Doug Ford | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ford in 2024 | |
| 26th Premier of Ontario | |
| Assumed office June 29, 2018 | |
| Monarchs | |
| Lieutenant Governor | |
| Deputy | |
| Preceded by | Kathleen Wynne |
| Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs | |
| Assumed office June 29, 2018 | |
| Premier | Himself |
| Preceded by | Kathleen Wynne |
| Leader of theProgressive Conservative Party of Ontario | |
| Assumed office March 10, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Vic Fedeli (interim) |
| Member of theOntario Provincial Parliament forEtobicoke North | |
| Assumed office June 7, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Shafiq Qaadri |
| Toronto City Councillor forWard 2 Etobicoke North | |
| In office December 1, 2010 – November 30, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Rob Ford |
| Succeeded by | Rob Ford |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Douglas Robert Ford Jr. (1964-11-20)November 20, 1964 (age 60) Etobicoke,Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Spouse | Karla Middlebrook Ford |
| Children | 4 (includingKrista) |
| Parents |
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| Relatives |
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| Residence(s) | Princess Gardens, Etobicoke, Toronto |
| Alma mater | Humber College (no degree)[1] |
| Occupation |
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| Website | fordmpp |
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|---|---|---|
Toronto City Councillor | ||
Douglas Robert Ford Jr.MPP (born November 20, 1964) is a Canadian politician and businessman who has served as the 26th and currentpremier of Ontario and leader of theProgressive Conservative Party since 2018. He represents theTorontoriding ofEtobicoke North in theLegislative Assembly of Ontario.
With his brother Randy, Ford co-ownsDeco Labels and Tags, a printing business operating in Canada and the United States founded by their father,Doug Ford Sr., who served as aMember of Provincial Parliament (MPP) from 1995 to 1999. Ford was aToronto city councillor forWard 2 Etobicoke North from 2010 to 2014 at the same time that his brother,Rob Ford, wasmayor of Toronto. Ford ran for the2014 Toronto mayoral election, where he placed second behindJohn Tory.
In 2018, Ford entered provincial politics and won theProgressive Conservative leadership election. He led the PCs to three consecutivemajority victories in the2018,2022, and2025 general elections. As premier, Ford decreased the size of the Toronto city council, established the Low-income Individuals and Families Tax credit (LIFT), responded to theCOVID-19 pandemic, granted extra powers to designated Ontario mayors through theStrong Mayors, Building Homes Act, passed theYour Health Act (Bill 60) to expand the use of private healthcare services, and grappled with controversies from theGreenbelt scandal. Although Ford's rhetoric and policies were characterized asconservative in his early years as premier, since 2020 political commentators have noted a shift to thepolitical centre and a more co-operative attitude towards thefederal government.
Born inEtobicoke, Ontario, Ford was the second of four children ofDoug Bruce Ford Sr. and Ruth Diane Ford (née Campbell).[2][3][4] His paternal grandparents wereEnglish immigrants.[5] He graduated grade twelve fromScarlett Heights Collegiate Institute.[6] He then attendedHumber College for two months before dropping out with no diploma.[7][8][9]
In the 1990s, Ford became involved in the running ofDeco Labels and Tags, a business co-founded by his father in 1962.[10][11] The company makes pressure-sensitive labels for plastic-wrapped grocery products.[12] Doug Jr. became president of the company in 2002 and was responsible for the company's expansion intoChicago.[11] Nearing his death, his father divided up the company, leaving 40 percent to Doug Jr., 40 percent to Randy and 20 percent to Rob. In 2008, Doug Jr. launched the purchase of Wise Tag and Label inNew Jersey and fired Wise Tag's manager. Former Deco employees suggest that the Chicago branch was well-managed under Doug Jr., and that he was well-liked but that the company declined under Randy's leadership after Doug Jr. entered politics in 2010.[13][11] As of 2011[update], Ford and his mother were directors of the company, managed by his brother Randy.[12][14]
Ford's first involvement in politics came whenDoug Holyday approached Deco to print stickers for signs for his1994 mayoral campaign in Etobicoke. Ford took it upon himself to canvass for Holyday.[15] He then assisted in his father's campaigns as a PC MPP candidate in1995 and1999.[16] He also ran his brother Rob's council campaigns in 2000, 2003, and 2006, and Rob's winning mayoral campaign in 2010.[4]
On October 25, 2010, Ford was elected as councillor to Toronto City Council in Ward 2. He succeeded his brother, Rob, who ran successfully for mayor of Toronto. Upon election, Doug Ford announced that he would donate his $100,000 annual salary to community organizations.[17]
As a city councillor, Ford voted to privatize garbage pickup west of Yonge Street,[clarification needed] declare theToronto Transit Commission an essential service, reduce the office budget of city councillors and eliminate the vehicle registration tax.[18]
While on city council, Ford served on the board of Build Toronto,[19] an arm's-length city body responsible for developing and selling city land. He was also a director of theCanadian National Exhibition, and served on the Budget Committee, the Civic Appointments Committee and the Government Management Committee at Council.[20]
Ford was a member of the board of Toronto Transit Infrastructure Limited, a corporation set up to finance aSheppard Avenue subway extension, which Council later cancelled. In 2011, Ford promoted an alternative plan for thePort Lands district of Toronto, including amonorail, a boat-in hotel, the world's largestFerris wheel and amega-mall.[21] The plan was ridiculed in the media and council voted it down—including by members of the mayoral executive committee.[22]
Ford caused controversy after revealing that his brother Rob would be served asubpoena if Rob's friend and driver Alexander Lisi went to court over charges of extortion.[23] Ford commented that the subpoena was in "payback" for Toronto Police ChiefBill Blair's not getting a contract renewal with theToronto Police Service, saying "This is why we need a change at the top", in regards to Blair's contract.[24] Blair filed a defamation lawsuit, demanding a written apology in exchange for dropping the suit. Ford apologized and retracted the comments.[25]
An investigative report byThe Globe and Mail published in May 2013 alleged that Ford had soldhashish atJames Gardens for several years in the 1980s,[26][27] based on interviews withanonymous sources.[28] Ford, who had never been charged with drug possession or trafficking, denied the allegations[29] and accused the newspaper of unfairly targeting his brother, then-mayorRob Ford. The newspaper defended its report and its use of anonymous sources at anOntario Press Council hearing,[27][30] which dismissed complaints against the newspaper and found that its coverage was "fair and ethical".[31] Ford said at the time that he planned to sue the newspaper for libel.[32] When asked in a 2018 interview why he had not sued, he replied that he had decided a lawsuit would be a "waste of time".[33]
Ford opposed a house for developmentally disabled youth in his ward, saying the home had "ruined the community".[34]
In June 2013, Ford announced that he would not run for re-election as councillor in the next Toronto election, scheduled for 2014: "I won't be running next time, at least down here I won't be running, I'll be running away from this place in 16 months", expressing his frustration with municipal politics.[35] It was speculated at the time that Ford may be a Progressive Conservative candidate for a future Ontario election, or interested in the leadership of the PCs.[36] On February 20, 2014, after meeting with PC leaderTim Hudak, Ford announced that he would not be a candidate in thenext provincial election, which was called for June 12, 2014, so that he could focus on his brother's re-election campaign. Ford explained, "The timing right now just doesn't work."[37]
After his brother Rob entered drug rehab in May 2014, Ford commented that he would not rule out running for mayor.[38] Rob returned from rehab and continued his campaign for mayor, but withdrew after he was diagnosed with an abdominal tumour and hospitalized. Doug Ford then entered the mayoral campaign in the last hour before the nomination deadline on September 12, 2014.[39] Comments Ford made during the campaign received criticism for allegedbigotry, such asmisogyny andantisemitism, and critics accused him ofconflict of interest and of drug dealing in the past.[40] Though voters viewed the brothers as having the same ideological stance and gave them similar levels of support,[41] Rob's drug scandal received little attention with regard to Doug's campaign.[42]
