Ford promised to eliminate the per-vote subsidy to political parties
“Corporate welfare is wrong, and political party welfare is equally wrong; I will put an end to both. That is why when I am elected Premier I will stand up for all Ontario taxpayers and eliminate the per-vote subsidy given to political parties in Ontario.”
Doug Ford, · FordNation Facebook post, PC leadership race
What happened · Nov 27, 2025
Instead of eliminating the per-vote subsidy, the Ford government extended it in 2021 and 2024 and made it permanent in Bill 68, which received Royal Assent on November 27, 2025.
Bill 57 (Royal Assent December 6, 2018) set the quarterly per-vote allowance to phase out by January 1, 2022. Bill 254, the Protecting Ontario Elections Act, 2021 (Royal Assent April 19, 2021), instead continued the allowances until January 1, 2025 and raised the rate to $0.636 per vote. Bill 220 (Royal Assent November 19, 2024), passed with all-party agreement, extended them through December 31, 2026. Bill 68, the Plan to Protect Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2025 (No. 2) (Royal Assent November 27, 2025), repealed the not-yet-in-force phase-out and made the allowance permanent; the government said this followed a Chief Electoral Officer recommendation.
Who benefited
- Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario · $1,373,162.16 per quarter (2026)
Elections Ontario lists the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario as a recipient of the quarterly per-vote allowance Ford promised in 2018 to eliminate. Bill 68 (Royal Assent Nov 27, 2025) repealed the provision that would have ended payments, so the allowance continues.
Source: Quarterly Allowances — Elections Ontario, Ontario announces unexpected extension to per-vote subsidy for political parties — Global News (Nov 2024)
- Ontario Liberal Party · $957,239.15 per quarter (2026)
Elections Ontario lists the Ontario Liberal Party as a recipient of the quarterly per-vote allowance, which Bill 68 kept in place after Ford promised in 2018 to eliminate it. All parties supported the extension (Global News).
Source: Quarterly Allowances — Elections Ontario, Ontario announces unexpected extension to per-vote subsidy for political parties — Global News (Nov 2024)
- New Democratic Party of Ontario · $592,126.18 per quarter (2026)
Elections Ontario lists the New Democratic Party of Ontario as a recipient of the quarterly per-vote allowance, which Bill 68 kept in place after Ford promised in 2018 to eliminate it. All parties supported the extension (Global News).
Source: Quarterly Allowances — Elections Ontario, Ontario announces unexpected extension to per-vote subsidy for political parties — Global News (Nov 2024)
- Green Party of Ontario · $154,115.52 per quarter (2026)
Elections Ontario lists the Green Party of Ontario as a recipient of the quarterly per-vote allowance, which Bill 68 kept in place after Ford promised in 2018 to eliminate it. All parties supported the extension (Global News).
Source: Quarterly Allowances — Elections Ontario, Ontario announces unexpected extension to per-vote subsidy for political parties — Global News (Nov 2024)