Ford's 'Zero Expense' Claim Contradicted by $44,000 in Taxpayer Billings

Premier Doug Ford recently asserted that he is the only premier in Ontario's history to maintain a "zero expense account," claiming during a July 20 news conference that he has "zero expenses." However, reporting from CityNews Toronto indicates that public expense documents contradict these statements.

According to an analysis conducted by CityNews Toronto, Ford billed Ontario taxpayers more than $44,000 between July 2018 and February 2022. The records show 90 individual expense claims totaling $26,178 for airfare, $17,752 for hotel accommodations, and $445 for food. These costs were incurred during travel within Ontario, across Canada, and to the United States for meetings with other premiers and trade missions. One specific meal expense noted by CityNews Toronto was a $5.85 charge during a 2019 trade mission to Columbus, Ohio.

When questioned by 680 NewsRadio regarding the discrepancy between the Premier's public claims and the documented billing, the Premier's office stated that every listed expense was tied to government business. The office further noted that Ford's work-related travel expenses are independently approved based on the "Allowable Expenses for Cabinet Ministers and Opposition Leaders" guidelines.

This scrutiny follows a broader expense scandal within the Ford government. CityNews Toronto reports that more than a dozen Progressive Conservative MPPs from the Greater Toronto Area billed taxpayers over $100,000 for hotel stays in downtown Toronto. Those officials utilized a "special circumstances" rule intended for emergencies, such as severe snowstorms. Premier Ford has stated that those individuals will repay the funds. The scandal has already seen Tourism Minister Stan Cho, a Toronto MPP, step down from the cabinet and agree to repay $16,000 in city hotel expenses.