Ford's campaign got the attention ofLast Week Tonight'sJohn Oliver, who closed an episode begging Torontonians to vote for Doug Ford for the world's amusement.[43] Doug Ford maintained the support that Rob had in the polls and made no significant ground against frontrunner John Tory, but maintained his lead overOlivia Chow. Ford lost the election to Tory, having 34 percent of the support compared to Tory's 40 percent. Ford's campaign was fined $11,950 for placing 478 illegal lawn signs during the campaign, including placing signs on theDon Valley Parkway, theGardiner Expressway, and on civic buildings and parks.[44]
Following his unsuccessful mayoral candidacy, there was speculation that Ford would become a candidate for theleadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. Ford told reporters: "It's on the table, I would really consider it", and added: "Our campaign is ready to go. Our people are itching to get involved. We are miles ahead of the other candidates."[45] On November 27, 2014, Ford announced that he would not be a candidate for the position and endorsed the candidacy of family friendChristine Elliott.[46]
In December 2016, the City of Toronto's integrity commissioner concluded that Ford broke the city's code of conduct when he was a councillor finding that Ford improperly used his influence in municipal matters pertaining to two companies that were clients of his family's company. Integrity Commissioner Valerie Jepson ruled that: "Councillor Ford took no steps to establish clear lines of separation between his responsibilities as a member of Council and his duties as a principal of Deco."[47]
Since Ford was no longer a councillor by the time the ruling was issued, the commissioner did not recommend any sanctions for Ford.[48]
On September 9, 2017, Ford announced at his family's annual barbecue that he would run for mayor of Toronto inthe 2018 election, saying "this one's for you, Robbie", referring to his younger brother Rob who had died the previous year.[49] Ford said that his opponent, John Tory, was "all talk and broken promises".[50] On February 1, 2018, Ford announced that he no longer planned to run for mayor that year because he intended to focus entirely on his campaign for Ontario PC leader.[51]
| Candidate | Doug Ford |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario |
| Status | Won |
| Headquarters | Toronto |
| Slogan | Strong Party, Strong Ontario |
| Website | fordforleader |
Following the sudden resignation ofPatrick Brown on January 25, 2018, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario announced a new leader would need to be chosen before the2018 Ontario general election in June. Ford was the first candidate to announce, on January 29, that he would seek the leadership of the party.[52][53] On January 31, 2018, Ford announced he would seek the PC nomination in Etobicoke North and run for the seat in the 2018 election.[54] He was one of the four official candidates running for the PC leadership along withChristine Elliott,Caroline Mulroney, andTanya Granic Allen.[55]
Ford promised to represent the interests of Northern Ontario in Queen's Park. He called his opponents "insiders" and "political elites", who did not represent the interests of the residents of Northern Ontario like he could. Ford pledged several northern-focused policy initiatives including moving forward with resource development in theNorthern Ontario Ring of Fire and reinstating theOntario Northland Railway'sNorthlander train service.[56]
Ford called the Ontario health care system "broken" while relating the hospital experience of his brother Rob. He explained that Rob fell while being guided to a chair, and as the hospital was understaffed, Doug had to rush down eleven floors to find security guards to help. He stated that the province should support transportation to allow Northern Ontarians to travel quickly and easily to the south to receive medical care and should increase provincial support for Ontario's small and medium-sized hospitals.[56][57]
Polling results ahead of the leadership ballot were mixed. A FebruaryIpsos/Global News poll found that Ford had the most support of all the PC leadership candidates in Toronto and would beat the Liberals in the city by nine points, but a Mainstreet poll showed him doing only marginally better than the other PC candidates except Patrick Brown, and a Forum Research poll suggested he would have less support than the other candidates.[58]
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On March 10, Ford won the PC leadership on the third ballot. The results were too close to call and there was a dispute over whether some votes were allocated to the correct electoral districts, so the announcement was not made at the originally scheduled convention. A news conference was held later that night after a recount was completed. Elliott conceded the next day and endorsed Ford as leader.[55]
On March 27, 2018, Ford wasnamed the party's candidate inEtobicoke North.[59]
In March 2018, the Liberals tabled a pre-election budget in the provincial legislature which promised billions of dollars in new spending for free childcare and expanded coverage fordental care but replaced the government's previousbalanced budget with a $6.7 billiondeficit projected to last until 2024–2025.[60] Ford called the budget a "spending spree".[61] He said he would condense the Conservative platform adopted under former leader Patrick Brown, reducing "about ten percent of [it]",[62] into a five-point plan focusing on health, education, creating jobs, getting rid of the province'scap and trade program for carbon emissions, and reducing electricity rates.[63][64][65]
Ford was critical of thesex education components of the Ontario health curriculum which was updated in 2015, and stated that he believed it needed to be reviewed.[66][67] He suggested that minors should be required to consult their parents before obtaining anabortion, and indicated he would allow the introduction of aprivate member's bill requiring parental consent.[68] In terms of economic policy, Ford said he would revive manufacturing in Ontario by easing regulations, cutting taxes, and ensuring competitive electricity rates.[63] Ford criticized the Liberal government for not proceeding quickly enough to develop theNorthern Ontario Ring of Fire, saying that he'd get on a bulldozer himself if necessary.[69][70]
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Ford announced at an April 3 rally inHamilton, Ontario, that if elected his government would allowHamilton City Council to reallocate the $1.3 billion allocated forthe city's proposed rapid transit system to roads or other infrastructure.[71] Hamilton mayorFred Eisenberger responded saying that city council had already decided the issue and that cancelling the LRT would mean $100 million would "be thrown away".[72]
Ford and the PC Party received the endorsement of former Toronto mayorMel Lastman and former Mississauga mayorHazel McCallion. In the media, Ford was compared to U.S. PresidentDonald Trump.[73][74][75]The Guardian described Ford as a "businessman turned anti-establishment politician", a "son of a wealthy entrepreneur" who "rails against elites" and "often shuns expertise", while noting a sharp difference with Trump by pointing out that during his 2014 Toronto mayoral campaign "Ford drummed up strong support among some of the city's most diverse neighbourhoods, suggesting his populist touch resonates with immigrants and racialized minorities who have traditionally self-identified as disenfranchised".[74] Ford rejected the comparisons while praising some of Trump's policies. Late in the campaign, the race became a battle between the PCs and theOntario NDP.[76]
Ford led the PC Party to a majority government in the general election held on June 7, 2018, taking 76 of 124 seats in theLegislative Assembly of Ontario,[77] including his own riding ofEtobicoke North.[78] Ford had been PC leader for less than 100 days when his party won the election.[79]
Ford was sworn in as premier on June 29, 2018, incorporating a ceremony outdoors on the lawn ofQueen's Park.[80] Ford is the first newly elected MPP to take office as premier sinceMitch Hepburn did so in 1934.[81]
Ford's government cancelled the basic income pilot project.[82] He opposes the laying off of government workers. He supports the use of attrition to eliminate government jobs that he believes are not needed.[83] Ford believes in hiring independent auditors to audit government spending.[84][85] Jay Goldberg of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation labelled Ford's spending excessive and noted Ontario's large debt increases under his government.[86]
