“Investing $200 million for the Shipbuilding Grant Program under Ontario’s Marine Transportation Strategy to help make Ontario’s shipbuilding industry a full regional partner under the federal government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy and secure Canadian contracts to build, retrofit and repair Canadian Navy ships in Ontario, including ice breakers to protect Arctic sovereignty.”
2025 PC platform, · PC platform, Our Plan to Protect Ontario
What happened · Jun 25, 2025
The grant program was launched, but it was a $15 million program inside a $215 million envelope for shipbuilding and the broader marine sector, not a $200 million grant program.
The 2025 Budget (May 15, 2025) promised "$200 million in the new Ontario Shipbuilding Grant Program." On June 25, 2025 the government announced $215 million "to support shipbuilding and the broader marine sector," including a $15 million Ontario Shipbuilding Grant Program. The program offers non-repayable grants for up to 50% of eligible costs for training, equipment and infrastructure. The release said details of investments beyond the grant program would come "in the coming months." The November 2025 fall economic statement and the March 2026 Budget both repeated the $215 million total and named only the $15 million grant program. A 2026 intake opened in August 2026 with up to $7 million per project. It did not state a total budget.
Ontario's July 2026 release says the province is investing $11 million into Ontario Shipyards through the Ontario Shipbuilding Grant Program for training, infrastructure and equipment. The promise is rated partly kept.
Ontario's July 2026 release says over $8 million goes to Allied Marine and Industrial in Port Colborne through the Ontario Shipbuilding Grant Program. The promise is rated partly kept.
Ontario's July 2026 release says more than $6 million goes to MetalCraft Marine Inc. in Kingston through the Ontario Shipbuilding Grant Program. The promise is rated partly kept.
Ontario's July 2026 release says $1.1 million goes to Connor Industries in Parry Sound through the Ontario Shipbuilding Grant Program. The promise is rated partly kept.
“Remove the minimum retail price of alcohol products and keep the beer tax frozen, while maintaining existing protections for domestic products and continuing to explore new opportunities to reduce taxes and fees, particularly for the domestic craft sector.”
2025 PC platform, · PC platform, Our Plan to Protect Ontario
What happened · Apr 1, 2025
The price floor was removed for spirits only. Minimum prices for beer, wine and cider stayed, and the wine and cider floors went up on April 1 in both 2025 and 2026.
On April 1, 2025 the government removed minimum retail prices for all spirits, including spirit-based ready-to-drink products. The same LCBO notice said wine and cider floors would rise that day under O. Reg. 750/21 and the beer floor would stay the same. A year later the LCBO confirmed the beer floor was still unchanged, and the wine and cider floors were indexed upward again on April 1, 2026. The beer tax freeze in the same plank was kept: the government paused indexation of beer basic tax rates again, and the LCBO pushed beer mark-up indexation back to March 2027.
“Keeping the province’s energy supply secure by banning Chinese components from all future energy procurements. This includes banning any Chinese state-owned enterprise from buying or taking equity in any Ontario government funded energy, critical mineral or major infrastructure asset.”
2025 PC platform, · PC platform, Our Plan to Protect Ontario
What happened · Apr 30, 2026
The government passed a law in June 2025 giving itself the power to restrict foreign energy suppliers, but as of April 2026 no regulation had been made and major power procurements went ahead with no ban on Chinese components.
Ford announced the ban on February 10, 2025, saying "we'll ban Chinese components from future procurements to keep our grid secure." After the election, Bill 5 (the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025) received royal assent on June 5, 2025. It gave the energy minister power to limit foreign participation in the energy sector by regulation or directive, including by the geographic origin of goods and services. The government's own description of the power is limiting "foreign jurisdictions, such as foreign state-owned entities", without naming China. In June 2025 the minister directed the IESO to give a scoring advantage to Canadian-owned bidders in the first window of its LT2 power procurement. That directive did not bar Chinese components. The Ministry of Energy and Mines consulted on possible restrictions in the fall of 2025, and Bill 40 (royal assent December 11, 2025) let utilities record the cost of complying with any future restrictions. Torys LLP reported in December 2025 that no draft regulation had been released. In April 2026 Torys reported that the country-of-origin regulations had still not been enacted. The April 30, 2026 directive launching the Long Lead-Time procurement added Canadian-content disclosure and incentives but no ban on Chinese components.
“Speed up the government “time-to-list process” for life-saving medications by at least six months by improving existing processes and reducing red tape through a new accelerated pathway, beginning with cancer drugs approved through Health Canada’s Project Orbis framework.”
2025 PC platform, · PC platform, Our Plan to Protect Ontario
What happened · Oct 7, 2025
A fast-track pilot for cancer drugs launched in October 2025 and the government says drugs reach patients sooner, but no source confirms the promised six-month cut.
