Hamilton Spectator.{{Cite news| issn = 1189-9417| last = Benzie| first = Robert| title = Ontario's deficit jumped to $7.4B last year, fiscal watchdog says| work = The Hamilton Spectator| access-date = October 18, 2019| date = October 17, 2019| url = https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9649483-ontario-s-deficit-jumped-to-7-4b-last-year-fiscal-watchdog-says/}}
==Economic Development and trade==
Minister Smith tabled Bill 47: Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018, which was passed on November 21, 2018.{{citation |title=Bill 47: Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018 (Chapter 14 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2018) An Act to amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000, the Labour Relations Act, 1995 and the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009 and make complementary amendments to other Acts |url=https://www.ola.org/sites/default/files/node-files/bill/document/pdf/2018/2018-11/b047ra_e.pdf |date=November 21, 2018 |work=OLA}} According to the Toronto Sun, Bill 47 strips "part-time workers of two paid sick days a year and prevent[s] a rise in the minimum wage to $15 an hour on January 1, 2019." NDP critic said that this "will incent employers to turn full-time positions into cheaper part-time work".{{Cite news| title = Ontario 'open for business' but little change in employment| newspaper = Toronto Sun| access-date = October 13, 2019| date = November 2, 2018| url = https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/ontario-open-for-business-but-little-change-in-employment}}
The Ontario government abruptly cut all its provincial annual funding—representing $5 million—to the Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine (OIRM) in May 2019.{{Cite news| last1 = Crawley| first1 = Mike| title = Ford government stops all funding to stem cell research institute |work=CBC News| access-date = October 14, 2019| date = May 16, 2019| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-stem-cell-ontario-institute-regenerative-medicine-1.5137512}} Minister Smith, said that the "private sector will step up and fund stem-cell research." Scientists told CBC that the private will only invest in the stem-cell field when "their studies reach a late phase", until then "government funding is crucial." OIRM scientists who are "working on treatment of premature babies" said the cuts were "extremely short-sighted and uninformed".
In June 2019, Vic Fedeli was appointed as Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Prabmeet Sarkaria is Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction in the economic development ministry. Michael Parsa and Donna Skelly were appointed as Parliamentary Assistants to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade (Trade) in June 2018.
= Trump tariffs =
In January 2025, Ford began to state that he would need a "clear mandate" from voters to respond to the tariffs on Canadian imports to the United States threatened by new President Donald Trump, calling the 2025 Ontario general election.{{cite news |last1=Benzie |first1=Robert |last2=Ferguson |first2=Rob |title=Doug Ford says a 'clear mandate' from Ontario voters is the best way to deal with Donald Trump |url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-says-a-clear-mandate-from-ontario-voters-is-the-best-way-to-deal/article_cc1616fe-d735-11ef-ad38-7733a30fa8e8.html |access-date=January 24, 2025 |work=Toronto Star |date=January 22, 2025 |archive-date=January 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124144936/https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-says-a-clear-mandate-from-ontario-voters-is-the-best-way-to-deal/article_cc1616fe-d735-11ef-ad38-7733a30fa8e8.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Ontario PCs plan to call an early election amid tariff threats {{!}} Watch News Videos Online |url=https://globalnews.ca/video/10972049/ontario-pcs-plan-to-call-an-early-election-amid-tariff-threats/ |access-date=January 22, 2025 |website=Global News |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123140129/https://globalnews.ca/video/10972049/ontario-pcs-plan-to-call-an-early-election-amid-tariff-threats |url-status=live}} Ford was caught on video saying that on the day of the 2024 U.S. presidential election he was "100% happy" that Trump won, until Trump threatened tariffs on Canada.{{cite news |last= Carter |first= Adam |date= 3 February 2025 |title= Ford seen on video saying he was '100% happy' Trump won U.S. election — until tariff threat |url= https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-trump-win-comments-tariffs-1.7449512 |work= CBC |access-date= 27 February 2025}} During the election campaign, his party promised to invest $10 billion in cash-flow support for Ontario employers,{{Cite web|url=https://ontariopc.ca/only-doug-ford-and-the-ontario-pcs-will-protect-ontario/|title=Only Doug Ford and the Ontario PCs Will Protect Ontario|date=February 3, 2025}} $3 billion in payroll tax and premium relief, $120 million to support approximately 18,000 bars and restaurants, $40 million for a new Trade-Impacted Communities Program, $300 million to expand the Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit, and $600 million for the Invest Ontario Fund. Ford also advised the new PM, Mark Carney, on strategies to mitigate the trade war, and appeared on multiple American news shows.{{Cite web |last=Cohn |first=Martin Regg |date=2025-03-19 |title=Martin Regg Cohn: This is why Doug Ford is so buddy-buddy with Mark Carney. Where does that leave Pierre Poilievre? |url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/this-is-why-doug-ford-is-so-buddy-buddy-with-mark-carney-where-does-that/article_491ce4b0-0112-11f0-be27-8776bfc80fcc.html |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Toronto Star |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=November 26, 2024 |title=Ford says Trump's tariff threat 'like a family member stabbing you in the heart' |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-trump-tariffs-canada-reaction-1.7393414 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127161329/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-trump-tariffs-canada-reaction-1.7393414 |archive-date=November 27, 2024 |work=CBC News}}
=Transportation=
On April 10, 2019, Premier Ford and Minister Yurek announced Ontario's transit plan for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)—one of the largest metropolitan areas in Canada.{{Cite news| last1 = McLaughlin| first1 = Amara| date = April 10, 2019| first2 = Lauren |last2=Pelley |work=CBC News| title = Doug Ford commits $11.2B for 4 major Toronto-area transit projects | access-date = October 11, 2019| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-toronto-subway-upload-gta-transit-plan-1.5090394}} The $30 billion dollar project would include the $10.9 billion Ontario Line, the $5.5 billion Scarborough Subway Extension, the $5.6 billion Yonge Subway extension to Richmond Hill, and the $4.7 billion Eglinton West extension. The province would provide $11.2 billion in funding and "wants to own the lines but leave the city and TTC to operate the subway system." Premier Ford said, "We are making the biggest and largest investment in new subways in Canadian history." The City of Toronto had already spent $224 million of public money on its own "planning and design of transit infrastructure in Toronto." The City raised concerns about delays considering the city manager—Chris Murray's "sweeping" April 16 transit expansion report, "which also suggests several projects may now be in limbo, including two Scarborough transit lines and Mayor John Tory's signature SmartTrack plan."{{Cite web| title = Toronto's Transit Expansion Program - Update and Next Steps| access-date = October 11, 2019| date = April 16, 2019| url = http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2019.EX4.1}}