Ford campaigned on "buck-a-beer" and reduced the minimum price of beer from $1.25 to $1.[87] The program saw low adoption by breweries and resellers.[88] As a result of lowering the price floor, a regulation that capped annual increases in pricing that was tied to theConsumer Price Index (CPI) was also eliminated and is projected to result in increased prices overall.[89]
On November 15, 2018, Finance MinisterVic Fedeli tabled the 2018 Ontario Economic Outlook[90] which included a tax cut representing as much as $850 a year for individuals and $1,700 for couples. LIFT would mean that a single person working full-time in minimum wage job, would pay no provincial personal income tax.[91] Minimum wage workers would still pay federal income tax which represents 75 percent of the tax rate.[92] LIFT is a variation on Ford's promise to cut taxes on those making less than $30,000 a year.[92] The amount of the tax credit applies only to minimum wage earners with full-time jobs. An individual who works part-time at $20 an hour but only earns $20,000 a year, would not be eligible.[92] Economist Sheila Block said that a $15 minimum wage would represent about $1,100 more a year for low income earners than Ford's tax credit.[92] In September 2018, Ford's government froze the minimum wage at $14 per hour and cancelled a planned increase.[93]
On June 15, 2018, then premier-designate, Ford announced in a statement that one of the first actions of his newly formed cabinet would be to eliminate the province'scap and trade program under the 2016Climate Change Mitigation and Low-Carbon Economy Act, apolluter pay bill that "generated funds forclimate change mitigation andadaptation,"[94] put in place by the Liberal government.[95][96] As premier, through theCap and Trade Cancellation Act, 2018 which was tabled on July 25, 2018, Ford repealed cap and trade as part of his promise to lower gasoline prices by 10 cents per litre.[95][97][98] A court later ruled that as Ontario'sEnvironmental Bill of Rights required the government hold public consultations before removing the program, the government's unilateral decision broke the law.[99] As federal law requires provinces to have in place their own pollution pricing system, as a result of Ontario withdrawing from theWestern Climate Initiative, a carbon tax was automatically imposed on the province.[100]
Ford had warned that the imposition of the federal carbon tax would result in an increase in the price of gas in Ontario. According to fuel price analyst Patrick DeHaan, the average retail price of gas increased from 114.3 cents per litre before the carbon tax to "117.9 cents on April 1, the first day of the new tax" and 125.3 cents per litre in mid-July. There has been a 9.2 per cent drop in gasoline prices across Canada over the last year, according to the July 17, 2019Statistics Canada report which resulted in inflation falling nationally in June 2019 to 2.0 per cent. DeHaan said that in July 2018 the average price of gas in Ontario had been 130.1 cents per litre.[101] He added that the retail price of gas reflects the drop in the price of oil prices from US$72 per barrel to US$60 a barrel in 2019 and is not related to the carbon tax.[101] As a result,rebates for electric vehicles funded through the program were cancelled,[102] and a program known as the Green Ontario Fund, which was financed by the proceeds of cap-and-trade auctions and aimed to help homeowners reduce their carbon footprint and reduce hydro bills, was eliminated.[103]
In July, Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau said that provinces that do not adopt acarbon pricing mechanism by September 1, 2018, would be subject to a federal carbon tax of $20/tonne starting in January 2019.[104] Ontario's "fiscal watchdog"[91] and other analysts said that the province will have to refund an estimated $3 billion in carbon credits over four years purchased under the cap and trade program.[105] By mid-November 2018,The Globe and Mail reported that the Ontario government had "lost $2.7-billion in revenue" which included the $1.5-billion loss of revenue from the elimination of the cap-and-trade program.[91]
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Ford has worked with the premiers ofSaskatchewan,Manitoba andNew Brunswick to fight the federal government's carbon tax legislation,[106] and has also supported campaigns to repeal the carbon tax led byfederal Conservative Party leaderAndrew Scheer and AlbertaUnited Conservative Party leaderJason Kenney.[107] Ford believes the federalGreenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, which imposes acarbon tax on provinces that do not have their ownpollution pricing regime is unconstitutional.[100] He committed $30 million to challenge the federal legislation, $4 million of which was spent on anti-carbon pricing advertisements including printing anti-carbon pricing stickers and imposing fines for gas station owners failing to display the stickers.[108] The province mandating the display of the stickers was later ruled to be itself unconstitutional, in violation ofsection 2(b) of theCanadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees business owners'freedom of expression.[109]
On March 25, 2021, theSupreme Court of Canada ruled that the constitution allows for the federal government to introduce pollution pricing on behalf of provinces who do not have their own regime.[110][111]
While Doug Ford promised a balanced budget in 2018, the Ontario debt has increased by $86 billion since Ford took office as of December 2024.[112] This is an increase much greater than his predecessor's, whose budget Ford criticized.[86] At the same time, Ontario's high income taxes have been called 'uncompetitive' by critics, with some also highlighting unnecessary spending by the government.[113][114]
In 2018, Ford expressed support for publicly funded healthcare and a belief that funding should be increased to create 30,000 additional long-term care beds.[115] In 2020, Ford's government spent $3.5 billion less on health care than budgeted.[116]
In 2018, Ford said he believes that the provincial government should fully subsidize dental costs for low-income seniors,[117] something he enacted in 2019 as theOntario Seniors Dental Care Program.[118] The federal government also later enacted theCanadian Dental Care Plan, which partially subsidized dental care for qualifying individuals with a household income under 90k. Applications were open to seniors, kids and teens, and adults with qualifying disabilities as of December 2024.[119]
The Ford government introduced theOntario Health agency in 2019, with the goal of centralizing services.[120] The province expects to save $350 million a year by 2021–22.[121]
The introduction of the agency has been criticized however, as a similar approach was introduced inAlberta, which has the highest per capita healthcare spending in the country,[122] with the NDP noting that "InBritish Columbia and in Alberta, health centralization wasted billions of dollars",[123] and it wasted "time, money and energy on reshaping the health bureaucracy" rather than providing "specific solutions to well-identified problems."[124]
Ford has been accused of attempting to privatize healthcare in the province of Ontario.[125][126][127] In August 2022, Ford suggested additional private deliveries of healthcare in order to supplement existing public healthcare in response to a hospital staff shortage throughout Ontario.[125]
In May 2023, Ford's government passed Bill 60, also known as theYour Health Act, to allow private clinics to perform more surgeries (including cataract surgeries, minimally invasive gynecological surgeries and eventually knee and hip replacements) and procedures (including MRI and CT scans) covered by theOntario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).Health MinisterSylvia Jones argued the legislation was necessary to reduce the province's large surgical backlog (according to the province, more than 200,000 Ontarians have been waiting for surgeries). Ford's government said new clinics must apply for a licence to operate and include thorough staffing plans "to protect the stability of doctors, nurses and other health-care workers at public hospitals" as part of their applications. To ensure that quality and safety standards are met at every clinic, the government declared that it will name "expert organizations" to collaborate with Ontario Health and theMinistry of Health. If necessary, the ministry or the director of this third party may order an examination of a facility.[128][129]
The Ontario government was also found to be paying for-profit clinics more for publicly funded surgeries than they do for hospitals. Ford and his health minister have said that this is a cost-efficient method of expanding healthcare, but the chief of surgery at an Ontario hospital called the overpayment 'egregious'.[130]
