Ford's comments about supporting Chow were not an endorsement, his office says
TORONTO -- A day after Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he supports Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow amid her bid for re-election, his office says it was not an endorsement.
Allison Jones
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Premier Doug Ford backs Carney's plan for private investors at airports
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is fully on board with the prime minister's plan to see private investors take over operations at Canada's four largest airports, including Toronto Pearson, he said Wednesday. Ford said not only is the idea "fabulous," but it should be expanded to include Toronto's island airport. "I have to give credit where credit's due," he said at...
Premier Doug Ford backs Carney's plan for private investors at airports
TORONTO -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford is fully on board with the prime minister's plan to see private investors take over operations at Canada's four largest airports, including Toronto Pearson, he said Wednesday.
Premier Ford stops short of full endorsement but says Chow has his support
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has given Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow his seal of approval today in the midst of her bid for re-election. Ford stopped short of giving her a full, explicit endorsement, but spoke about her in glowing terms when asked if he would weigh into the mayoral race. He says the two have a "phenomenal" relationship and he...
Premier Ford stops short of full endorsement but says Chow has his support
TORONTO -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford has given Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow his seal of approval today in the midst of her bid for re-election.
Ontario English Catholic teachers schedule strike vote amid stalled bargaining
TORONTO -- Ontario's English Catholic teachers have scheduled a strike vote in November, as contract talks have yet to move past initial stages.
Ford shuffles cabinet, including moving embattled labour minister
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has made several changes to his cabinet today, including moving embattled minister David Piccini from the labour portfolio to infrastructure. Piccini is under investigation by the integrity commissioner after the auditor general raised questions about his handling of the $2.5-billion Skills Development Fund. Ford has defended Piccini and the success of the fund.
Ontario was warned of 'suspicious' OSAP activity at a few career colleges: documents
TORONTO -- The association representing career colleges in Ontario began warning the government about possible "suspicious" student financial aid activity at a few campuses three years ago, documents show.
$385M in OSAP grants sent to students at 7 career colleges last year, documents show
TORONTO -- A small subset of private career colleges in Ontario has led explosive growth in the number of people receiving student financial assistance, new data shows, and the association representing the sector itself has raised concerns.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford tones down rhetoric in war of words with Donald Trump
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has toned down his rhetoric in the war of words with U.S. President Donald Trump. Ford says on CNN that it is better to bring the temperature down between the two countries as the trade war escalates. Ford says he wants a deal that will bring the cost of living down on both sides of the...
Students set to head back to school as new contract for Ontario teachers far off
TORONTO -- Ontario students will soon return to school, but a new contract for their teachers and education workers may be far off as substantive bargaining has not even started.
Ontario announces $10M in new skills development funding
Ontario is spending $10 million on six programs to give people training in the skilled trades as part of its Skills Development Fund.
Fewer people running for trustee in some of Ontario's supervised school boards
TORONTO -- The slate of municipal election candidates for school trustee in some boards under provincial supervision is set to be thinner than in the past, as would-be contenders face the prospect of running for a job they may not be able to do.
Ford says he disagrees with his party's opposition research on Crombie's vacation
GUELPH -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Thursday he does not condone his Progressive Conservative party sending someone to a resort in Jamaica where then-newly minted Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie was vacationing.
Ford believes Toronto island airport will ultimately expand despite federal roadblock
GUELPH -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Thursday he believes his government will ultimately be successful in its push to expand Toronto's island airport to allow jets to land, but he is not indicating how he'll achieve that.
Candidates in Ontario Liberal leadership debate value of having a seat
TORONTO -- Ontario Liberal leadership candidates are taking to the stage for the first debate in their race to lead the third-place party, with the early focus on whether it is important to have a seat.
Ford calls on Carney to extend gas tax cut or make it permanent
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to make a gas tax suspension permanent, or at least extend it beyond its looming expiry. Carney announced in April that the government would pause collection of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline and diesel until Labour Day, as a way
Ford calls on Carney to extend gas tax cut or make it permanent
TORONTO -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford is urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to make a gas tax suspension permanent, or at least extend it beyond its looming expiry.
Ontario launches reviews of large public agencies including Metrolinx, LCBO
TORONTO -- The Ontario government is putting several large public agencies under the microscope, launching reviews that will look at efficiency and productivity.
Ford calls three Ontario byelections for early September
Ontario voters in three ridings are set to head to the polls Sept. 3, as Premier Doug Ford called byelections today. Scarborough Southwest has been vacant since February when Doly Begum, who held the riding provincially for the NDP, resigned to successfully run for the federal Liberals there. In the months after her resignation, the riding became somewhat of a...
Ford calls three Ontario byelections for early September
TORONTO -- Ontario voters in three ridings are set to head to the polls Sept. 3, as Premier Doug Ford called byelections today.
Ontario Liberal caucus member joins race to become leader
TORONTO -- Another Ontario Liberal caucus member has joined the race to become the party's next leader.