On October 7, 2025, Health Minister Sylvia Jones launched the Funding Accelerated for Specific Treatments (FAST) program. It is a three-year pilot that starts public funding for seven to ten high-priority cancer drugs a year, all approved through Project Orbis, while pan-Canadian price negotiations are still under way. Normally provinces wait for those negotiations to finish. The government says FAST gets patients these drugs up to a year sooner. By January 22, 2026, six treatments had been funded through FAST, including Tagrisso, Scemblix, Nubeqa, Calquence and two Opdivo-Yervoy combinations. In June 2026 MORSE Consulting, a drug-reimbursement consultancy, reported that in the pilot's first eight months FAST drugs reached Ontario listing over 60 per cent faster (median days from Health Canada approval) than oncology drugs overall. Its public summary did not give the medians in days.
“A re-elected Ontario PC government will open the first new, all-season provincial park in 40 years to focus on building stronger and healthier communities by expanding recreational opportunities for families to enjoy. The Bigwind Lake Provincial Park, located near the Town of Bracebridge, will offer facilities and recreational activities including swimming, hiking, cross-country skiing, and add around 250 new campsites to the Ontario Parks system.”
2025 PC platform, · PC platform, Our Plan to Protect Ontario
What happened · Jul 13, 2026
The park is being created, but the government formally scaled it down from about 250 campsites to 10 paddle-in sites in July 2026.
When the park was announced in 2023 it was to have about 250 campsites, up to 25 roofed units, a visitor hub and an opening around 2026. By July 2025 the ministry said the project was still in 'early planning and design'. On July 13, 2026 Ontario Parks approved the park's management plan. The province's decision notice on the Environmental Registry says the government is moving forward with 'select improvements', namely 10 new paddle-in backcountry campsites, a trail, and upgrades to road access and parking. It says 'the decision to reduce the scale of the original proposal' reflects planning, consultation and value for taxpayers. Asked why the larger plan was missing, a spokesperson for Environment Minister Todd McCarthy told MuskokaRegion.com 'Just the 10 (campsites) for now.' The ministry hopes to have the scaled-down park ready by next season. As of October 2026 the park was still non-operating, with no campground.
“Immediately enabling direct-to-consumer sales of alcohol products with all willing provinces and territories.”
2025 PC platform, · PC platform, Our Plan to Protect Ontario
What happened · Jul 21, 2026
Direct-to-consumer sales were enabled, but not 'immediately'. The first bilateral deal came about 12 months after the election and the eight-province deal about 17 months after, past the May 2026 deadline the provinces had set themselves.
Bill 2, the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025, gave the province power to allow direct-to-consumer alcohol sales with reciprocating provinces. In July 2025 Ontario and 10 other jurisdictions signed a memorandum of understanding that set May 2026 as the implementation deadline. The first deal, with Nova Scotia, was signed on March 2, 2026. On July 15, 2026 CFIB was still urging Ontario to act on those memorandums and start shipping between all provinces. On July 21, 2026 Ford and eight other premiers (B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., and Newfoundland and Labrador) signed a deal that took effect immediately. On July 24, 2026 the LCBO said producers in those provinces could begin applying for authorization. Quebec and the three territories are not signatories.
“Expanding and strengthening the Sex Offender Registry to include more types of offenses, such as human trafficking, to hold more criminals to account by naming and shaming those that are convicted of these heinous crimes.”
2025 PC platform, · PC platform, Our Plan to Protect Ontario
What happened · Jul 1, 2025
Since July 1, 2025 the registry covers trafficking and sex-trade offences involving victims under 18, but not adult human trafficking. The registry is still not public, so nobody is 'named and shamed'.
On May 1, 2025 the Attorney General said Ontario would strengthen Christopher's Law to put child sex traffickers on the Ontario Sex Offender Registry. O. Reg. 44/25, made April 24, 2025 and in force July 1, 2025, added several Criminal Code offences to the registry. One group covers buying sexual services from, profiting from, or procuring a person under 18. The other covers trafficking a person under 18, profiting from that trafficking, or withholding that person's documents, where a federal sex-offender registration order was made. Older pre-2014 prostitution offences involving minors were also added. General human trafficking (Criminal Code s. 279.01, any age) was not added. The registry remains a police-only database. In its 2026 Budget the government said it was still only 'exploring options' to make part of what it now calls the Ontario Sex Offender and Trafficker Registry public.
“Raise highway speed limits to a minimum of 110 km per hour across the provincial highway network.”
2025 PC platform, · PC platform, Our Plan to Protect Ontario
What happened · Sep 30, 2026
By September 30, 2026 the 110 km/h limit covered what the province calls 'nearly 89 per cent' of its highway network, not the whole network as promised.
On June 24, 2026 Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria announced 110 km/h on another 938 km of provincial highway, rolled out in stages from June 26 to September 30, 2026. Before the change, 873 km were posted at 110 km/h, which the province said was 43 per cent of its highway network. The government said that once the change took effect, 'nearly 89 per cent of the province's highway network' would be posted at 110 km/h. Its own release title promised 'Most', not all, provincial highways. CBC reported the last nine sections were raised on September 30, 2026, completing the push. The province says limits are raised only on highways designed to handle the higher speed.