In 2023, Ontario saw 1,199 ER closures, mostly impacting rural areas.[131] This problem further increased in 2024, to nearly 15,000 hours of ER or urgent care closures. The main reasons cited were staff shortages, specifically of nurses, which combined accounted for 96% of closures. The Ford government pledged $44 million in July 2023 to combat the closures and $500 million in November 2024 for educating more nurses and specialized training for current ones.[132]
Immediately after taking office in 2018, Ford proposed to cut 3,475 Ontario teaching jobs over four years to save $292 million a year,[133] Ford also cancelled the Green Ontario Fund residential rebate program which included a $100 million fund for public school repair, and an initiative to add indigenous peoples content to school curriculum,[134][135] and eliminated free tuition for low-income students (while reducing tuition fees by 10 per cent),[136]
On July 11, 2018, Ford announced that Ontario's health curriculum includingsexual education components, updated by the previous government in 2015, would be reverted to the 1998 curriculum before the next school year.[137] He pledged to create a new sex-education curriculum after consulting with parents and teachers.[138] Ford stated the sex-education curriculum needed to be changed because it was not age-appropriate and not based on enough consultation.[139] However, his 2019 curriculum was largely similar to the 2015 version, save for allowing parents to opt-out.[140]
Ford believes that financial literacy education should be expanded and included in school curricula,[141] and believes Ontario's math curriculum should dropdiscovery learning and put a greater emphasis onarithmetic and memorization of themultiplication table.[142]
Ford used back-to-work legislation to endthe 2018 strike atYork University prior to the start of the 2018–2019 school year.[143] The strike had gone on for over four months, making it the longest post-secondary strike in Canadian history. Ford ordered all public universities and colleges in Ontario to develop free-speech policies that meet his government's expectations and stated that universities and colleges that do not comply will face funding reductions.[144]
By June 2019, the Ford government had removed or decreased funding for "school programs like after-school jobs for youth in low-income neighbourhoods", "tutors in classrooms", "daily physical activity for elementary students", "financial assistance for college and university students", "free tuition for low-income students", and "three satellite university campuses". He also "increased class sizes" and "cancelled three summer curriculum-writing sessions—one mandated by theTruth and Reconciliation Commission and two others.[145]
Ford's government introduced Bill 28, known as theKeeping Students in Class Act,[146] which was passed by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on November 3, 2022, amid ongoing labour negotiations with theCanadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).[147] CUPE had given notice of job action October 30 after negotiations broke down with theMinistry of Education, and would have been in a legal strike position on November 4.[148] Bill 28 imposes a contract on CUPE, and makes it illegal to strike, setting fines of $4000 for workers.[148] The bill invokes thenotwithstanding clause, shielding it from being struck down by the courts by allowing the bill to operate despite the right to collective bargaining granted by theCanadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.[148][149] The legislation was widely condemned, including by opposition parties, theCanadian Civil Liberties Association, Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau,Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaDavid Lametti, theOntario Bar Association, and other unions including those which had previously endorsed the PC Party.[149][150][151][152]
Despite the government's bill, CUPE went on strike anyway, resulting in province-wide school closures and protests in support of education workers.[153][154] The government challenged CUPE at theOntario Labour Relations Board.[154] On November 7, 2022, Ford announced that he would rescind Bill 28[155] and that he would resume negotiations with CUPE.[156] Following the strike, Ford said he did not regret his use of the notwithstanding clause in imposing the contract and said that it helped both sides "come to their senses".[157]
Prior to his election as premier, Ford was a Toronto city councillor during the tenure of his brother, Rob Ford, as mayor of Toronto. In 2014, Doug took over this brother's mayoral campaign, running against Olivia Chow and eventual winner John Tory.
Provincially, Ford's riding as a member of Provincial Parliament is in the Toronto suburb of Etobicoke.
Doug Ford has also been accused of meddling in Toronto's politics, such as through his policies of Toronto-specific bike lane removals and shrinking the city council.[158]
Ford believes that the constitution does not prevent provincial governments from changing the size of municipal councils, even after an election campaign has already begun.[159] After his government's legislation to reduce the number of wards represented atToronto City Council was ruled unconstitutional, Ford pledged to invokesection 33's notwithstanding clause of theCanadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which would allow him to bypass theCharter and implement the legislation regardless of the court's ruling.[159] The Ontario Court of Appeal later ruled in Ford's favour and allowed his modification to the council. The matter was further appealed by theCity of Toronto and is now under consideration by the Supreme Court.[160]
Ford is a proponent of subways. He believed that the provincial government should assume control over theToronto subway.[161] In February 2020, Ford and Toronto Mayor John Tory signed a preliminary agreement which would see the province assume "sole responsibility for the planning, design and construction" forOntario Line, the three-stopLine 2 subway extension intoScarborough, theYonge North subway extension and theEglinton Crosstown west extension.[162] In 2020, construction began on theHurontario LRT line in Mississauga and Brampton,[163] with all of the subway projects beginning procurement or construction by June 2024.[164]
Ford has been criticized for failing to open the Eglinton Crosstown, which reached its 14th year of construction in 2024. This prompted calls for a public inquiry by local city councillors.[165]
In 2019, the government announced that it would adjust the cost-sharing arrangement forToronto Public Health andToronto Paramedic Services resulting in retroactive cuts that would total $177 million a year and $1 billion cut in Toronto over 10 years.[166][167] The cuts were criticized by City officials including Medical Officer of HealthEileen de Villa,Health board chairJoe Cressy, and Mayor John Tory.[168] The City projected that the additional financial pressure resulting from would result in further cuts to municipal services or increased taxes.[167] Amidst backlash, Ford announced that the province would keep the cost-sharing arrangement and re-evaluate it at the end of the fiscal year.[167]
On December 6, 2018, the Ford government tabled its omnibus bill, Bill 66. The bill allows municipalities to request a provincial government override of any regulations that currently deter businesses from locating in the region.[169][170][171] Ford's political opponents and groups that promote environmental protection raised concerns that the "opaque", "vague language" in Bill 66 could mean clean water regulations and other bylaws that protect environmentally sensitive land could be bypassed.[169] According to a December 7Globe and Mail article, under Bill 66, municipalities would only be required to obtain permission from theminister of municipal affairs, to override sections of the 2006Clean Water Act, the 2015Great Lakes Protection Act, the 2006Lake Simcoe Protection Act, and the 2005Greenbelt Act.[172]
In September 2022, Ford's government passed theStrong Mayors, Building Homes Act that grants extra powers to themayor of Toronto and themayor of Ottawa within theirmayor–council governments. The Act grants the mayors ofToronto andOttawa direct control over the drafting of city budgets; the appointments and dismissals of theircity managers and department leaders (except police chiefs, fire chiefs, or auditors general);vetoes over laws that may conflict with provincial priorities (which may be overturned if asupermajority of two-thirds of city councillors voted to do so); and the creation and reorganisation of municipal administrative departments.[173][174]