In a December 13, 2018, City Council meeting, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) CEO Rick Leary, said that he had not had any "direct negotiations or discussion" with the province on what "it would look like if the province uploaded the subway system"—bringing the "TTC's subway system under provincial ownership".{{Cite news| first = Matt |last=Elliott| title = Why Doug Ford's subway 'upload' could be Toronto's most contentious city hall story of 2019 |work=CBC News| access-date = October 13, 2019| date = January 1, 2019| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-subway-upload-1.4956680}} While there were clear financial benefits to the city, the council voted to "reaffirm their desire to keep the entire TTC — subways and all" and requested more clarity from the province. The studies and plans for the TTC's proposed "desperately needed extension known as the Relief Line", had begun in the late 2010s.{{Cite news| first = Lucas |last=Powers| title = Trudeau, Ford and the complicated politics of transit in Toronto|work=CBC News| access-date = October 13, 2019| date = October 8, 2019 | url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ontario-line-funding-scheer-trudeau-fact-check-1.5313574}} By early 2019, the planning for the Relief Line was "well underway and construction was scheduled to begin in 2020, with projected completion in 2029." In April 2019, Ford put the Relief Line project on hold in favour of the Ontario Line, which would use a different route with significant lengths of at-grade or elevated track.{{cite news |last=Spurr |first=Ben |date=February 15, 2020 |title=How Ford's Ontario Line plan came together in just three months — with secrecy, a shifting route and a consultant |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/02/15/how-fords-ontario-line-plan-came-together-in-just-three-months-with-secrecy-a-shifting-route-and-a-consultant.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216024946/https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/02/15/how-fords-ontario-line-plan-came-together-in-just-three-months-with-secrecy-a-shifting-route-and-a-consultant.html |archive-date=February 16, 2020 |access-date=February 15, 2020 |newspaper=Toronto Star}}
On September 25, 2024, Ford promised to build a traffic tunnel under the Highway 401 to relieve congestion.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-25 |title=Doug Ford says he wants to build a tunnel under Ontario's Hwy. 401 |url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/doug-ford-says-he-wants-to-build-a-tunnel-under-ontario-s-hwy-401-1.7051222 |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=CTV News Toronto |language=en}}
On October 21, 2024, Ford tabled a bill granting the province authority to remove bike lanes from several arterial roads in Toronto. The bill would also require municipalities to get provincial approval before replacing any automotive lanes with bike lanes.{{Cite news |last=Arunasalam |first=Samritha |date=Oct 23, 2024 |title=Cyclists rally to save Toronto bike lanes, while premier promises to rip some out |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/bike-lanes-removal-doug-ford-1.7361606 |url-status= |access-date=December 10, 2024 |work=CBC News}} Toronto City Council formally opposed the plan, citing an estimated cost of $48 million to remove the bike lanes on Bloor, Avenue, and Yonge.{{Cite web |last=Draaisma |first=Muriel |date=Nov 14, 2024 |title=Toronto city council to formally oppose Ford's plan to remove bike lanes |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-bike-lane-removal-city-council-1.7383223 |access-date=December 10, 2024 |website=CBC News}} On November 21, Ford's government made several amendments to the bill which the opposition claimed would protect the province from liability if a cyclist were injured or killed due to the removal of the lanes.{{Cite news |last=Carter |first=Adam |date=November 21, 2024 |title=Injured cyclists can't sue province under amendment to new Ontario bike lane bill, NDP says |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-bike-lane-bill-amendments-1.7390145 |access-date=December 10, 2024 |work=CBC News}} The bill passed on November 25, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Adam |date=November 25, 2024 |title=Ontario passes bill that allows major Toronto bike lanes to be ripped out |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/bill-212-bike-lanes-highway-413-passes-1.7392821 |access-date=December 10, 2024 |website=CBC News}} Ford's bill has faced opposition from local politicians and cycling advocates on grounds of provincial overreach and potential safety impacts to cyclists.{{Cite news |last=Geoff |first=Nixon |date=Sep 19, 2024 |title=Ontario eyes barring new bike lanes where car lanes would be cut |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-government-bike-lanes-1.7328878 |access-date=December 10, 2024 |work=CBC News}}{{Cite web |date=November 23, 2024 |title=Hundreds of Toronto cyclists rally against Ontario bike lane bill |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-bike-lane-removal-bill-protest-1.7391886 |access-date=December 10, 2024 |website=CBC News}} Toronto City Council has announced its intention to challenge the bill on legal grounds.
=Social services=
On November 15, 2018 the government announced that they were eliminating three watchdog legislative offices including the child and youth advocate.
One of the biggest cuts, announced in the 2019 budget, was the $1 billion cut—over a four-year period—to the Ministry of Community and Social Services.
In February, 2019 the government had announced changes to the Ontario Autism Program, which had over 20,000 children on a waiting list.{{Cite news| issn = 1189-9417| last1 = Benzie| first1 = Robert | first2 = Rob | last2 = Ferguson | first3 = Kristin | last3 = Rushowy| title = The Doug Ford government discovers the U-turn| work = The Hamilton Spectator| access-date = October 13, 2019| date =June 3, 2019| url = https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9404682-the-doug-ford-government-discovers-the-u-turn/}} Under Minister MacLeod and Fee, changes were made in "how children qualified, based on age and family income". During the revamping of the Program, support for children already receiving service, was clawed back which meant that families had to pay most of the bills for "very expensive behavioural therapies." This "outraged those in the autism community". The protests included a "huge rally at Queen's Park that could be heard inside the legislature and inundated Tory MPPs and Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod with complaints." In response, the Ford government "scrambled to pour more money into the program and in early May [2019] announced consultations that would help shape further reforms to the system, moving toward one based on need." The Hamilton Spectator said that of all the "policy snafus", the funding of services for families of children with autism, was the one that bothered Ford the most.
On August 8, 2019 the Ford government severed the funding for court-ordered autism services for eight families with adult children with "severe" conditions who are at "serious risk of harm", who had been receiving the funding since 2004. Lawyers Scott Hutchison and Mary Eberts served notice of intent to sue in an 18-page letter to Social Services Minister Smith and Premier Ford "for breach of contract, negligence, and breach of Charter rights." It was formally filed in court on October 1. Those long-standing payments of about $1.7 million annually were the result of litigation against the previous provincial administrations, who had committed to continue the funding "until a co-ordinated transition to other services had been made, in a way that provided alternative services with which the families were satisfied", according to The Star.{{Cite news| last = Robert Benzie| title = Families suing Ontario government over cut to autism services| work = The Toronto Star|access-date=October 16, 2019| date = September 27, 2019| url = https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2019/09/27/families-suing-ontario-government-over-cut-to-autism-services.html}} Faced with a backlash against "a botched revamp of autism services" in February 2019, the government had doubled the annual funding to $600 million for autism services but this did not restore the funding for these eight families.
=Healthcare=
In July 2018, Premier Ford named Rueben Devlin, an orthopedic surgeon who was CEO of Toronto's Humber River Hospital{{Cite news| title = The hospital CEO who created the continent's 'first digital hospital' is now behind Doug Ford's health policy |work= National Post|access-date=October 14, 2019| date = March 26, 2018| url = https://nationalpost.com/health/the-hospital-ceo-who-created-the-continents-first-digital-hospital-is-now-behind-doug-fords-health-policy}} and a "key Tory adviser" and former Ontario PCs president—to a $348,000 a year three-year appointment on the Council on Improving Healthcare and Ending Hallway Medicine,{{Cite news| last = Paikin| first = Steve| title = Who's calling the shots on health care?| work = TVO|access-date=October 14, 2019| date=July 9, 2018| url = https://www.tvo.org/article/whos-calling-the-shots-on-health-care}} to curb hospital overcrowding.{{Cite web| first = David |last=Reevely| title = How the premier's $348K health-care adviser can earn his money |work= Ottawa Citizen|access-date=October 13, 2019| date = July 9, 2018| url = https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/reevely-how-the-premiers-348k-health-care-adviser-can-earn-his-money}} Devlin is the Ford family's "closest health-care adviser." Health costs in Ontario were over $60 billion annually, according to TVO's Steve Paikin. Devlin is tasked with the selection of the other Council members, and with "ending hallway medicine, dental care for seniors, improved mental-health services), all while ensuring stable, long-term funding for the system—Premier Ford's election promises.