“Continue supporting our brave men and women in policing by graduating an additional 550 police officers each year for a total 2,080 annually, eliminating tuition fees for Basic Constable Training to incentivize new recruits and investing $1 billion for a new and renovated Ontario Police College and Ontario Provincial Police Academy to help improve and expand police training in our province.”
2025 PC platform, · PC platform, Our Plan to Protect Ontario
What happened · Mar 26, 2026
Free tuition continues and was extended in 2026. The 2025 Budget committed $1 billion for the Aylmer college and an Orillia academy, but neither is built. No yearly graduate count was found to check against 2,080.
The 2025 Ontario Budget (May 15, 2025) committed $1 billion to expand and renovate the Ontario Police College in Aylmer and to build a new Ontario Provincial Police Academy in Orillia. It said the Basic Constable Training program can now take 80 more recruits a year, for a total of 2,080, and added $8.8 million in 2025-26 for a one-time extra intake of up to 300 recruits. In 2025 the infrastructure minister approved demolishing old buildings at the former Huronia Regional Centre site in Orillia, and the OPP commissioner said planning for the new academy was under way. The 2026 Budget extended free Basic Constable Training tuition for another three years. It said 6,277 recruits had been trained since the tuition waiver began in 2023, and that the college and academy projects were still being advanced. Neither facility has been completed.
“Return sanity to bike lanes by removing them from the busiest streets in the province, starting with Bloor Street West, Yonge Street and University Avenue in Toronto, and replacing them on secondary roads. The province will veto and block any future municipal bike lanes that would eliminate a lane of vehicle traffic.”
2025 PC platform, · PC platform, Our Plan to Protect Ontario
What happened · Sep 1, 2026
Removal has started on one stretch of Bloor Street West. Yonge and University are still waiting on a design contract, and no replacement bike lanes on secondary roads have been announced.
The removal power and the provincial veto over new bike lanes that take away a car lane were already law before the campaign. Bill 212, the Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024, received Royal Assent on November 25, 2024. The 2025 budget bill (Bill 24, Royal Assent June 5, 2025) changed the wording from 'removal' to 'reconfiguration' while a court challenge was under way. In July 2025 an Ontario Superior Court judge ruled the removals unconstitutional. On August 14, 2026 the Court of Appeal for Ontario overturned that ruling, which cleared the province to act on about 19 km of protected lanes. In December 2025 the province had restored a car lane on a 600-metre stretch of Bloor West (Resurrection Road to Clissold Road) and kept the bike lane there. On September 1, 2026 it issued a request for proposals for design options to restore car lanes on Bloor, Yonge, University, Queen's Park, Queen's Park Crescent and Avenue Road. It also said it was 'immediately beginning' to restore car lanes on Bloor Street West east of Clissold Road. Cycle Toronto said on September 9 that the RFP closes in December and the remaining work is set to start in spring 2027. No provincial plan to rebuild these lanes on secondary roads has been announced. The transportation minister has only said that streets like King and College would be better alternatives.
A Procurement Restriction Policy has been in force since March 4, 2025, but it is narrower than the promised ban on "American companies". U.S.-headquartered firms with 250 or more full-time employees in Canada, and existing vendor-of-record arrangements, are exempt.
Ford's Procurement Restriction Policy, in force since March 4, 2025, restricts U.S. businesses from new Ontario public-sector procurements. As BetaKit reported in April 2025, the policy only counts a company as a "US business" if it is headquartered in the U.S. and has fewer than 250 full-time employees in Canada. It does not apply to existing vendor-of-record arrangements, and U.S. firms can still be used where they are the only viable source. On April 13, 2026, the policy was folded into the binding Buy Ontario Procurement Directive. The directive keeps the restriction and adds a new exception for U.S. service providers that commit to having at least 90 per cent of their staff in Canada.
“I'm thrilled to announce that construction on this highway will begin in 2025. We're already starting field work and land acquisition that will help make sure we get shovels in the ground on time.”
Work began in August 2025, but on existing roads (Highway 10 resurfacing and the 401/407 interchange); the bid to build the first stretch of the new highway opened only on September 1, 2026.
On August 27, 2025, Ford announced in Caledon that the first two Highway 413 construction contracts had been awarded: resurfacing Highway 10 to prepare for a bridge over the future highway, and an embankment at the Highway 401/407 interchange that will be the highway's western terminus. A December 9, 2025 release said the 401/407 interchange upgrades were complete. These were early works on existing highways; the notice of procurement to design and build the first mainline section (the east third, Highway 400 to west of The Gore Road) was issued on September 1, 2026. Ford and Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria declined in August 2025 to give a completion date or total cost.
CBC reported Pave-Al was awarded the second Highway 413 contract, for resurfacing Highway 10 in Caledon to prepare for a bridge over the future highway.