Before Ford was first elected in 2018, a video emerged of him informing developers that he would "open up a big chunk of theGreenbelt" if elected.[175] After a public outcry, Ford said he would replace any removed land and that his goal was to increase supply to reduce housing costs. Pre-election, Ford also pledged not to remove rent control, stating, "I have listened to the people, and I won't take rent control away from anyone. Period. When it comes to rent control, we're going to maintain the status quo." After taking office, rent control for all newly built or newly converted rental units was removed to "encourage builders to build purpose-driven rental apartments."[176] After re-election in 2022, and amidst a worsening housing and affordability crisis, Ford became embroiled in controversy over properties released from Greenbelt protection.[177] One developer had purchased property shortly before the decision was made. A total of 7,400 acres of Greenbelt land was removed, while 9,400 acres of land was added[178] "which have lesser conservation value and were already protected from development through other measures."[179]
Ford has disagreed with criticism regarding his friendships with developers, saying, "no one can influence the Fords".[180] Specifically, he called questions about the optics of developers attending his daughter's pre-wedding party in August 2022, "ridiculous". Ford sought clearance for the event from the Integrity Commissioner in January 2023.[181] In February 2023, the Ontario Provincial Police anti-rackets branch were still looking into complaints about his government's decision to open up a portion of the Greenbelt for development.[182] The OPP asked the RCMP to take over the file in August 2023, in order to avoid any perceived conflict of interest.[183]
On August 9, 2023, the Auditor General released a report on the Greenbelt swap-out which found the government's flawed process had favoured certain developers who stood to earn over $8 billion.[184] The AG also confirmed that alterations to the Greenbelt were not necessary to reach Ontario's housing target and that Housing MinisterSteve Clark's chief of staff "failed to consider environmental, agricultural and financial risks and impacts".[185] Calls from the opposition for Clark to resign were resisted by Ford and Clark himself, but Clark's chief of staff stepped down. At the end of August, Ontario's Integrity Commissioner found Clark had broken ethics rules, and on September 4, Clark tendered his resignation and was replaced byPaul Calandra.[186] The following day, Ford reiterated he would follow 14 of the Auditor General's 15 recommendations but would proceed with allowing the construction of affordable homes under $500,000 for "newcomers and young people" on the Greenbelt.[187] He also stated more applications to remove land from the Greenbelt would be reviewed.[188] He did not answer a reporter's question about reinstating rent control, nor did he comment on calls from First Nation Chiefs across Ontario to return traditional territories to the Greenbelt.[189]
On September 20, another minister from Ford's cabinet, Kaleed Rasheed, resigned over his relationship with a developer involved in the Greenbelt land swap.[190] The next day, Ford announced that after continuous backlash from constituents and two reports regarding the flawed process of opening the Greenbelt he would reverse his decision to open the Greenbelt to development. He apologized to the people of Ontario and promised to encourage building within urban boundaries.[191]
On October 10, the RCMP announced it was opening a criminal investigation into the allegations around developer favouritism in the Greenbelt land swap process used by the Province of Ontario.[192]
On October 16, Minister Calandra tabled a bill that would restore the Greenbelt lands removed in 2022 and that any future changes to the Greenbelt would have to go through the legislature.[193]
In September 2024, it was reported that the Ford government was working on legislation to restrict the construction of newbike lanes that would require the removal of lanes for motor vehicles.[194][195][196] While speaking with reporters, he stated his belief that bike lanes increased congestion and emergency vehicle times (though the City of Toronto has disputed that claim[197]), and that they should be built on side streets rather than major arterial roads.[198] In October 15, Ford announced that any such lanes would require provincial approval to be built, and that municipalities would need to demonstrate that the lanes would not have a "negative impact on vehicle traffic".[199] He also announced that he would remove bike lanes from some arterial streets, such asBloor Street, Yonge Street, andUniversity Avenue in Toronto.
[200] This bill, named theReducing Gridlock, Saving you Time Act also shielded the government from any lawsuits related to cyclist deaths, and passed on November 25, 2024.[201][202] When Toronto bureaucrats estimated that the removal of the bike lanes would cost approximately $48 million dollars, Ford called their estimate "hogwash" and reiterated his claims that the bike lanes were responsible for traffic congestion.[203] A court challenge was launched on December 11 to stop the removal of the Toronto bike lanes.[204]
During his election campaign Ford had promised to lower Ontario's electricity rates by 12 percent.[205][206][85] During his campaign, in April 2018, he announced that in order to reduce electricity rates,[63] he would redirect the province'sdividends from partial ownership ofHydro One to subsidize market electricity rates, as well as absorbing the cost of conservation programs currently paid for by consumers, at an estimated cost of $800 million per year.[207]
Ford attacked Hydro One CEO Mayo Schmidt, calling him "Kathleen Wynne's $6-million dollar man" in reference to his reported annual salary, and called on the utility's board of directors to resign.[208][209] Ford vowed to fire them all if elected, although PC energy criticTodd Smith later clarified that the government cannot dismiss Hydro One's CEO directly.[210] He opposed his predecessor's decision to privatize Hydro One, but does not plan to reverse the decision.[211] His government passed legislation to publicly disclose and reduce the salaries of Hydro One's board members and executives.[212] On July 11, 2018,Hydro One CEO Mayo Schmidt resigned along with the entire board.[213][214]
According toBloomberg News, by December 5, 2018,Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, the state's regulators, rejected Hydro One's $3.4 Billion takeover ofAvista because of "political risks in Ontario ... from provincial leaders who may not have the company's well being in mind".[215] Bloomberg also reported that, if the merger was not approved by the state's regulators, Hydro One would have to pay the CA$138 million break fee. Because Hydro One is partially owned by the Ontario government, Ontario ratepayers would also be paying the "Parent Termination Fee".[216] Ford denies that he is to blame for the U.S. regulators' decision.[217]
Ford came under fire in December 2018 byOntario Provincial Police (OPP) Deputy CommissionerBrad Blair, who claimed Ford requested the OPP “purchase a large camper-type vehicle ... modified to specifications the premier's office would provide” and keep the costs “off the books.” The vehicle was intended for the premier to use for work, and reportedly was asked to include a swivel chair.[218] The accusation followed on the heels of Ford appointing a longtime family friend to be the next OPP commissioner just days after lowering the requirements for the position.[219]
In response to increasing calls for one, Ford has stated he opposes a ban onhandguns in Ontario.[220]
Ford opposes supervised drug injection sites.[221]
Ford supports allowing licensed private retailers to sell cannabis, rather than a government monopoly like theLCBO.[222]
Ford opposed thelegalization of recreational cannabis.[223] On January 22, 2019,Huffington Post reported that Ford's youngest daughter Kyla, a bodybuilder and fitness trainer, had posted videos promoting health benefits ofCBD oil, a cannabis product which typically does not contain thepsychoactive compound present in marijuana.[224] Various publications claimed Kyla's promotion wasn't lawful.[225][226][227][228] Ford's daughter took down the posts, but neither Ford nor his daughter commented on them.[224]
In July 2018, Ford hired Rueben Devlin, former PC Party president and a Ford family friend, as a health-care advisor at a salary of $350,000 plus expenses, more than Ford's own salary of $208,974.[229][230]
In December 2018Bob Paulson, who served as aRoyal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer for 32-years including asRCMP commissioner before retiring in 2017, called for an independent third-party inquiry into Ford's appointment in December 2018 of Toronto Police Superintendent Ron Taverner, who is a long-time friend of Ford, as the new commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police.[219] By March 2019, Taverner had stepped down following "months of controversy" that "triggered an integrity commissioner investigation".[231]