Since coming into power in June 2018, Premier Ford's government put an approved injection site in Toronto—and several other places—on pause while Health Minister Christine Elliot, studied the issue.{{Cite news| date = August 30, 2018| title = Change your stance on overdose prevention sites, health groups urge Ford |work= CBC News|access-date=October 13, 2019| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/change-your-stance-on-overdose-prevention-sites-health-groups-urge-ford-1.4804099}}
In February 2019, the NDP said that two sets of leaked documents show that the Ford government was creating a health "super agency" that "would be in charge of managing health services, quality improvement, patient relations, digital health and tissue donation and transplants, among other responsibilities."{{Cite web| title = Health inspections, air ambulance won't be privatized, minister says|work= CTV News and the Canadian Press|first=Allison |last=Jones |date=February 4, 2019|access-date=October 14, 2019| url = https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/health-inspections-air-ambulance-won-t-be-privatized-minister-says-1.4281903}} The documents said that "long-term care inspections" and the Ontario's "air ambulance service" Ornge would be "outsourced". According to a CTV News report, Minister Elliot was "forced to make assurances" that these services would not be "privatized". The first document, which was leaked at the end of January, was a "draft version of the Progressive Conservative government's upcoming health-care transformation legislation." CTV News said "local health integration networks, Cancer Care Ontario, eHealth Ontario, the Trillium Gift of Life Network and other government health agencies" would be "rolled into" the super agency. Minister Elliot said that the December 13 assistant deputy ministers workshop document, which made references to outsourcing laboratories, "inspections, licensing, devices" and Ornge, were options and that these services would not be privatized. The NDP said that the super agency was described in the leaked documents as having the "competency and capacity to effectively partner with public and private sector entities." The documents show that MyCare groups is being created as a "new model" of "integrated care delivery" with the goal of providing "patients with seamless, co-ordinated care and a single team of providers for all their care needs."
Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliot tabled the controversial Bill 74: The People's Health Care Act. Its first reading was on February 26, 2019 and it received Royal Assent on April 18, 2019.{{Citation| title = Bill 74 (Chapter 5 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2019) An Act concerning the provision of health care, continuing Ontario Health and making consequential and related amendments and repeals |access-date=October 12, 2019| url = https://www.ola.org/sites/default/files/node-files/bill/document/pdf/2019/2019-04/b074ra_e.pdf }}
In spite of 2018 election promises that "not a single person will lose their job" under his PC government, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliot office announced in June 2019 that 416 workers would be laid off, as 20 health agencies, including 14 local health integration networks (LHINs), Cancer Care Ontario, eHealth Ontario{{Cite news| last =Crawley| first = Mike | title = Ford government restructuring Ontario's health ministry|work= CBC News|access-date=October 12, 2019| date = September 12, 2019| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/health-ministry-restructuring-1.5280525}} were merged into one new super-agency called Ontario Health.{{Cite news| last1 =Jones| first1 = Allison |work=The Canadian Press via CBC| title = 416 'back-office' workers laid off as Ontario merges health agencies|access-date=October 12, 2019| date = June 19, 2019| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/health-worker-layoffs-ford-government-1.5181209}} With the merger "another 409 vacant positions will be eliminated." These changes are estimated to save "$350 million a year by 2021-22". A CBC News report said that the average wait times in Ontario hospitals set a new June record of an average of 16.3 hours waiting in emergency rooms in 2019, compared to 14.4 hours in June 2018, based on Health Quality Ontario data. More restructuring was announced by the Health ministry in September and no more job losses are anticipated.
On November 18, 2024, Ford's government tabled a bill to ban supervised injection sites from operating within 200 meters of a school or child-care centre. The bill would also require municipalities get approval from the provincial health minister and federal government before launching new facilities. In a news conference for the bill, Health Minister Sylvia Jones stated, "I want to be very clear, there will be no further safe injection sites in the province of Ontario under our government."{{Cite web |last=Casey |first=Liam |date=Nov 18, 2024 |title=Ontario tables bill to ban some supervised consumption sites |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-consumption-site-ford-1.7386562 |access-date=December 10, 2024 |website=CBC News}}
=Education=
In early July 2018, then Education Minister, Lisa Thompson, told Queen's Park reporters that starting in September 2018, Ontario schools would no longer be using the sex education curriculum in use since 2015, but would be reverting to the previous curriculum.{{Cite web| title = Ontario schools reverting to old sex-ed curriculum this fall, education minister says|first1=Nicole |last1=Thompson |first2=Shawn |last2=Jeffords |agency=The Canadian Press |work= Global News |date=July 11, 2018|access-date=October 12, 2019| url = https://globalnews.ca/news/4325268/ontario-sex-ed-curriculum/}} One of the election campaign promises by the Ford government was to "scrap" the 2015 sex education curriculum. Premier Ford's government said that "it did not order the cancellation." By August 2019, the Ministry of Education, following "widespread consultations" made "only minor tweaks". The "health lesson plan being brought to schools in the fall" of 2019 "is similar to the one Ford crusaded against."
On October 11, 2019 Minister Lecce reached a deal with CUPE school support workers, which has to be ratified by CUPE members and averted a pending strike.{{Cite web| last = Swift| first = Catherine| title = Sigh of relief from Ontario parents| work = The Niagara Independent|access-date=October 11, 2019| date=October 11, 2019| url = https://niagaraindependent.ca/sigh-of-relief-from-ontario-parents/}} Premier Ford had said that he would cap "all public sector wage settlements at one per cent per year". The three-year agreement with CUPE was for a "one per cent wage increase annually for the duration of deal." A clause in the agreement clause in the agreement says that if "higher increases are negotiated by other education unions", their union will be able to increase to more than one percent. CUPE also had $58.3 million restored for the "hiring of educational assistants" with an additional $20 million for hiring "more custodians and clerical workers." As well, CUPE's sick leave provisions remained untouched.
In August 2018, in response to "incidents on campuses across North America where speakers faced protests",{{Cite news| issn = 1189-9417| last = Rushowy| first = Kristin| title = Free speech policies now in effect at Ontario's colleges and universities| work = The Hamilton Spectator|access-date=October 12, 2019| date = January 7, 2019| url = https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9111276-free-speech-policies-now-in-effect-at-ontario-s-colleges-and-universities/}} then Minister Fullerton announced that all "publicly-assisted" colleges and universities were required to "develop and publicly post its own free speech policy by January 1, 2019". The policy must meet a "minimum standard specified by the government."{{Cite web| title = Upholding Free Speech on Ontario's University and College Campuses |author=Office of the Premier| publisher = The Government of Ontario Newsroom|access-date=October 12, 2019 |date=August 2018| url = https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2018/08/upholding-free-speech-on-ontarios-university-and-college-campuses.html}} These standards must include the Chicago principles. Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) has the authority to gather the mandatory self-reporting by colleges and universities and to monitor colleges and institutions on compliance. An article in The Hamilton Spectator cited examples of protests against controversial speakers in Ontario, such as Jordan Peterson, a University of Toronto professor and Lindsay Shepherd, who was disciplined after showing a Peterson video to her students at Wilfrid Laurier University. Fullerton said that free speech had become a campaign issue. She said the government was "constantly" hearing from students and faculty "that free speech was being stifled on Ontario campuses."