Six of the eight orders proposed for revocation or amendment were revoked in April 2024 and one was amended, but no decision has been posted on the 14 housing orders put under 18 months of 'enhanced monitoring', and the government reposted that proposal in March 2026 as still open.
On December 13, 2023, the province proposed revoking or amending eight non-housing zoning orders and put 14 housing orders under 'enhanced monitoring' for 18 months. On April 9, 2024, Calandra made O. Reg. 165/24, which revoked six of them (Oro-Medonte, Brampton, Kingston, Markham 482/22 and two in McNab/Braeside). He amended the Pickering order and decided not to revoke Markham O. Reg. 599/21. In December 2024 the Auditor General found that 'The Ministry has not defined what constitutes sufficient progress, or the timeline that such progress needs to be achieved.' The enhanced-monitoring notice was 'reposted on March 31, 2026 to tell the public that the proposal remains open,' and no decision has been posted on those 14 orders.
“There's no public money in this deal...it's not going to cost the taxpayers any money outside of us owning an asset which is a parking lot and clearing the land.”
Doug Ford, · News conference in Etobicoke (reported by CTV)
What happened · Dec 3, 2024
The province says it is putting no capital or operating money into Therme's facility, but the Auditor General found more than $20 million in provincial contributions to Therme's shoreline and public realm, which Ford's stated exceptions do not cover.
On October 3, 2024 the province said that under the lease it 'has not provided or committed to any operational subsidy or capital contributions to the Therme Canada facility'. Infrastructure Ontario's briefing that day said the province was on the hook for up to $25 million in site-readiness obligations such as flood mitigation and shoreline repair (CBC). The Auditor General's December 3, 2024 report itemized provincial costs that include a 'Government contribution to Therme shoreline and Therme public realm' of more than $20 million and more than $25 million to relocate a Therme-impacted combined sewer overflow (CSO-1). These come on top of parking and site servicing. The report put total projected provincial costs for the redevelopment at $2.237 billion, much of it for the Science Centre, public realm and site servicing.
Who benefited
Therme Group · >$20M provincial contribution to Therme shoreline and public realm (Auditor General)
The Auditor General's 2024 Ontario Place report lists a provincial 'Government contribution to Therme shoreline and Therme public realm' of more than $20 million, plus more than $25 million for the Therme-impacted CSO-1 work, and notes the lease places no obligation on Therme to make any capital investment. CBC independently reports the province must supply 1,800 parking spaces and is on the hook for up to $25 million in site-readiness costs.
“When a tenant is required to vacate a unit to allow for renovations, landlords would be required to provide a report from a qualified person stating that the unit must be vacant to allow renovations to take place.”
Bill 97 passed in June 2023, but its tenant changes were left unproclaimed for three years, and the qualified-person report requirement Clark described was still not in force as of October 2026.
Clark announced the measures on April 5, 2023, and Bill 97 received Royal Assent on June 8, 2023. None of its Residential Tenancies Act amendments took effect in 2023. Order in Council 617/2026, made April 16, 2026, brought some of them into force: air-conditioning rights, doubled maximum fines and other changes on July 1, 2026. The right-of-first-refusal notice duties and longer filing window for renovicted tenants followed on September 21, 2026. The requirement that a renoviction notice come with a qualified person's report (Schedule 7, s. 2) and the related Board provision (s. 7) were still awaiting proclamation in e-Laws as of October 5, 2026.
“While we will have more to say regarding program implementation soon, I am proud to confirm that the initiative will be fully funded by the province and will launch by the end of the year, making transit cheaper for riders in Ontario.”
One Fare launched fully funded by the province, but on February 26, 2024, about two months after the promised end-of-2023 launch.
Cho, then associate transportation minister, made the pledge about a week after the 2023 budget promised to expand co-fares. In November 2023, Global News reported the end-of-year target had been dropped internally after Metrolinx found the Presto software work would take months longer. In September 2023, Associate Minister Todd McCarthy publicly gave February 2024 as the target. Ford announced the finished program on February 5, 2024, and One Fare took effect February 26, 2024 for the TTC, GO Transit, Brampton Transit, Durham Region Transit, MiWay and York Region Transit. The province, through Metrolinx, reimburses agencies for lost fares. In December 2025 the government extended the program for two more years.
“And our government is clear: Ontarians will continue to use their OHIP card, not their credit card. Under Premier Ford, that will never change.”
Sylvia Jones, · Hansard, second reading of Bill 60
What happened · Dec 2, 2025
Insured procedures at private clinics are billed to OHIP, but the Auditor General found in December 2025 that limited oversight let patients be charged out of pocket, including for add-ons at cataract clinics without being told a free OHIP option existed.