A June 20, 2019, article in theToronto Star said that Ford had awarded "plum patronage posts to two political allies". He hired Jag Badwal as Ontario's agent-general to Britain and the United States with an annual salary of $185,000.[232] Ford named Earl Provost as Ontario's agent-general to Chicago.[232]
On June 28, 2019, Ford's chief of staff, Dean French, resigned "amid a patronage scandal".[233] According to aGlobe and Mail article, French resigned "after it was revealed that two people with personal ties to [French], 26 year-old Tyler Albrecht and Taylor Shields were appointed to lucrative positions in New York and London.[234][235] TheToronto Sun reported in a June 27, 2019, article that 26-year-old Tyler Albrecht, who had a "thin resume", was proposed for a "job that paid $165,000 a year, plus housing and other expenses" as Ontario's "new trade rep in New York City". His qualification was "that he played lacrosse with French's son".[236] TVO'sSteve Paikin cited the example of Taylor Shields, who is French's wife's cousin, who was appointed as the trade representative in London, England,[234] with a salary of $185,000 plus expenses.[235] Just hours before French resigned, Ford had cancelled Albrecht's and Shields' appointments.[235] Thomas Staples, who played on St. Michael's College Varsity Lacrosse team with French as coach,[233] worked in the office ofBill Walker, who waschief government whip. When Walker becameminister of government and consumer services in November 2018, Staples worked as his executive assistant and legislative affairs advisor.[237] According toiPolitics, Staples had not completed his undergraduate studies, and had neither the qualifications nor work experience in politics.[237] French's niece, Katherine Pal, who had been appointed as Ontario's Public Accounts Council resigned after her family ties to French were revealed.[237] According to Paikin, Pal was well qualified to be Public Accounts Council but she resigned because of the bad optics.[234] On July 4, Peter Fenwick, who served as Ontario's first "strategic transformation adviser" since November 2018, was fired when it was revealed in an interview withThe Star that "Fenwick has been a life insurance customer of French's for at least 20 years".[238] On July 10, Andrew Suboch, a "personal injury and insurance lawyer" who had served as chair of the Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee (JPAAC), informed the JPAAC that he was resigning immediately after an article in theGlobe revealed that Suboch was another of French's "long-time" friends whose sons played lacrosse together for many years.[233][235]
In 2021, Ford released his vision forOntario Place.[239] This park used to be an amusement park before being shut down in 2011, and was due to be revitalized. Ford's revitalization plan included a new spa, adventure park, and expanded stage. However, an auditor general report released in December 2024 called the revitalization 'not fair, transparent or accountable,' noting that "since 2019, the estimated public cost of redeveloping Ontario Place has increased by $1.8 billion to a total of $2.2 billion."[240]
The private spa is to be built and operated byTherme, an Austrian spa company. Its construction requires the clear-cutting of Ontario Place's West Island, a process which has bulldozed over 850 trees.[241] The Ontario government is also obligated to build a substantial parking component for the spa at taxpayers' expense (even asan expanded GO train station and anew subway line are being built nearby). The cost to provide this parking is at 400 million dollars as of May 2024.[240] Per the auditor general report, other bids would have privately funded this parking, with 3 of the 10 bids also providing a public park as well as the funding the parking lot.[242] The auditor general also raised concerns the bidding process for Ontario Place fell short of “typical procurement law or directives” for the province, with the government giving itself the right to select bids that failed to meet its own criteria.[240]
In 2024, Ford's government closed down theOntario Science Centre due to a report suggesting that the roof tiles of the science centre could collapse without repairs. However, the company that originally built the science centre said that the building does not need to be shut down, and offered to fix it.[243] Now-nobel laureateGeoffrey Hinton pledged 1 million dollars to help rebuild the science centre,[244] but this did not stop the Ford government's plan: the science centre will still be moved to Ontario Place in 2029 at the earliest, and into a space that is 50% smaller than the previous one.[245] The updated budget in 2024 pushed the cost to build the new, smaller science center to 1.4 billion, less than maintaining it at its current location, which is assessed at 1.3 billion.[245] As of Fall 2024, parts of the Science Centre's contents are scattered around malls in the GTA for temporary exhibits.[246]
The total cost of the Ontario Place redevelopment is $2.2 billion as of 2024,[240][242] up from around 400 million predicted in 2019.[242]
In December 2019, an outbreak ofcoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified inWuhan, Hubei, China; it spread worldwide and was recognized as apandemic by theWorld Health Organization on March 11, 2020.[247][248] The first confirmedcase in Canada was in Ontario—reported on January 27, 2020.[249]
On March 17, Ford declared a state of emergency in Ontario,[250] 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).[251] Furthermore, the government announced on March 17 that Ontario had "some evidence of community transmission" of COVID-19.[252]
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).[253][254] A list of 74 "essential" businesses was published later in the day on March 23.[255][256][257]
On March 25, Ford and Finance MinisterRod 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.[258]
On April 9, 2021, Ford received his first dose of theAstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a local pharmacy in Toronto, and encouraged eligible Ontarians to get vaccinated.[259]
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.[260] The regulations raised concerns about a re-legalization ofcarding.[261] The government experienced significant backlash with the new enforcement measures, with some commentators – such as theNational Post'sRandall Denley, a former PC politician[262] – equating the province to a "police state"[263] Members of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Table described the new restrictions as "absolute madness", and not based on science questioning the need to restrict "safe options from people as you do nothing to impact the places where the disease is spreading".[264] After dozens of police services across the province announced that they would refuse to enforce the new measures,[265] Ford promptly rolled back the new enforcement provisions the next day and reopened playgrounds, while keeping other outdoor amenities closed.[266][267]
Over the weekend following the introduction of new orders, calls for Ford's resignation over his handling of the COVID-19 crisis grew,[268][269][270] In April 2021, Ford revealed that he had been in isolation following contact with one of his staffers, who had contracted COVID-19.[271] 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.[272]
During the emergence of theOmicron variant of COVID-19 in December 2021 and January 2022, Ford's government announced in December 2021 new restrictions on indoor settings.[273] 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.[274][273]
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.[275] These restrictions were lifted on January 31.[276] What followed was the end of all vaccine mandates on March 14, the end of most mask mandates on March 21, and the end of all COVID-19 measures (including the remaining mask requirements) on April 27.[277]
On September 7, 2023, the Ombudsman of Ontario's Investigation into the Ministry of Long-Term Care's oversight into long-term care homes through inspection and enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic was released.[278] The report detailed the collapse of the LTC inspection system and how the Ministry failed to protect residents by ceasing inspections for the first 7–12 weeks of the pandemic, and by only applying low-level enforcement action for serious infractions. It noted that the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, which came into force in April 2022, could help long-term care homes to be better prepared for future pandemics.