=Francophone Affairs=
Mulroney voted in support of the Ford government's September 2018 proposal to use Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, commonly called the "notwithstanding clause", to overrule a judge's decision that legislation intended to shrink the size of Toronto City Council was in fact in violation of Charter rights. For this position, she faced widespread condemnation from constitutional experts and politicians of all parties, particularly with respect to her duty to ensure the sanctity of the judicial process as Attorney General.
In November 2018 Ford announced cuts which included cancelling a "French language university and cut the post of provincial commissioner for French language affairs."{{Cite news| issn = 0362-4331| last = Austen| first = Ian| title = Ontario Has Francophones? Oui, Beaucoup, and They're Angry| work = The New York Times|access-date=October 11, 2019| date = January 26, 2019 |location=Sudbury, Ontario| url =https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/26/world/canada/ontario-francophone-doug-ford.html}} Ontario's francophone population represents from 550,000 to 744,000 people in a province of 14 million, according to The New York Times with many concentrated in Sudbury, Ontario, in northern Ontario and near the Ontario-Quebec border in eastern Ontario.
The Ford government again came under criticism from the Franco-Ontarian community for its perceived inaction during the 2021 Laurentian University Financial Crisis and its support of the large cuts to the university.{{cite web|last=Cohn|first=Martin Regg|url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2021/02/08/laurentian-debacle-shows-doug-ford-has-learned-nothing-about-universities.html|title=Laurentian debacle shows Doug Ford has learned nothing about universities|date=2021-02-08|website=Toronto Star}}{{cite web|last=Farrow|first=David|url=https://www.thesudburystar.com/opinion/columnists/sudbury-column-ford-government-indifferent-to-laurentians-plight|title=Ford government indifferent to Laurentian's plight|date=2021-04-28|website=The Sudbury Star}}
=Indigenous Affairs=
In the April 2019 budget, funding for the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs was cut in half.
Minister Rickford released a May 9, 2019 statement saying that the Ontario Government was "committed to do everything in its authority to support the relocation" of the Kashechewan First Nation.{{Cite news| title = Minister's Statement on Kashechewan First Nation Relocation| work = Ontario Government News|access-date=October 13, 2019|date=May 9, 2019| url = https://news.ontario.ca/mirr/en/2019/05/ministers-statement-on-kashechewan-first-nation-relocation.html}} which is located north of Fort Albany, Ontario on the James Bay coast. The community has had flooding and infrastructure problems for many years and in April 2019, had to evacuate 2,500 members by plane when a state of emergency was called again.{{Cite news| title = Kashechewan First Nation gets agreement from feds, Ontario to relocate |work=APTN News|date=May 9, 2019|access-date=October 13, 2019| url = https://aptnnews.ca/2019/05/09/kashechewan-first-nation-gets-agreement-from-feds-ontario-to-relocate/}} APTN reported, in the presence of 300 community members, both the federal and provincial governments signed the Framework Agreement with Kashechewan First Nation to commit to moving the reserve. The federal Minister of Indigenous Services Seamus O'Regan said the relocation process would probably take about eight years to complete.
=Northern Development and Mines=
A July 7, 2018 article in Policy Options said that newly elected Premier Ford, had said that "resource development within Northern Ontario's Ring of Fire mining area [would] be a priority for his government."{{Cite journal| title = A sustainable plan for Ontario's Ring of Fire |first1=Cheryl |last1=Chetkiewicz |first2=Justina |last2=Ray |first3=Richard |last3=Lindgren|date=July 17, 2018 | journal = Policy Options| access-date = October 11, 2019 | url = https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/july-2018/sustainable-plan-ontarios-ring-fire/ |publisher=Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP)}}
In Verner, Ontario on September 17, 2019, Premier Ford told the press that the development of the Ring of Fire development "remains a top priority for the Progressive Conservative government."{{Cite news| title = Ring of Fire 'absolutely critical' to his administration: Premier |first=Jennifer |last=Hamilton-McCharles |date=September 18, 2019 |newspaper=The Sault Star| access-date = October 11, 2019| url = https://www.saultstar.com/news/local-news/ring-of-fire-absolutely-critical-to-his-administration-premier}} The development project is located in the remote, mineral-rich James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario, in the Kenora District, approximately {{convert|400|km|miles}} northeast of Thunder Bay. In August, Greg Rickford, who is Ontario's Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines (MENDM), said that the Ford government was dissolving the 2014 regional framework agreement between the nine Matawa First Nations and the province.{{Cite news| date = August 27, 2019| first= Matt |last=Prokopchuk |work=CBC News| title = Individual agreements with Ring of Fire First Nations about moving 'to the sound of business' minister says | access-date = September 3, 2019| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/regional-framework-ends-1.5261377}}{{Cite news| title = The Tories are dissolving the Ring of Fire agreement. So what comes next?|first= Jon |last=Thompson|date=September 3, 2019| work = TVO| access-date = September 3, 2019| url = http://www.tvo.org/article/the-tories-are-dissolving-the-ring-of-fire-agreement-so-what-comes-next}} By September, Rickford said that they were working with individual communities on a transportation corridor that Rickford called a "corridor to prosperity" from the Ring of Fire—Ring of Fire as a "major economic opportunity"—to transportation hubs in the south.
However, the 2019 budget cut more than $500 million to the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines.
=Energy=
In July 2018 Minister Rickford tabled Bill 2: Urgent Priorities Act, which received Royal Assent in the same month.{{Citation| title =Bill 2: (Chapter 10 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2018) An Act respecting Hydro One Limited, the termination of the White Pines Wind Project and the labour disputes between York University and Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 3903 In July 2018.|work=Ontario Legislative Assembly (OLA)| access-date = October 14, 2019 |date=July 2018| url = https://www.ola.org/sites/default/files/node-files/bill/document/pdf/2018/2018-07/b002ra_e.pdf}} The first session of the 42nd Legislature was on July 11 and Bill 2, which passed into law on July 25, was the Ford Government's first piece of legislation. Bill 2—an omnibus bill—was "criticized by both "business groups and unions". It legislated an end to the strike between York University and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), cancelled the White Pines Wind Project wind farm contract, and gave Ontario government "veto power over compensation at Hydro One."{{Cite news | first1 = Marieke | last1 =Walsh| title = Ford government passes omnibus bill to end strike, limit Hydro One powers, cancel wind farm| work = iPolitics| access-date = October 14, 2019| date = July 26, 2018| url = https://ipolitics.ca/2018/07/26/ford-government-passes-omnibus-bill-to-end-strike-limit-hydro-one-powers-cancel-wind-farm/}}
==Hydro One==
{{main|Hydro One}}
On July 25, 2018, the Ford government passed Bill 2 which "put a severe dent into the operations of Hydro One", a former Crown corporation which went public in November 2015. The Toronto-based Hydro One is the province's "largest electricity transmission and distribution service provider" with "nearly 1.4 million customers". Hydro One was established under the Business Corporations Act Crown corporation under the Government of Ontario.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/paccts/2000/00_fs.html|title=Public Accounts 1999-2000 Financial Statement|last=Public Accounts of Ontario|first=Ministry of Finance|date=November 2000|website=Ontario Ministry of Finance|at=Schedule of Financial Statements, Schedule 6: Government Business Enterprises and Other Government Organizations|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320212752/http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/paccts/2000/00_fs.html|archive-date=20 March 2012|access-date=}} Bill 2 places a cap on the compensation allowed for executive members of the board of directors,{{Cite news| last = Ferguson| first = Rob| title = Hydro One gets new chair after a year of turmoil| work = The Record|access-date=October 11, 2019| date = July 3, 2019| url = https://www.therecord.com/news-story/9484794-hydro-one-gets-new-chair-after-a-year-of-turmoil/}} and gave Ford's provincial government a "direct say in the naming of directors" representing a major shift from what was agreed upon between shareholders and the government when Hydro One went public three years earlier. Under Premier Ford, the CEO and the entire board of directors were replaced. The former CEO, Mayo Schmidt was replaced by Tim Hodgson, a Ford appointee, who took on his new position in August 2019 with an annual salary of $120,000. Hydro One was in the process of acquiring American energy firm Avista Inc., when "U.S. regulators scuttled" the purchase "costing the Toronto-based company a $140 million termination penalty." The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission said that they blocked the purchase of Avista because of concerns about the independence of Hydro One from the Ontario provincial government.{{cite web | url = https://www.utc.wa.gov/_layouts/15/CasesPublicWebsite/GetDocument.ashx?docID=1137&year=2017&docketNumber=170970 | title = Final Order Denying Joint Application for Transfer of Property. | date = 5 December 2018 | website = Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission | access-date = 10 December 2018 | quote = }} Reducing Ontario consumer electricity costs by 12% was one of the campaign promises made by the Conservative party. government had promised to cut consumers' electricity prices 12%.{{Cite web| title = Ontario is locked in to high-cost electricity supply, no matter what happens with Hydro One |first=Barry |last=Critchley |date=July 25, 2018|newspaper= Financial Post|access-date=October 11, 2019| url = https://business.financialpost.com/news/fp-street/ontario-is-locked-in-to-high-cost-electricity-supply-no-matter-what-happens-with-hydro-one}} By July 2019, this has not happened, according to The Record. Critics raised concerns that Hydro One will not experience stability as Premier Ford's government has a "record of reaching in to exert control."