Bill 60 (Your Health Act, 2023, 43rd Parliament) passed in May 2023, expanding OHIP-funded procedures at private community surgical and diagnostic centres; it bars clinics from refusing patients who pay with their OHIP card. The Auditor General's 2025 annual report (December 2, 2025) found 'limited oversight' leading to patients paying out of pocket, noted that 'patients are not always aware of what can and cannot be charged by a physician', and reported cases where physicians charged patients for optional or unnecessary add-ons such as upgraded lenses without telling them about their right to a basic cataract surgery entirely funded by OHIP. The province has since expanded the model to private hip and knee replacement clinics (December 2025).
“We are committing to ensuring municipalities are kept whole for any impact to their ability to fund housing enabling infrastructure because of Bill 23.”
Steve Clark, · Letter to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario
What happened · Jun 6, 2024
The province cancelled the audits meant to measure losses and never paid dollar-for-dollar compensation; in 2024 it reversed part of the Bill 23 fee cuts, which municipalities said helped but did not make them whole.
Clark's November 30, 2022 letter promised audits of select municipalities and said there should be no infrastructure funding shortfall 'provided municipalities achieve and exceed their housing pledge levels and growth targets.' Audits of six municipalities began in summer 2023, but the province cancelled them without releasing the results and refused a freedom-of-information request for them. Bill 185 (Royal Assent June 6, 2024) eliminated Bill 23's five-year phase-in of development charge rates and restored studies as chargeable costs. Mississauga, Newmarket and Peel Region told Global News in May 2024 that the changes did not fully make them whole. Housing Minister Paul Calandra cited the $1.8-billion infrastructure fund and the $1.2-billion Building Faster Fund as addressing municipal needs.
“To support this and future growth, and ensure nothing stops additional investments, a re-elected PC government will invest $1 billion in and fast-track five new transmission lines to Windsor and southwestern Ontario.”
2022 PC campaign release, · PC campaign stop, Windsor
What happened · Sep 9, 2025
One of the five lines was finished in late 2024, a year early, and a second is under construction for 2028. The other three are still in planning, with dates from 2030 to 2032 or none set.
On May 13, 2022, Ford's campaign promised $1 billion for five new transmission lines to Windsor and southwestern Ontario, and promised to fast-track them. Cabinet had already declared three of the lines priority projects on March 31, 2022, before the campaign. The government's April 4, 2022 release said the five projects would be 'developed in phases through 2030.' The first, the 49-km Chatham to Lakeshore line (estimated $237 million), was finished a year ahead of schedule, and the province celebrated its completion on January 13, 2025. Hydro One called it 'the first of five new transmission lines in southwest Ontario.' The second, the $471.9-million St. Clair line from Lambton to Chatham, broke ground in September 2025 and is due in 2028. Hydro One expects the first Longwood to Lakeshore 500-kV line in 2030. The second Longwood line has no in-service date. The Windsor to Lakeshore line is in environmental assessment for 2032, after the government's own 2030 horizon. As of October 2026, one line is in service and one is under construction.
“Virtual public information sessions will also be held in the fall with planning and development consultations related to the site-wide environmental assessment, heritage, and site servicing to follow later in the year.”
Ontario government news release, · Ontario Newsroom release announcing redevelopment
What happened · Dec 6, 2023
An environmental assessment was done for the public park but not for Therme's West Island lease area, and Bill 154 then exempted the redevelopment from the Environmental Assessment Act and the Ontario Heritage Act.
The province ran a Category C Public Work Class environmental assessment for the free public park. It concluded in November 2023 but left out the West Island, which the government treated as a private project. On November 27, 2023 the government tabled Bill 154, the New Deal for Toronto Act, 2023. Its Schedule 2, the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act, 2023, exempts the redevelopment (with certain exceptions) from the Environmental Assessment Act, disapplies the Ontario Heritage Act on scheduled lands and amends the Environmental Bill of Rights. The bill received Royal Assent on December 6, 2023. In a 2024 Divisional Court decision (2024 ONSC 3327), Ontario Place for All's judicial review seeking a site-wide assessment that included the West Island was quashed because the new Act made it plain and obvious the application could not succeed.
“I think it's their constitutional right to take it or not take it. ... We encourage them to do it. I've been up here for months begging, pleading [for] everyone to get it, but no one should be forced to do anything.”
Doug Ford, · News conference, Runnymede LTC home announcement, Toronto
What happened · Oct 1, 2021
The province mandated vaccination for long-term care staff from November 2021, but Ford declined to mandate it for hospital workers.
Eleven weeks after Ford's pledge, Long-Term Care Minister Rod Phillips announced that long-term care staff, support workers, students and volunteers had to show proof of full vaccination, or a valid medical exemption, by November 15, 2021, or they could not enter a home to work. This replaced the earlier vaccinate-or-test policy. The deadline for full vaccination was later moved to December 13 to fit federal dose-interval advice, but a first dose was required from November 15. The province did not impose a mandate on hospital workers: on November 3, 2021 Ford said it would leave that decision to individual hospitals.