In September 2024, premier Ford said his government would explore a tunnel for drivers and public transit under theHighway 401, with a feasibility study to follow.[279] According to Ford, it would "be one of the world's longest tunnels".[280] In February 2025, he made it one of his re-election pledges. Experts, however, pointed out that the roughly 55 km tunnel would likely cost 50–130 billion CAD and not solve the congestion problems.[279][281] The media called it "the single-most expensive Ontario election promise in the last 10 years".[279]
Mandate letters requested by theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation through a freedom of information request were not released to the public, despite being ordered to by the Ontario information and privacy commissioner in 2019.[282] The final appeal of the decision is now being sent to theSupreme Court of Canada.[283]
In March 2021, Ford publicly accused MPPSol Mamakwa of "jumping the line" to receive his second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, despite being eligible to receive it. Mamakwa went to his riding to receive the vaccine as an attempt to preventvaccine hesitancy amongst his constituents.[284] On Thursday, March 11, 2021, Ford apologised for his remark[285] and later said he "got a little personal" when throwing the accusation at Mamakwa. Mamakwa did not say that he accepted Ford's apology but stated that he appreciated the call from Ford.[286]
In September 2021, an Ontario judge issued an injunction on mining in Wiisinin Zaahgi'igan (an area sacred to theGinoogaming First Nation peoples).[287] The judge ruled that the Ontario government did not consult with the Ginoogaming as is their constitutional duty.[282]
Ford's 2024Reducing Gridlock, Saving you Time Act removed the requirement for future Indigenous consultation for the upcoming highway 413 in a possible contravention of Ontario's Environmental Assessment Act. In addition, the Indigenous consultation period for the bill was only 30 days, decried by the regional chief as 'too short'.[288]
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In late April 2022 – days before the election call – the PC government released its budget, promising to implement it if the government was reelected. The budget recorded adeficit of $19.9 billion and promised substantial spending on infrastructure (including for their proposedHighway 413) and tax breaks for some workers and seniors.[289] On May 3, 2022, Premier Doug Ford met with theLieutenant Governor of Ontario toadvisedissolution of the legislature and for writs of election be drawn up.[290] Ford led the Progressive Conservatives to anothermajority government in the2022 provincial election. The PCs gained seven more seats than they had won in 2018, with an increased share of the vote.[291] The election set a record for the lowest voter turnout in an Ontario provincial election, as only 44.06% of the people who were eligible voted.
Ford’s party won a third majority with 80 seats in the44th Ontario general election.[292] Originally scheduled by fixed election laws to be held by June 4, 2026, Ford triggered an early provincial election, called asnap election, for Feb. 27 after meeting with Ontario's lieutenant-governor.[293] It is speculated that this was to take advantage of a lead in the polls and fundraising, as well as a desire to hold the election before thenext federal election.[294][295] Speculation that Ford would call an early election began in 2024 and was further fuelled by Ford refusing to commit to the June 2026 date when asked by reporters at multiple press conferences in May 2024.[296][297][298] The possibility of atrade war was expected to be the main election issue.[299]
The Progressive Conservatives led by Ford were reelected with a third consecutive majority government, the first premier to do so since1959,[300] though with a slightly smaller majority compared to 2022.[301] The Liberals finished over ten percentage points ahead of the NDP in the popular vote, but only gained five seats compared to before the election (albeit this was enough to regainofficial party status for the first time since 2018), with Crombie being defeated in her riding. The NDP therefore remained the official opposition, despite losing a small number of seats and finishing a distant third in the popular vote.[302]
Ford actively supported the two Toronto mayoral campaigns of his brotherRob Ford and formerToronto police chiefMark Saunders.[303] In federal politics, Ford supports theConservative Party of Canada and several provincial conservative parties, including the AlbertaUnited Conservative Party.[304] However, federal Conservative leadersAndrew Scheer[305] and later leaderErin O'Toole attempted to distance themselves from him. Ford did not campaign for O'Toole during the2021 federal election campaign.[306]
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In 2018 and 2019, Ford was seen as a staunch critic of the federal government ofLiberalPrime MinisterJustin Trudeau. Ford opposed the Trudeau government's imposed carbon tax and urged voters to vote out the Trudeau-led Liberals in the2019 federal election.[307][308] However, since 2020, journalists have noted a change in Ford's attitude towards the Trudeau government. In April 2020,Susan Delacourt of theToronto Star wrote Ford "forged an unlikely friendship" withDeputy Prime MinisterChrystia Freeland when combatting theCOVID-19 pandemic; in August of that year, Ford praised Freeland's appointment asfinance minister. Around this time Ford insisted he was not apartisan politician.[309][310] In March 2022,John Ibbitson ofThe Globe and Mail wrote that there was a "political bromance" between Ford and Trudeau.[311] In October 2022, Ford said he supported the Trudeau government's invocation of theEmergencies Act in response to theCanada convoy protest.[312]
After a brief feud with prior PC leaderPatrick Brown, leading to Ford cancelling the chair of Peel Region, they later made peace by 2020.[313]
Although Ford's rhetoric and policies were characterized as conservative in his early years as premier, since 2020, political commentators have noted a shift to thepolitical centre and a more cooperative attitude toward the federal Liberal government.[314][315]
In 2023, Doug Ford stated he had a positive relationship with Olivia Chow after previously calling her "an unmitigated disaster". Ford stated in the same interview that during an election "you throw some mud back and forth" and he had a phenomenal relationship with one-time political rivalsAndrea Horwath andSteven Del Duca.[316]
In 2018, Ford endorsed the economic policies of theRepublican Party and the presidency ofDonald Trump in the United States, saying his support for Trump is "unwavering".[317] After Trump announced tariffs on Canadian aluminum imports in August 2020, Ford expressed his disapproval, calling Trump's policy "totally unacceptable".[318] After the2024 United States presidential election, Ford congratulatedDonald Trump and said it was "time to bet big" on Ontario–US relations.[319] However, after Trump announced 25% tariffs on Canada, Ford staunchly opposed them.[320]
