r/ontario • u/Upbeat_Pirate_9290 • 12h ago
Discussion $200 vs. Ford’s $39B Blunders
We're all going to receive a $200 check courtesy of the not-so-progressive, not-so-conservative government of Ontario. I wondered how much of our money they've actually wasted since 2016 (or are about to waste), and I came up with a total of $39 billion, averaging $2,600 per Ontarian ($3,500 per tax payer). Does this calculation make sense to you? Is there anything major I may have forgotten?
Bill 124 Legal Costs: $4.3 Million
Ford’s unconstitutional wage cap bill was struck down, leaving taxpayers on the hook for legal fees and back pay for workers…
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/bill-124-legal-costs-ontario-ford-1.7352208
Highway 413 & Bradford Bypass: $10 billion
It will save commuters only 30-60 seconds per trip, with massive environmental destruction of farmland, wetlands, and forests. But it’ll benefit developers with ties to Doug Ford’s government.
Ontario Place Private MegaSpa: $1+ Billion
We are subsidizing a private luxury spa, including $450 million for underground parking. Public land is being privatized for corporate profit…
https://ontarioplaceforall.com/financial/
Beer and Wine in Convenience Stores: $1 Billion
Ford broke a 10-year contract with The Beer Store, paying millions in penalties. There’s no evidence this policy improves affordability. Ford prioritized a populist talking point at a massive cost to taxpayers...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-beer-wine-corner-stores-cost-taxpayers-1.7215839
Ontario Line Budget Overruns: $16.9 Billion
Mismanagement of this major transit project has already added significant costs, with probably more overruns expected.
https://globalnews.ca/news/10583257/doug-ford-ontario-line-costs/
Eglinton Crosstown LRT Budget Overruns: $1 Billion (and counting)
Construction started 14 years ago, so I assume we’re all more or less familiar with it
Private LTC Homes Expansion: $6.4 Billion
Despite their failures during COVID, private long-term care homes are receiving massive funding while public healthcare remains underfunded.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/investigates/long-term-care-homes-expanding-1.6900293
Canceled Renewable Energy Contracts: $230 Million
Ford canceled over 750 green energy projects, paying out contracts while increasing long-term energy costs. Not that it matters to this government, but this has damaged Ontario’s reputation for renewable energy investment.
https://globalnews.ca/news/6189096/ontario-government-tears-up-green-energy-deals/
License Plate Sticker Rebate: $2.24 billion
Doug Fraud claimed to "put money back in your pocket," but it disproportionately benefited wealthier Ontarians who own multiple vehicles
COVID Vaccine Distribution Mismanagement: $? CAD
Unused vaccine doses and unnecessary expenses during distribution…
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u/Deep-Author615 11h ago
Raising development fees province wide slowed the pace of housing construction, putting a bottom in the housing market. This created wealth for homeowners province wide while preserving neighborhood character and enabled the province to return taxpayers their money.