On March 21, 2019 Minister Rickford, tabled Bill 87, the Fixing the Hydro Mess Act which was given Royal Assent on May 9.{{Citation| title = Bill 87 (Chapter 6 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2019) An Act to amend various statutes related to energy |date=May 9, 2019|access-date = October 16, 2019| url = https://www.ola.org/sites/default/files/node-files/bill/document/pdf/2019/2019-05/b087ra_e.pdf}} Bill 87 overhauled the Ontario Energy Board and eliminated the Liberal's 2017 Fair Hydro Plan which the PC's said would save $442 million.{{Cite news| title = Ontario PCs introduce legislation to end Liberal hydro plan| work = CBC News and the Canadian Press|access-date = October 16, 2019| date = 2019-10-15| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-hydro-rates-1.5066634}} The Liberal Plan "subsidized electricity with borrowed money" in response to a "public outcry over soaring hydro rates, particularly in rural areas." The Liberals created the Ontario Power Generation Inc (OPG Trust) as the Financial Services Manager to manage the debt. Bonnie Lysyk, the Auditor General released a special report on October 17, 2017, which said the "structure of the plan" was in violation of the provincial government's accounting rules. She said that the Plan, which committed the government to discount consumer electricity rates for ten years, would cost the province "$21 billion in interest over the next 30 years." The 2017 AG report said that it would cost $4 billion more on the $18.4 billion loan to use the Ontario Power Generation (OPG Trust) than if the province took out the loan because the province would have a lower interest rate than the OPG Trust.{{Cite news| title = Customers could pay steep price for Ontario's hydro plan, auditor warns| work = Global News|access-date = October 16, 2019 |date=October 17, 2017 |first=Brian |last=Hill | url = https://globalnews.ca/news/3809116/ontario-hydro-audit-rising-cost/}} The Ford government said that they would maintain [the] 25 per cent time-of-use rates, that was part of the Liberal's Fair Hydro Plan. Under the newly structured Conservative plan, the debt financing "would move onto the government's books" from the OPG trust.
=Provincial–municipal relations=
In September 2018, Ford announced that he would use the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms' "notwithstanding" clause to override the ruling of a Superior Court judge which said that Ford's legislation, decreasing the size of Toronto City Council just before the municipal election, was unconstitutional.{{cite news |last1=Bob |first1=Hepburn |title=Where are you, Caroline Mulroney? |url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2018/09/12/where-are-you-caroline-mulroney.html |accessdate=February 3, 2019 |work=Toronto Star |date=September 12, 2018 |language=en}} As Ontario's AG, Mulroney voted in support of the Ford government's use of Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. According to the Globe and Mail, "constitutional experts and politicians of all parties" criticized her decision as a violation of the sanctity of the judicial process as Attorney General.{{cite news |last1=Gee |first1=Marcus |title=Caroline Mulroney's testing time |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-caroline-mulroney-faces-tough-test-in-new-role/ |accessdate=February 3, 2019 |work=The Globe and Mail |date=September 13, 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914144434/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-caroline-mulroney-faces-tough-test-in-new-role/ |archivedate=September 14, 2018}}
In October 2020, the Ford government passed the Supporting Ontario’s Recovery Act, 2020, which including a section that banned municipalities in the province from using ranked ballots for their mayoral and city council elections. The move came as multiple cities in the province were planning to switch from first-past-the-post to ranked ballots for the 2022 local elections.{{cite web|last=Freeman|first=Joshua|url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ford-government-moves-to-scrap-ranked-ballot-elections-for-ontario-municipalities-1.5153197|title=Ford government moves to scrap ranked ballot elections for Ontario municipalities|date=2020-10-20|website=CTV News}}
== Toronto City Council ==
The Ford government passed the Better Local Government Act into law on August 14, 2018.{{Citation| title =Bill 5 (Chapter 11 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2018) An Act to amend the City of Toronto Act, 2006, the Municipal Act, 2001 and the Municipal Elections Act, 1996|accessdate = October 13, 2019 |date=August 14, 2018| url = https://www.ola.org/sites/default/files/node-files/bill/document/pdf/2018/2018-08/b005ra_e.pdf}} Premier Ford announced the controversial bill on September 27, on the last day for candidate registration for the October 22, 2018 Toronto municipal election, newly elected Premier of Ontario Doug Ford introduced the Better Local Government Act (Bill 5) which requires that Toronto use the same ridings for all its elections—municipal, provincial, and federal—effectively reducing the Toronto City Council from 47 seats to 25.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/toronto-election/2018/09/11/what-the-judge-said-in-the-ruling-on-doug-fords-plan-to-cut-size-of-toronto-council.html|title=What the judge said in the ruling on Doug Ford's plan to cut size of Toronto council |work=The Toronto Star|date=September 11, 2018 |access-date=2019-04-12}} Bill 5 passed on August 14, 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/better-local-government-act-passes-1.4785145|title=Ontario passes bill slashing Toronto city council|work=CBC News|access-date=2018-09-10|language=en-US}} Toronto is Ontario's capital city and the largest city in Canada with a population of 2.7 million.{{Cite news| issn = 0362-4331| last = Austen| first = Ian| title = Doug Ford, Ontario's Premier, Takes On Canada's Judiciary| work = The New York Times|access-date=October 11, 2019| date = September 12, 2018 |location=Toronto, Ontario| url =https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/12/world/canada/toronto-city-council-doug-ford.html}} The number of Council seats had just been expanded following approximately four years of consultations and debates. Ford said that these reductions would lower the cost to taxpayers by $CDN 25 ($USD19.1) million dollars in Toronto's $CDN11.1 ($USD8.5) billion dollar budget. Bill 5 reset the positions of regional municipality chairs as by appointment not be election in Peel, York, Niagara and Muskoka.{{cite news| url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/07/27/its-like-a-comedy-show-down-at-city-hall-ford-defends-unilateral-moves-to-slash-toronto-council-axe-regional-chair-elections.html| title='It's like a comedy show down at city hall:' Ford defends unilateral moves to slash Toronto council, axe regional chair elections| first=Robert| last=Benzie| date=July 27, 2018| work=Toronto Star}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/tory-ford-city-council-statements-1.4763890|title=Canada's 'most dysfunctional political arena' — Toronto council — will be chopped in size, premier says|work=CBC News|access-date=2018-09-10|language=en-US}}
=Housing=
==Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022==
Minister Clark introduced Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, an omnibus bill intended to increase Ontario's housing supply that was described as "one of Premier Ford's "largest pieces of legislation" to date. Bill 23 would make sweeping changes affecting nine laws and "every aspect of planning and development" in the province.{{Cite web| title = Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 | access-date = November 26, 2022 | url = https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-23}}{{Cite news| last1 = Crombie |first1=David| last2 = Hall| first2 = Barbara| last3 = Sewell| first3 = John| title = Three former mayors of Toronto on why the More Homes Built Faster Act disempowers municipalities — and needs a serious rethink before proceeding| work = The Toronto Star| access-date = November 26, 2022 | date = November 14, 2022 | url = https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/11/14/three-former-mayors-of-toronto-on-why-the-more-homes-built-faster-act-disempowers-municipalities-and-needs-a-serious-rethink-before-proceeding.html}}{{Cite news| last1 = Syed| first1 = Fatima| last2 = McIntosh| first2 = Emma| title = All the Ontario environmental protections Doug Ford wants to overhaul to build more houses| work = The Narwhal| accessdate = 2022-11-26| date = 2022-02-11| url = https://thenarwhal.ca/doug-ford-housing-plan-ontario-environment/}} By November 25, Ford announced a rollback of some of Bill 23's most controversial changes to existing statutes that would have undermined environmental concerns.{{Cite news| last = Syed| first = Fatima| title = More green construction, less gravel mining: Ford walks back some environmental changes in Ontario housing bill| work = The Narwhal| accessdate = 2022-11-26| date = 2022-11-25| url = https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-housing-bill-changes/}}