Ford has calledpro-Palestinian protests in Ontario during theGaza war "hate rallies".[321]
Ford and his wife Karla (née Middlebrook) have four daughters:Krista,[322] Kayla, Kara, and Kyla.[323]
In 2018, Ford's sister-in-law, through his late brother, Rob, sued Doug and Randy for mismanagement of Rob's estate, saying their actions deprived her and her children of due compensation while overseeing business losses at Deco Labels totalling half of the company's market value. In response, Doug alleged that the claims and the lawsuit's timing in the same week as the2018 Ontario election amounted toextortion.[324][325]
Ford's mother Diane died from cancer in January 2020.[326][327][328][329][330]
Ford became an "ethicalvegetarian" after working in ameatpacking plant as a teenager,[331] and while this is no longer the case, he was still not eatingred meat as of 2011.[332] Ford, who is obese,[333] has struggled with his weight at least since 2012, when he publicly attempted a weight loss challenge.[333] Ford is occasionallyfat shamed in the media, having been previously called "unfashionably overweight".[334][335] Ford is ateetotaler.[336]
On January 8, 2025, Ford was unharmed after an OPP vehicle he was travelling in was involved in a collision on Highway 401. The driver of the other involved vehicle is believed to have sustained non-life-threatening injuries.[337]
In 2014, Ford and his mother donated $90,000 toHumber River Hospital, where Rob Ford was receiving care.[338]
A book by Doug and Rob Ford titledFord Nation: Two Brothers, One Vision – The True Story of the People's Mayor appeared in 2016.[339]
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Doug Ford | 12,660 | 71.68 |
| Cadigia Ali | 2,346 | 13.28 |
| Luciano Rizzuti | 828 | 4.69 |
| Rajinder Lall | 736 | 4.17 |
| Andrew Saikaley | 637 | 3.60 |
| Jason Pedlar | 455 | 2.58 |
| Total | 17,662 | 100.00 |
| Candidate | Votes[340] | % |
|---|---|---|
| John Tory | 394,775 | 40.28 |
| Doug Ford | 330,610 | 33.73 |
| Olivia Chow | 227,003 | 23.15 |
| 64 other candidates | 7,913 | 2.84 |
| Total | 980,177 | 100.00 |
| Candidate | Ballot 1 | Ballot 2 | Ballot 3 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Votes | Points | Votes | Change | Points | Change | Votes | Change | Points | Change | ||||
| Christine Elliott | 23,237 36.28% | 4,187 34.13% | 24,138 37.99% | 901 1.71% | 4,394 35.82% | 207 1.69% | 32,202 51.74% | 8,064 13.75% | 6,049 49.38% | 1,655 13.56% | ||||
| Doug Ford | 20,363 31.80% | 4,091 33.35% | 27,812 43.77% | 7,449 11.97 | 5,652 46.08% | 1,561 12.73% | 30,041 48.26% | 2,229 4.49% | 6,202 50.62% | 550 4.54% | ||||
| Caroline Mulroney | 11,099 17.33% | 2,107 17.18% | 11,595 18.25% | 496 0.92% | 2,221 18.11% | 114 0.93% | eliminated | |||||||
| Tanya Granic Allen | 9,344 14.596% | 1,882 15.34% | eliminated | |||||||||||
| Total | 64,043 | 12,267 | 63,545 | −498 | 12,267 | 0 | 62,243 | −1,302 | 12,251 | −16 | ||||
| 2018 Ontario general election | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Doug Ford | 19,055 | 52.48 | +29.73 | ||||
| New Democratic | Mahamud Amin | 9,210 | 25.37 | −0.84 | ||||
| Liberal | Shafiq Qaadri | 6,601 | 18.18 | −26.73 | ||||
| Green | Nancy Kaur Ghuman | 1,026 | 2.83 | +0.33 | ||||
| Libertarian | Brianne Lefebvre | 414 | 1.14 | +1.14 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 36,306 | 100.0 | ||||||
| Progressive Conservativegain fromLiberal | Swing | +15.30 | ||||||
| Source:Elections Ontario[341] | ||||||||
| 2022 Ontario general election:Etobicoke North | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Progressive Conservative | Doug Ford | 13,934 | 55.51 | +3.02 | $80,899 | |||
| Liberal | Julie Lutete | 5,884 | 23.44 | +5.26 | $61,441 | |||
| New Democratic | Aisha Jahangir | 3,290 | 13.11 | −12.26 | $20,065 | |||
| Ontario Party | Andy D'Andrea | 782 | 3.12 | $6,413 | ||||
| Green | Gabriel Blanc | 690 | 2.75 | −0.08 | $301 | |||
| New Blue | Victor Ehikwe | 391 | 1.56 | $10,802 | ||||
| People's Political Party | Carol Royer | 132 | 0.53 | $950 | ||||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 25,013 | 99.22 | +0.34 | $105,547 | ||||
| Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | 198 | 0.78 | -0.34 | |||||
| Turnout | 25,301 | 33.98 | −16.60 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 75,388 | |||||||
| Progressive Conservativehold | Swing | −1.12 | ||||||
Source(s)
| ||||||||
Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership hopeful Doug Ford has taken the controversial step of reopening the abortion debate, suggesting that parents of minors should be consulted before they can access the procedure.
Decision to end program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions puts Ontario in line for showdown with federal government
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)The Ontario premier has been clear on one thing: all illegal vendors and unauthorized stores will be severely punished, with fines ranging from $ 100,000 to $ 500,000.
Dean French allegedly said that he wanted to see'people in handcuffs ... on CP24 by lunch.'
Kyla Ford had to delete a sponsored post on her Instagram feed after Ontarians realized she was promoting a black market cannabis product.
Still with failing to grasp, we turn to Kyla Ford, daughter of Premier Doug, who has been busy promoting CBD oil on her Instagram. The problem? It's illegal.
According to the Canadian government, hemp-based CBD products are not legal in Canada unless they come from a licensed producer—despite the proliferation of social media users hawking CBD products from companies like Bodhi Naturals and Hempworx.
The brand, Bodhi Naturals, does not appear on Health Canada's list of licensed commercial producers of cannabis, and it appears that the company sells products such as oils and capsules on its website to Canadians without a prescription.
"Their goal: shed 50 pounds each in six months by cutting out late night eating and exercising regularly. That would bring the Mayor's current 5'10" and 330 pound frame to 280 pounds, andwhittle 5'11" Doug Ford from 275 to 225 pounds." (This would make Doug Ford'sBMI 38.4.)
He is unfashionably overweight, as was his late brother, Rob, the former mayor of Toronto.
Leaders of theProgressive Conservative Party of Ontario and its antecedents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Liberal-Conservative (1867–1873) |  | |
| Conservative (1873–1942) | ||
| Progressive Conservative (1942–present) | ||
| Leadership elections | ||
Interim leaders are in parentheses. | ||
| Crown in Ontario | .svg) | |
|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant Governor | ||
| Premier | ||
| Opposition Leader | ||
| Speaker of the Assembly | ||
| Legislature | ||
| Political parties | ||
| Elections | ||
| Current issues | ||
| Other Canadian politics | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
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