“The province is also expanding collection to more parks, playgrounds, and transit stations, more than tripling the number of public space recycling bins funded under the current program so there are more opportunities to recycle at home and on the go.”
Jeff Yurek's ministry (news release), · Ontario Newsroom release on new Blue Box regulation
What happened · Sep 3, 2025
The province-wide switch to producer-run recycling was completed by Dec. 31, 2025, but a September 2025 amendment removed the public-space expansion and deferred the new schools, apartments and long-term care service to 2031.
Communities moved their Blue Box programs to producers between July 1, 2023 and December 31, 2025, as scheduled, and Stewardship Ontario ceased operations on December 31, 2025. O. Reg. 210/25, made August 28 and filed September 3, 2025, removed the requirement for producers to expand collection in public spaces before it was due to start on January 1, 2026. It also deferred expanded collection to multi-residential buildings, schools and specified long-term care and retirement homes that had not had municipal service until 2031. The ministry said the public-space requirement could force bins 'where collection may not be cost effective.'
“This is a gold standard in the long-term care sector. And we won't settle for anything less.”
Doug Ford, · News conference, Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga
What happened · Aug 13, 2025
The legislated provincial average of four hours by March 31, 2025 was missed (3 hours 49 minutes, 95.5% of the goal, for 2024-25), but the government reported reaching 4 hours 5 minutes in April–June 2025.
The Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021 set yearly targets ending with a provincewide average of four hours of nurse and PSW care per resident per day by March 31, 2025. The first two interim targets were met, but the third-year target (3 hours 42 minutes) was missed, and for 2024-25 the ministry reported 95.5% of the four-hour goal (3 hours 49 minutes), a shortfall CBC/The Canadian Press reported on Aug. 13, 2025. On Oct. 16, 2025 the government said residents received an average of 4 hours 5 minutes of PSW and nursing care in the first quarter of 2025-26, so the target was reached a few months late. The figures are provincial averages, not a per-home or per-resident guarantee.
“We're going to move forward with this. We're going to move forward rapidly. I can't imagine sitting there in 27-, 28-degree heat in a room. It's just unacceptable.”
Doug Ford, · Daily COVID-19 news conference, Queen's Park
What happened · Jun 22, 2022
The mandate came about two years later, with a June 22, 2022 deadline that 98 of 627 homes missed. Most homes complied afterward.
A year after the vow, CBC reported in June 2021 that the province still had not mandated air conditioning in residents' rooms. The rule came in under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021 and its regulation (O. Reg. 246/22), with a deadline of June 22, 2022. On June 24, 2022 the ministry said 529 of 627 homes were fully air-conditioned. By late August, 554 complied and two homes had been fined $1,100 each, and by October 2022 CBC reported that more than 90% of homes complied. Infrastructure Ontario later said that all but three homes, which had temporary exemptions, had air conditioning in every resident bedroom.
“We will not force amalgamation of municipalities. We will not impose cuts on municipal councils. I want to make it perfectly clear: We will not be imposing these changes on our municipal partners.”
Steve Clark, · AMO fall policy forum, London, Ont.
What happened · May 7, 2026
No amalgamation has been forced, but in 2026 the province legislated a cut to Niagara Regional Council.
As of October 2026, the province has not forced any municipalities to amalgamate. In April 2026, CBC reported that fears of major changes to Niagara's 12 local municipalities 'proved to be unfounded'. However, Bill 100, the Better Regional Governance Act, 2026, received Royal Assent on May 7, 2026. It reduces Niagara Regional Council from 32 members to 13 (the 12 lower-tier mayors plus a regional chair) and removes its 19 directly elected regional councillors, effective after the Oct. 26, 2026 municipal election. The province said Simcoe County Council's reduction from 32 to 17 was 'in response to a request from the county warden'. It cited no such request from Niagara Regional Council; the push came from provincially appointed chair Bob Gale. The same act lets the housing minister appoint chairs in eight regions and gives those chairs 'strong chair' powers.
“The federal act allows the Minister of the Environment to make decisions about timelines and to decide which species are endangered. Mr. Species—Mr. Speaker, in Ontario, science will remain the driving feature of which species are endangered.”
Environment Minister Rod Phillips, · Question Period, Legislative Assembly (Hansard)
What happened · Jun 5, 2025
The Auditor General found in 2021 that the 2019 changes to Ontario's species classification criteria were inconsistent with the science-based criteria used in other provinces, and Bill 5 (2025) ended automatic protection for species the science committee COSSARO classifies, though COSSARO still does the classifying.
In 2019, while defending the Endangered Species Act changes later passed in Bill 108, Environment Minister Rod Phillips contrasted Ontario with the federal law, under which a minister decides which species are endangered, and said science would stay the deciding factor in Ontario. In November 2021, Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk reported that the 2019 changes to how Ontario classifies species were inconsistent with the science-based criteria used in other provinces and could cost some species existing protections. She also found that six members were appointed to the species assessment committee without the standard screening process. Bill 5, which took effect June 5, 2025, decoupled legal protection from the science committee's (COSSARO's) classifications. Under the Species Conservation Act, in force since March 30, 2026, cabinet sets the Protected Species in Ontario list by regulation. That list drops aquatic species and migratory birds that COSSARO had classified, and a July 2026 Ontario Nature report found 106 species lost provincial protection.