=Environment=
File:Federal Carbon Tax will cost you sticker - 2019 - 01.jpg on gas pumps in Ontario, mandated by the Ford government during the 2019 Canadian federal election.]]
On June 7 after winning the election, Ford said that "very first item" on his agenda would be to cancel the federal carbon tax and provincial cap-and-trade programs in order to prevent motorists from being "gouged at the pumps".
According to a June 28, 2018 article in The Economist, Ontario, with "Canada's second-highest public debt per person and a growing budget deficit", Fords' "poleaxing of cap and trade" would result in C$2.8bn worth of pollution permits owned by companies that could result in lawsuits. The article said that Ontario would lose C$2bn a year from the sale of pollution permits under its cap and trade program, which represents 1.3% of Ontario's revenue.{{Cite news| issn = 0013-0613| title = Doug Ford disrupts Canada's climate policy| newspaper = The Economist|access-date=October 11, 2019| date = June 28, 2018| url = https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2018/06/28/doug-ford-disrupts-canadas-climate-policy}}
In November 2018, the Ford government announced that it was eliminating three provincial watchdog groups including the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO) to cut costs. Then Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO), Dianne Saxe, had just submitted her 4-volume 339 page 2018 Environmental Protection Report, entitled "Back to Basics, to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.{{cite report |url=https://docs.assets.eco.on.ca/reports/environmental-protection/2018/Back-to-Basics.pdf |first=Dianne |last=Saxe|title=Back to Basics: Respecting the Public's Voice on the Environment|date=November 2018}} Saxe was a "vocal critic" of the Ford government's "actions on climate change"—"their vow to fight a federal carbon tax, pulling out of more than 700 renewable energy contracts and moving to end the Ontario Green Energy Act."
Bill 57, also known as the Restoring Trust, Transparency and Accountability Act transferred the Environmental Commissioner Officer's duties to the Auditor General of Ontario.{{cite news |title=Ontario environment watchdogs say Doug Ford just gutted a law that protects your rights |url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/01/04/news/ontario-environment-watchdogs-say-doug-ford-just-gutted-law-protects-your-rights |newspaper=National Observer |first=Fatima |last=Syed}}{{cite news |title=Doug Ford's Climate Policy Is 'Very Frightening,' Watchdog Says |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2019/03/27/doug-fords-climate-policy-is-very-frightening-watchdog-says_a_23701437/ |work=Huffington Post and Canadian Press}}{{cite web |title=FAQs — Integrating the Work of the Environmental Commissioner into the Auditor General's Office |url=http://www.auditor.on.ca/en/content/downloads/ECO_FAQs_update.pdf |work=Auditor General, Government of Ontario }}
Ford's government withdrew the province from the Western Climate Initiative emissions trading system, which had been implemented by the previous Liberal government.Doug Ford government one of the most 'anti-environmental' in generations, says Green Party leader [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-climate-change-environment-plan-1.5104740, CBC News], Lisa Xing, Retrieved 22 May 2019
=Infrastructure=
As Minister, McNaughton introduced Bill 32, the Access to Natural Gas Act in the fall of 2018. It was passed into law that December. Bill 32 was intended to make it possible to expand access to natural gas expand access to natural gas throughout rural and Northern Ontario including to First Nations communities.{{Cite web|url=https://news.ontario.ca/moi/en/2018/12/affordable-heating-on-the-way-ontario-passes-legislation-to-expand-access-to-natural-gas.html|title=Affordable Heating on the Way: Ontario Passes Legislation to Expand Access to Natural Gas|website=news.ontario.ca|language=en|access-date=2019-04-13}}
Premier Ford said in a statement released on September 17, 2018 that "cancelling the cap-and-trade carbon tax" had caused the price of natural gas to decrease in Ontario. Premier Ford announced the new legislation and explained how it differed from the previous government's 2017 taxpayer-funded $100 million Natural Gas Grant Program—through which—according to Premier Ford, "private sector companies were limited from participating in natural gas expansion, portions of which were instead managed by the [Natural Gas Grant Program]." Bill 32, The Access to Natural Gas Act passed into law in 2018, to "encourage more private gas distributors to partner with communities to develop projects that expand access to affordable and efficient natural gas."{{Cite web| title = Affordable Heating on the Way: Ontario Passes Legislation to Expand Access to Natural Gas| work = news.ontario.ca| accessdate = 2019-10-13| url = https://news.ontario.ca/moi/en/2018/12/affordable-heating-on-the-way-ontario-passes-legislation-to-expand-access-to-natural-gas.html}}
On September 18, 2018, the city of North Bay learned that the Natural Gas Grant Program funding of over $8.6 million had been cancelled for a natural gas project that would have extended "services to as many as 350 homes in the north shore area of Trout Lake."{{Cite news| last = Young| first = Gord| title = Province pulls funding for natural gas project| work = North Bay Nugget|access-date=October 12, 2019| date = September 19, 2018| url = https://www.nugget.ca/news/local-news/province-pulls-funding-for-natural-gas-project}}
In January 2019, Minister McNaughton announced that the Ford government would provide $27 million to Northeast Midstream towards the construction of their Nipigon LNG gas plant. The plant would be capable of converting natural gas into a liquid form, that can be trucked to consumers. The project will create between 700 and 2,800 jobs in the region.{{Cite web|url=https://news.ontario.ca/moi/en/2019/01/province-bringing-jobs-and-affordable-heating-to-northern-ontario.html|title=Province Bringing Jobs and Affordable Heating to Northern Ontario|website=news.ontario.ca|language=en|access-date=2019-04-13}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/nipigon-lng-gas-plant-1.4993647|title='Big win' for northern Ontario says infrastructure minister of LNG plant for Nipigon|date=January 25, 2019|website=CBC|access-date=April 13, 2019}}
In May 2019, Minister McNaughton announced that the Ontario's Government "committed up to $63.7 million" to Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) with support from other levels of government.{{Cite news| title = Better Broadband Service Coming Soon to Lambton County| work = Government of Ontario News|access-date=October 13, 2019| date =May 24, 2019 | url = https://news.ontario.ca/moi/en/2019/05/better-broadband-service-coming-soon-to-lambton-county.html}} The not-for-profit, publicly-funded SWIFT project to develop a regional fibre optic network, has been one of the key initiatives of the Western Ontario Wardens' Caucus (WOWC) representing upper-tier municipalities in southern Ontario from Dufferin to Windsor.{{Cite web| title =Western Ontario Wardens' Caucus Inc. (WOWC)|access-date=October 13, 2019| date =February 12, 2016 | url = https://wowc.ca/tags/wowc}} Through SWIFT, federal, provincial and local municipalities "subsidize the construction of an open-access, high-speed broadband network in Southwestern Ontario, Caledon and the Niagara Region."{{Cite web| title = SWIFT: Ultra-high speed broadband for everyone|access-date=October 13, 2019| url = https://swiftruralbroadband.ca/}}