Ontario cabinet minister Stan Cho resigns in hotel expense saga
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is losing two cabinet ministers, as one resigned Friday amid criticism for expensing hotel stays in Toronto despite living in the city and a second announced his retirement. Stan Cho, who represents the north Toronto riding of Willowdale, resigned his post as minister of tourism, culture and gaming after coming under fire for expensing $16,000 in...
Ontario cabinet minister Stan Cho resigns in hotel expense saga
TORONTO -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford is losing two cabinet ministers, as one resigned Friday amid criticism for expensing hotel stays in Toronto despite living in the city and a second announced his retirement.
Ford's office reduces staff costs by $1M following spending criticism
TORONTO -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford's chief of staff is cutting the size of the office by 10 jobs and about $1 million.
'Unacceptable': Ford says Toronto-area caucus members will repay Toronto hotel bills
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the practice of Toronto-area members of his caucus billing taxpayers for thousands of dollars' worth of hotel stays in the city is "unacceptable" and has told them to reimburse the money.
Ontario disqualifies students at five career colleges from receiving OSAP loans
TORONTO -- Ontario's colleges and universities ministry has disqualified students at five private career colleges from receiving student assistance loans this coming year, after raising concerns with some of the schools' course enrolment practices.
Ford government looks to axe rule that let Toronto MPPs expense Toronto hotel stays
TORONTO -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government is looking to eliminate a rule that lets members of provincial parliament who live in and near Toronto expense hotel stays in the city.
Ontario man fighting Stage 4 cancer seeking answers on out-of-country coverage denial
TORONTO -- Alex Shved is fighting his Stage 4 cancer on two fronts.
Rob Cerjanec ending campaign to become Ontario Liberal leader
The race to become the next leader of the Ontario Liberal Party is narrowing, as one contestant has decided to bow out. Rob Cerjanec, who represents Ajax for the party in the legislature, says he has made the difficult decision to suspend his campaign after speaking with family, supporters and colleagues. His caucus colleague Lee Fairclough, who represents Etobicoke-
Rob Cerjanec ending campaign to become Ontario Liberal leader
TORONTO -- The race to become the next leader of the Ontario Liberal Party is narrowing, as one contestant has decided to bow out.
Ontario should focus more on creating child-care spaces than $10-a-day goal: expert
TORONTO -- As Ontario awaits a promised infusion of money from the federal government for the national child-care program, one prominent expert is arguing that the province should focus more on new spaces than getting to the $10-a-day target.
Ontario's repealed wage restraint law Bill 124 still rippling through public sector
TORONTO -- Ontario's ill-fated wage restraint law known as Bill 124 is still sending ripples through the public sector across the province, even years after the law was repealed, with the electricity system now attempting to untangle the fallout.
Ontario Place parking garage contract awarded for $200M
TORONTO -- Ontario taxpayers will spend $200 million on a new parking garage at Ontario Place, but the government says it will quickly generate tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue.
Ontario names and shames two ticket resellers it alleges broke new rules
TORONTO -- Ontario is naming and shaming two ticket reseller sites the government alleges broke its new ticket sales rules.
Most OSAP growth came from career college students, documents show
TORONTO -- When Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government drastically cut student assistance grants earlier this year, it cited "unsustainable" costs, but new figures show nearly all of the recent growth was among career college students.
Ontario in secrecy-by-default mode, critics say after blue licence plate reversal
TORONTO -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government is in secrecy-by-default mode, opposition critics say after reviewing the content of blue licence plate documents the province had been prepared to fight the release of in the courts.
Ford government reverses plan to fight FOI disclosure of blue licence plate documents
TORONTO -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government is reversing its decision to go to court to prevent the release of documents about its ill-fated blue licence plates.
Ford government reverses plan to fight FOI disclosure of blue licence plate documents
Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government is reversing its decision to go to court to prevent the release of documents about its ill-fated blue licence plates. Lawyers for the government applied for a judicial review of decisions by Ontario's information and privacy commissioner ordering the province to release documents in response to a freedom-of-information request by The Canadian Press.
Caroline Mulroney resigning seat in Ontario legislature, citing time for new chapter
TORONTO -- Ontario cabinet minister Caroline Mulroney announced Monday that she is resigning, looking to step away from elected politics after eight years in senior portfolios in the provincial government.
Ford government goes to court to fight FOI disclosure of blue licence plate documents
Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government is going to court to try to prevent the release of documents about its ill-fated blue licence plates, a move that comes amid a broader clampdown on public access to government records. Lawyers for the government have applied for a judicial review of decisions by Ontario's information and privacy commissioner ordering the province to release...
Ford government goes to court to fight FOI disclosure of blue licence plate documents
TORONTO -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government is going to court to try to prevent the release of documents about its ill-fated blue licence plates, a move that comes amid a broader clampdown on public access to government records.
Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith seeks advice on next steps following nomination loss
Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith is asking supporters for advice on what his next steps should be, with his potential bid to become Ontario Liberal leader in doubt following a nomination loss. Erskine-Smith was vying to represent the provincial party in the upcoming Scarborough Southwest byelection but lost a nomination race last weekend. He had said he wanted to run in...
Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith seeks advice on next steps following nomination loss
TORONTO -- Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith is asking supporters for advice on what his next steps should be, with his potential bid to become Ontario Liberal leader in doubt following a nomination loss.
Ontario's more restrictive transparency law nixes request for health minister records
TORONTO -- Ontario's new and more restrictive freedom-of-information laws have quashed another request, this time for documents that may have given a glimpse into potential hospital cuts.
Ontario education minister says he can't interfere in Catholic board's Pride flag ban
TORONTO -- Education Minister Paul Calandra has denied a request to overturn a Catholic school board's decision not to fly the Pride flag because he cannot interfere in denominational issues, even in boards under supervision.
Liberal MP Erskine-Smith says provincial leadership bid 'less likely' now
Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith cast doubt Tuesday on a potential leadership bid for the provincial Liberals, hours after filing a notice of appeal to that party challenging the result of a nomination race that he lost. Erskine-Smith was vying to represent the provincial party in the upcoming Scarborough Southwest byelection ahead of an intended bid for the leadership of the...
Liberal MP Erskine-Smith says provincial leadership bid 'less likely' now
TORONTO -- Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith cast doubt Tuesday on a potential leadership bid for the provincial Liberals, hours after filing a notice of appeal to that party challenging the result of a nomination race that he lost.
Liberal MP Erskine-Smith challenges provincial nomination loss
TORONTO -- Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith filed a notice of appeal Tuesday to the provincial Liberals, challenging the result of a nomination race that he lost.
Ontario auditor flags shortages of educational assistants for special needs students
TORONTO -- Funding of special education in Ontario is not keeping pace with the growth in need, which is rising faster than general enrolment, the province's auditor general said Tuesday.
Liberal MP Erskine-Smith challenges provincial nomination loss
Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith filed a notice of appeal Tuesday to the provincial Liberals, challenging the result of a nomination race that he lost. Erskine-Smith was vying to represent the provincial party in the upcoming Scarborough Southwest byelection ahead of an intended bid for the leadership of the party. He lost Saturday to Ahsanul Hafiz by a slim margin then...
If Erskine-Smith says nomination was unfair, prove it: Interim Ontario Liberal leader
TORONTO -- The interim leader of the Ontario Liberal Party says a nomination race this weekend to select a byelection candidate was fair, and if the unsuccessful contestant -- Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith -- wants to call that into question, he should "prove it."
If Erskine-Smith says nomination was unfair, prove it: Interim Ontario Liberal leader
The interim leader of the Ontario Liberal Party says a nomination race this weekend to select a byelection candidate was fair, and if the unsuccessful contestant -- Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith -- wants to call that into question, he should "prove it." Erskine-Smith was vying to represent the provincial party in the upcoming Scarborough Southwest byelection ahead of an intended...
If Erskine-Smith says nomination was unfair, prove it: Interim Ontario Liberal leader
TORONTO -- The interim leader of the Ontario Liberal Party says a nomination race this weekend to select a byelection candidate was fair, and if the unsuccessful contestant -- Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith -- wants to call that into question, he should "prove it."
Ontario Liberal interim leader says nomination was fair, despite candidate's comments
TORONTO -- The interim leader of the Ontario Liberal Party says a nomination race this weekend to select a byelection candidate was fair, open and transparent, despite suspicion being raised by Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith.
Ontario allowing pharmacists to treat more conditions, administer more vaccines
TORONTO -- Ontario pharmacists will soon be allowed to administer more vaccines and treat more common ailments, as part of the government's continuing moves to expand their scope of practice.
Liberal MP Erskine-Smith loses nomination battle for Ontario provincial byelection
Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith lost a provincial nomination race Saturday, failing to clear the first of several hurdles toward the leadership of the Ontario Liberals. Ontario Liberal members in the riding of Scarborough Southwest selected business owner Ahsanul Hafiz as their candidate for an upcoming byelection. Erskine-Smith, who represents the neighbouring federal riding of Beaches-East York, had indicated he was...
Liberal MP Erskine-Smith loses nomination battle for Ontario provincial byelection
TORONTO -- Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith lost a provincial nomination race Saturday, failing to clear the first of several hurdles toward the leadership of the Ontario Liberals.
Ontario Liberals to pick byelection candidate in heated race
Ontario Liberal members in the riding of Scarborough Southwest are set to select their candidate today for an upcoming byelection. Nomination races don't often generate a lot of attention outside the party, but today's vote marks a clear first test for one leadership hopeful. Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith, who currently represents the neighbouring riding of Beaches-East York, has made no...
Ontario Liberals to pick byelection candidate in heated race
TORONTO -- Ontario Liberal members in the riding of Scarborough Southwest are set to select their candidate today for an upcoming byelection.