“Under the authority granted through the Hydro One Accountability Act, 2018, the Management Board of Cabinet has issued a directive requiring Hydro One to set a hard cap of $1.5 million per year in total maximum direct compensation for the next CEO of Hydro One.”
Hydro One adopted the $1.5M framework in March 2019, but it lapsed on January 1, 2023 under a sunset clause in the government's own law, and CEO pay then more than doubled.
On March 8, 2019, Rickford announced that Hydro One had adopted a pay framework matching the directive, with CEO pay capped at $1.5 million a year. A clause in the Hydro One Accountability Act, 2018 (Bill 2) ended the framework requirements on January 1, 2023. Hydro One's 2025 management information circular puts CEO David Lebeter's target pay at $2.4 million for 2023 and $3.15 million for 2024, compared with $1,604,488 for the CEO role under the framework in 2022. The Globe and Mail reported on May 23, 2024 that Lebeter made $3.16 million in 2023, and that the Energy Minister's office did not answer why the cap was not made permanent.
A spending review by EY was commissioned and published, but the firm said it was not an audit.
On September 25, 2018, Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy released the spending review the government had commissioned from EY Canada. It recommended options such as selling all or part of Crown corporations like the LCBO and means-testing some benefit programs. The government had billed the work as an "unprecedented line-by-line audit", but CBC News reported that EY itself said the report was not actually an audit. The Ottawa Citizen reported that the bid documents asked the winning firm to recommend programs for targeted review, not to carry out those reviews.
Ontario's government announced EY Canada was the successful bidder, chosen through a request for bids issued July 17, 2018, to conduct the line-by-line review of government spending. The bid documents capped the job at no more than $500,000, which is a ceiling, not a paid amount.
“invest in increasing safety on the 401 West and four-lane Highway 17 in eastern Ontario and Highway 3 in Southwestern Ontario.”
2018 PC platform, · PC platform, Plan for the People
What happened · Sep 3, 2026
Highway 3: a $138.6M contract to widen the Essex–Leamington stretch was awarded in 2023 and construction began in 2024, but as of September 2026 the four lanes were not finished and the province would not give a completion date. Highway 17: only the first stage, a Calabogie Road interchange, was finished (November 2023). In February 2026 the province issued an RFP just to design the 22.5-km twinning from Arnprior to Renfrew.
Highway 3: in June 2023 Infrastructure Ontario awarded a $138.6M design-build-finance contract to widen 15.6 km between Essex and Leamington to four lanes. Ford said in March 2024 that work had begun. In May 2026 traffic moved onto the new lanes, one lane each way, while the old roadway was resurfaced. On September 3, 2026 the Windsor Star reported the province would not confirm the project's cost or completion date. Highway 17 (Arnprior–Renfrew): the first stage, a new bridge and interchange at Calabogie Road, was completed in November 2023. On February 27, 2026 the province issued an RFP to design the 22.5-km twinning, split into five contracts. A provincial official warned construction would 'take time'. Eight years after the platform, neither highway has been fully four-laned.
Infrastructure Ontario and MTO awarded a fixed-price $138.6 million design-build-finance contract for the Highway 3 Essex-Leamington widening to GIP HWY 3 Inc., with GIP Paving Inc. (formerly Coco Paving) as developer and builder. Ontario also names GIP as the contractor for Phase 1 (the Calabogie Road interchange) of the Highway 17 Arnprior-Renfrew widening.
“Focus on the fundamentals: Make mathematics mandatory in teachers’ college programs.”
2018 PC platform, · PC platform, Plan for the People
What happened · Feb 1, 2025
The government did not add mathematics to the required content of teacher education programs. Instead it made passing a math proficiency test a condition of teacher certification. After a court fight, that requirement took effect on Feb. 1, 2025.
On Oct. 25, 2018, Education Minister Lisa Thompson introduced Bill 48, the Safe and Supportive Classrooms Act. It required new teachers to pass a math proficiency test to be certified (Ontario College of Teachers Act, s. 18(1)(c)). The bill became law as Chapter 3 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2019. The test, written by EQAO, began in 2021. Later that year the Divisional Court struck it down for its disproportionate impact on racialized teacher candidates (Ontario Teacher Candidates' Council v. The Queen, 2021 ONSC 7386). On Nov. 28, 2023, the Court of Appeal overturned that ruling and upheld the test. Since Feb. 1, 2025, passing the Mathematics Proficiency Test has been a certification requirement for most new Ontario applicants. The regulation that sets out what accredited teacher education programs must cover (O. Reg. 347/02, Schedule 1) does not list mathematics. That includes the 2026 amendments taking effect May 1, 2027. So the requirement falls on individual candidates through a test, not on teachers' college programs.