=COVID-19 pandemic=
{{main|COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario}}
== Initial outbreak ==
In December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China; it spread worldwide and was recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020 |title=WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 11 March 2020 |date=March 11, 2020 |publisher=World Health Organization |access-date=March 11, 2020 |archive-date=March 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200311212521/https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Coronavirus disease 2019 |url=https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 |publisher=World Health Organization |access-date=March 15, 2020 |archive-date=January 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130202553/https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 |url-status=live }} The first confirmed case in Canada was in Ontario—reported on January 27, 2020.{{Cite news|title=Canada's second confirmed presumptive case of coronavirus diagnosed in Canada; first case confirmed|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/second-presumptive-case-of-coronavirus-diagnosed-in-canada-first-case-confirmed-1.4784799|last=Ho|first=Solarina|website=CTV News|date=January 27, 2020|access-date=January 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127171921/https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/second-presumptive-case-of-coronavirus-diagnosed-in-canada-first-case-confirmed-1.4784799|archive-date=January 27, 2020|url-status=live}}
On March 17, Ford declared a state of emergency in Ontario,{{cite news |last1=Rodrigues |first1=Gabby |title=Ontario government declares state of emergency amid coronavirus pandemic |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/6688074/ontario-doug-ford-coronavirus-covid-19-march-17/ |access-date=17 March 2020 |work=Global News |agency=Corus Entertainment |date=March 17, 2020 |language=en-CA |archive-date=May 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526231729/https://globalnews.ca/news/6688074/ontario-doug-ford-coronavirus-covid-19-march-17/ |url-status=live }} closing bars and restaurants (with the exception of take-out and delivery services), as well as libraries, theatres, cinemas, schools and daycares and all public gatherings of more than 50 people (later reduced to 5 people on March 28).{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/coronavirus-covid-19-ontario-tuesday-1.5500006 |title=1st death confirmed in Ontario as province declares state of emergency over COVID-19 | CBC News |access-date=2020-03-17 |archive-date=September 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924012022/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/coronavirus-covid-19-ontario-tuesday-1.5500006 |url-status=live }} Furthermore, the government announced on March 17 that Ontario had "some evidence of community transmission" of COVID-19.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-waking-up-to-new-reality-amid-evidence-of-covid-19-community-spread-1.5499768 |title=Toronto waking up to new reality amid 'evidence' of COVID-19 community spread| first=Lauren| last=Pelley| url-status=live| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200320015455/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-waking-up-to-new-reality-amid-evidence-of-covid-19-community-spread-1.5499768| archive-date=March 20, 2020| date=March 17, 2020 |access-date=2020-03-17}}
On March 23, Ford announced that all "non-essential" businesses be ordered closed starting 11:59 p.m. On March 24. Ford also stated that schools would remain closed past the original April 6 opening date (on May 19 it was announced that schools would remain closed until the following school year in September).{{cite web| url = https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-schools-will-not-reopen-april-6-premier-says-1.4864551| title = Ontario schools will not reopen April 6, premier says| date = March 23, 2020| access-date = March 23, 2020| language = en| archive-date = March 23, 2020| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200323185123/https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-schools-will-not-reopen-april-6-premier-says-1.4864551| url-status = live}}{{cite web| url = https://nationalpost.com/news/covid-19-ontario-and-quebec-order-non-essential-businesses-closed-after-spike-in-coronavirus-totals| title = COVID-19: Ontario and Quebec order non-essential businesses closed after spike in coronavirus totals| date = March 23, 2020| access-date = March 23, 2020| archive-date = March 18, 2021| archive-url = http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20210318183825/https://nationalpost.com/news/covid%2D19%2Dontario%2Dand%2Dquebec%2Dorder%2Dnon%2Dessential%2Dbusinesses%2Dclosed%2Dafter%2Dspike%2Din%2Dcoronavirus%2Dtotals| url-status = live}} A list of 74 "essential" businesses was published later in the day on March 23.{{Cite web|url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ford-says-list-of-essential-businesses-amid-covid-19-pandemic-is-adjustable-1.4865528|title=Ford says list of essential businesses amid COVID-19 pandemic is 'adjustable'|date=2020-03-24|website=CTV News Toronto|language=en|access-date=2020-03-25|archive-date=March 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325181806/https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ford-says-list-of-essential-businesses-amid-covid-19-pandemic-is-adjustable-1.4865528|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-list-essential-businesses-1.5507687|title=Ontario government releases list of essential workplaces that can remain open|date=2020-03-23|website=CBC News|access-date=2020-03-23|archive-date=March 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325165046/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-list-essential-businesses-1.5507687|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-orders-all-non-essential-businesses-to-shut-down-1.4864492|title=Ontario orders all non-essential businesses to shut down|date=2020-03-23|website=CTV News Toronto|language=en|access-date=2020-03-23|archive-date=March 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325193928/https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-orders-all-non-essential-businesses-to-shut-down-1.4864492|url-status=live}}
On March 25, Ford and Finance Minister Rod Phillips introduced a $17-billion response package that includes an influx of cash for the health sector, direct payments to parents and tax breaks for businesses.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/2020-fiscal-update-1.5510186|title=Ontario introduces $17B COVID-19 package; more than doubles deficit in fiscal update|publisher=cbc.ca|date=March 25, 2020|access-date=March 26, 2020|archive-date=March 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200326180709/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/2020-fiscal-update-1.5510186|url-status=live}}
== Third wave ==
On April 9, 2021, Ford received his first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a local pharmacy in Toronto, and encouraged eligible Ontarians to get vaccinated.{{cite web|date=April 9, 2021|title=Ontario Premier Doug Ford receives first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine|url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-premier-doug-ford-receives-first-dose-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-1.5380718|publisher=ctvnews.ca|access-date=April 23, 2021|archive-date=April 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423210834/https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-premier-doug-ford-receives-first-dose-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-1.5380718|url-status=live}}
Amid growing case numbers in mid-2021, the government moved to introduce a third province-wide stay at home order. As part of the response, Ford announced on April 16, 2021, that outdoor amenities including playgrounds would be closed, and that he would be authorizing police to require pedestrians and drivers to explain why they are not at home and provide their home address and other relevant details.{{Cite web|title=COVID-19: Provincial borders to close, outdoor amenities shuttered as Ontario announces new restrictions|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/covid-19-ontario-reports-record-4812-new-cases-intense-cabinet-talks-over-new-restrictions|access-date=2021-04-19|website=ottawacitizen|language=en-CA|archive-date=April 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421233331/https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/covid-19-ontario-reports-record-4812-new-cases-intense-cabinet-talks-over-new-restrictions|url-status=live}} The regulations raised concerns about a re-legalization of carding.{{Cite web|title=COVID-19: Ontario's temporary increased police powers raise concerns about random stops, carding|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7765412/covid-19-ontario-temporary-police-powers-carding/|access-date=2021-04-19|website=Global News|language=en-US|archive-date=April 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425083530/https://globalnews.ca/news/7765412/covid-19-ontario-temporary-police-powers-carding/|url-status=live}} The government experienced significant backlash with the new enforcement measures, with some commentators – such as the National Post
Over the weekend following the introduction of new orders, calls for Ford's resignation over his handling of the COVID-19 crisis grew,{{Cite web|last=DiMatteo|first=Enzo|date=2021-04-20|title=Doug Ford goes MIA as calls for his resignation grow louder|url=https://nowtoronto.com/news/doug-ford-goes-mia-as-calls-for-his-resignation-grow-louder|access-date=2021-04-24|website=NOW Magazine|archive-date=April 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424203303/https://nowtoronto.com/news/doug-ford-goes-mia-as-calls-for-his-resignation-grow-louder|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=2021-04-20|title=Don Martin: It's time for adult supervision or a premier replacement in Doug Ford's Ontario|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/don-martin-it-s-time-for-adult-supervision-or-a-premier-replacement-in-doug-ford-s-ontario-1.5394887|access-date=2021-04-24|website=CTVNews|language=en|archive-date=April 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422233318/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/don-martin-it-s-time-for-adult-supervision-or-a-premier-replacement-in-doug-ford-s-ontario-1.5394887|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Moscrop|first=David|date=2021-04-18|title=Opinion: Doug Ford must resign|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/04/18/ontario-covid-lockdown-doug-ford-canada/|url-status=live|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=April 24, 2021|archive-date=April 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421201746/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/04/18/ontario-covid-lockdown-doug-ford-canada/}} In April 2021, Ford revealed that he had been in isolation following contact with one of his staffers, who had contracted COVID-19.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-20|title=Ontario Premier Doug Ford isolating in Toronto after staffer tests positive for COVID-19|url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-premier-doug-ford-isolating-in-toronto-after-staffer-tests-positive-for-covid-19-1.5395757|access-date=2021-04-24|website=Toronto|language=en|archive-date=April 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424004422/https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-premier-doug-ford-isolating-in-toronto-after-staffer-tests-positive-for-covid-19-1.5395757|url-status=live}} Ford announced on April 30, 2021, that he had asked the federal government to stop international students from coming into the province in an effort to curb the third wave.{{cite news |last1=MacCharles |first1=Tonda |title=Doug Ford asks Trudeau to stop all international students from coming to Ontario |url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2021/04/30/doug-ford-asks-trudeau-to-stop-all-international-students-from-coming-to-ontario.html |agency=Toronto Star |access-date=April 30, 2021 |archive-date=April 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430200925/https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2021/04/30/doug-ford-asks-trudeau-to-stop-all-international-students-from-coming-to-ontario.html |url-status=live }}
== Omicron variant ==
During the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in December 2021 and January 2022, Ford's government announced in December 2021 new restrictions on indoor settings.{{cite news |date=15 December 2021 |title=Ontario opens up booster shots for 18 and up starting Monday, announces new capacity limits |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-19-ontario-dec-15-2021-booster-announcement-1.6286537 |work=CBC News |location=Toronto |access-date=13 November 2022}} After growing calls for third or booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines, the government allowed all Ontarians over 18 years of age to receive a third dose on December 20, 2021.{{cite news |last=Thomas |first=Ashleigh-Rae |date=20 December 2021 |title=Booster shots are now available for people 18 plus in Ontario, but things are off to a bumpy start |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/12/20/third-covid-19-shots-are-now-available-for-people-18-plus-heres-what-finding-one-looked-like-this-morning.html |work=Toronto Star |access-date=13 November 2022}}
On January 3, 2022, Ford announced that Ontario would be moving into modified Step 2 on January 5, closing indoor dining, gyms, movie theatres and schools.{{cite news |title=Indoor dining banned, gyms to close Wednesday as Ontario announces new COVID-19 restrictions |url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/01/02/ontario-covid19-restrictions-doug-ford/ |date=2 January 2021|access-date=3 January 2022 |agency=CityNews}}
=Disputes with other politicians=
In October 2023, Ford publicly stated that MPP Sarah Jama had a "long and well-documented history of antisemitism" and "hateful views", and that she "publicly support[ed] the rape and murder of innocent Jewish people," and called for her to resign.{{Cite web|url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/canadians-react-sarah-jamas-hamas-attack-israel-palestine-gaza-235413483.html|title='It's not what she said, but what she did not say': Canadians weigh in on MPP Sarah Jama's stance on Israel, Palestine|date=11 October 2023|website=Yahoo News}}{{Cite web |last=Ford |first=Doug |date=11 October 2023 |title=Doug Ford on X |url=https://twitter.com/fordnation/status/1712140367573791125 |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=X (formerly Twitter) |language=en}} In response, Jama served Ford's office a cease and desist letter and threatened to sue him for libel.{{Cite web |title=MPP Sarah Jama threatens to sue Premier Doug Ford over Israel-Hamas comments |author=Colin D'Mello & Isaac Callan|date=20 October 2023 |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10035417/mpp-sarah-jama-threatens-suit-doug-ford/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}
In April 2024, Doug Ford called for the reversal of the Speaker's ban on wearing keffiyeh in the legislature, which was imposed after an unidentified MPP complained about Sarah Jama donning a Palestinian keffiyeh at the start of the Gaza war.{{cite web | url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/vote-fails-to-overturn-kaffiyeh-ban-in-ontario-legislature/article_8a2ffa02-fd88-11ee-b54f-7fbcfa86193f.html | title=Vote fails to overturn kaffiyeh ban in Ontario legislature | website=Toronto Star | date=April 19, 2024 }} The motion to overrule the ban did not receive unanimous consent and remained in effect.{{cite web | url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ford-reiterates-call-for-queen-s-park-keffiyeh-ban-reversal-stiles-motion-to-allow-garment-fails-1.6852437 | title=Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails | date=April 18, 2024 }}
References
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External links
- [https://www.ontario.ca/page/premier Premier of Ontario Official Site]
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