The government offered slots or extra funding to racetracks that had lost slot facilities. The Fort Erie track took extra money instead of slots, so slot machines never returned there.
On October 12, 2018, the Ministry of Finance announced in-principle agreements to keep slots at Kawartha Downs and Ajax Downs. It said Fort Erie and Dresden "elected to receive additional financial support for horse racing operations, but declined to accept slots." Finance Minister Vic Fedeli called it "another promise made, promise kept." Fort Erie residents called it a broken promise to CHCH, and the mayor called it a back-room deal that town council was kept out of. The March 2019 backgrounder set out the result as an "Optional Slots at Racetracks Program" of slots or extra operating funding, alongside the existing long-term funding agreement. That differs from the old revenue-sharing slots program Ford described in 2018. In 2026, CBC reported that the track still depends on provincial funding to make up revenue lost when slots were removed in 2012.
The October 12, 2018 Ontario release says Fort Erie elected to receive additional financial support for horse racing instead of slots. CHCH reported that the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium took government money instead of slots, in an amount that is confidential under a non-disclosure agreement.
“For too long beer consumers have been forced to pay inflated prices for beer in order to increase the profits of big corporations. We're going to allow price competition for beer and this will save consumers money.”
PC campaign statement, · 2018 campaign statement
What happened · Dec 17, 2018
The government cut the minimum price to $1 as promised, but almost no brewers sold at that price, and by early 2019 only one brewery still offered it, on long weekends only.
On August 7, 2018 Ford announced that the minimum price of a bottle or can of beer under 5.6% alcohol would fall from $1.25 to $1 starting August 27, 2018, with LCBO promotional perks for participating brewers. Brewers were not required to cut prices. By December 2018 Barley Days, the brewery where Ford launched the policy, had raised its price to $1.65, leaving only Cool Beer Brewing selling $1 beer. In late January 2019 Cool said it would charge $1.25 except on holiday long weekends.
ParaphraseFord committed to supporting two-way all-day GO Service that will include the Niagara GO Expansion.
Ontario PC Party campaign release, · 2018 campaign transit announcement, Toronto
What happened · Sep 8, 2026
Regular weekday GO trains to Niagara Falls began on January 7, 2019 and grew to 21 round trips a week by May 2023, but the line still runs a handful of trips a day rather than two-way, all-day service, and three weekday trips were cut from September 8, 2026.
Weekday GO train service to St. Catharines and Niagara Falls started on January 7, 2019 with a single morning train to Toronto and a single evening train back, which Metrolinx said came about four years earlier than the previous Liberal government's 2023 target. On May 20, 2023 the province added two weekday round trips and one weekend round trip, for a total of 21 round trips a week. That is still a small number of scheduled trips, not the two-way, all-day service Ford promised in 2018. From September 8, 2026 Metrolinx cut three weekday and evening Niagara trips, saying the reductions could last until spring 2027, and told commuters to use the GO bus to Burlington in the meantime.
ParaphraseLow-income families would receive 75 per cent of their child-care costs back, at a maximum of $6,750; higher income families would receive an incrementally lower rate, bottoming out at 26 per cent of child-care costs for families earning $150,000 or more.
Ontario PC Party (campaign announcement), · 2018 election campaign announcement
What happened · Apr 11, 2019
The 2019 budget created the CARE tax credit at up to 75% of costs, but capped it at $6,000 per child under 7 and $3,750 for ages 7 to 16, and limited it to families earning up to $150,000.
The April 11, 2019 budget introduced the Ontario Childcare Access and Relief from Expenses (CARE) tax credit, starting with the 2019 tax year. It pays up to 75 per cent of eligible child-care costs: up to $6,000 per child under 7, up to $3,750 per child aged 7 to 16, and up to $8,250 per child with a severe disability. It is for families with incomes up to $150,000. On Sept. 24, 2019, the Financial Accountability Office estimated an average benefit of $1,300 per family. It found that fewer than 300 families would get the maximum and about 240,000 families with child-care costs would get nothing, mostly because their incomes were above the threshold.
Kitchener line service has grown, including weekend trains from Nov. 23, 2025, but two-way, all-day GO service to Kitchener had not started as of October 2026.
Ford gave no timeline in 2018. Kitchener line trips rose from 8 a day in 2017 to 19 by November 2023, according to PC MPP Mike Harris; that month the PCs voted down, 66–30, an NDP motion asking for a timeline and firm funding commitment. On Oct. 16, 2025, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria announced an agreement-in-principle with CN to buy land for dedicated tracks, plus service increases from Nov. 23, 2025 that included weekend service to Kitchener for the first time. The promised 60-minute two-way, all-day service to Kitchener depends on the Kitchener Extension Project (40 km of new track), and no completion date was given in the release.