Ontario Government (Conservative majority), 2025-29

[Eaglelord17]

He's been a better premier than most that I have seen over 20+ years of watching politics. When faced with backlash against an unpopular and frivolous choice, he adjusts course. Most just bash on and hope that the tiny vocal minority they are appealing to come out on election day.

The LPO imploded and have remained in that state because they forgot that the "folks" matter, and get to have their say every few years.

The backroom dealings in Queen's Park aren't any worse than they were before, it's just that the "legacy media" is mostly captured by LPC/LPO believers, so every greasy deal is front page news on repeat.

Ford is very corrupt. Your right they weren’t worse than the LPO/LPC but that doesn’t mean they weren’t corrupt too.

I miss the Harper days where the largest corruption scandal they can find is a senator buying a 16$ glass of orange juice, instead of billions in corruption and no one batting a eye.

 

[IKnowNothing]

Ford pushed some shady stuff especially with the greenbelt construction stuff, but as @Furniture noted, he reads the room when ‘folks’ don’t like something and he adjusts course. I’ll take Ford all day long over Wynne, McGuinty and Rae.

I have tremendous respect for Ford as a politician- he's got combination of... genuineness?, pragmatism, and flexibility that makes him teflon. He's just a semi-likeable dude doing a job, and when he gets caught out we all shrug as if to say "eh, that's just Dougie, carry on"

Case in point- the administration is openly in the pocket of a handful of GTA developers, corruption that has contributed to a (almost decade now) of incompetence on the housing file which is arguably one of the largest drivers of the national housing and cost of living crisis - and it's just "the shady greenbelt construction stuff"

 

[Seyek]

I have tremendous respect for Ford as a politician- he's got combination of... genuineness?, pragmatism, and flexibility that makes him teflon. He's just a semi-likeable dude doing a job, and when he gets caught out we all shrug as if to say "eh, that's just Dougie, carry on"

Case in point- the administration is openly in the pocket of a handful of GTA developers, corruption that has contributed to a (almost decade now) of incompetence on the housing file which is arguably one of the largest drivers of the national housing and cost of living crisis - and it's just "the shady greenbelt construction stuff"

I've met both Ford and Bonnie Crombie a few times (pre and during her tenure as Mississauga Mayor). Super minor/short interactions. A couple of public events and a dinner with Ford, a few events with Crombie. Ford has always seemed a genuinely affable guy, and actually talks to you. People I know have more time with him and worked with him and are positive about him, at least as a person to interact with. That doesn't mean he's a good premier, I'm firmly in the camp of he's the best of bad options, and have serious concerns about corruption with his government. I'll also probably be voting for him in the next election because I don't know that anyone better is going to be stepping up, and much of Ontario's probably in the same boat.

I don't know anyone who has had a positive thing to say about Bonnie Crombie or her assistants. Granted, more limited experience with her.

 

[Eaglelord17]

I have tremendous respect for Ford as a politician- he's got combination of... genuineness?, pragmatism, and flexibility that makes him teflon. He's just a semi-likeable dude doing a job, and when he gets caught out we all shrug as if to say "eh, that's just Dougie, carry on"

Case in point- the administration is openly in the pocket of a handful of GTA developers, corruption that has contributed to a (almost decade now) of incompetence on the housing file which is arguably one of the largest drivers of the national housing and cost of living crisis - and it's just "the shady greenbelt construction stuff"

Lots of factors on the cost of living crisis. The fact we stopped making public housing in the 90s is a slow burning one which has had very long term effects.

 

[IKnowNothing]

Lots of factors on the cost of living crisis. The fact we stopped making public housing in the 90s is a slow burning one which has had very long term effects.

Yes there are. And the cost of living crisis isn't limited to the housing crisis. But the housing crisis is a massive part of it. And land use planning and housing are provincial files (municipalities are delegated extensions of provincial jurisdiction and accountability that Ford is ultimately accountable for, and have been a huge driver. He's been at the wheel for coming up on 8 years, and arguable actively contributed to the problem.

 

[YZT580]

Yes there are. And the cost of living crisis isn't limited to the housing crisis. But the housing crisis is a massive part of it. And land use planning and housing are provincial files (municipalities are delegated extensions of provincial jurisdiction and accountability that Ford is ultimately accountable for, and have been a huge driver. He's been at the wheel for coming up on 8 years, and arguable actively contributed to the problem.

The cities of Toronto and Mississauga are the economic drivers in Ontario and arguably they set the prices. Toronto in particular charges less than 20,000 for a typical building permit. But then they zap you with a 137,000 development fee. They have done this to prevent having to double property taxes: they have some of the lowest rates in Ontario. None of that has anything to do with Doug Ford. With these kind of fees new builds are out of sight for most people and so the price of re-sales goes up and that is without the demand pressure of people moving into the city. Since people can't afford Toronto they move out to the sticks. From Toronto prices drop slightly as you move out with some exceptions. Burlington charges just under 100,000 but their building permits are higher. Niagara Region is less than 50,000 for both but taxes are higher. But you know all that. It just isn't possible to provide all the services people demand without racking up the debt (which municipalities can't do), increasing property taxes (which will cost the councilors their jobs) or hiking fees. Pay for your own medical expenses, animal control, and daycare; hire a local farmer to plow your road; buy a truck load of gravel every 6 months to spread on that same road and you will reduce government costs and thus the costs of building a house. (sarcasm) But please stop blaming Doug Ford for this. He wears it for a bunch of stuff but not the price of housing.

 

[YZT580]

For interests sake, here is what Toronto's fees pay for. The list is astounding.
Spadina Subway Extension $4,384
Transit (balance) $53,181
Library $2,784
Police $772
Fire $289
Ambulance Services $1,061
Development-Related Studies $207
Long Term Care $2,399
Child Care $1,199
Waste Diversion $965
Subtotal General Services $87,491

Roads and Related $29,278
Water $4,549 $3,760 $1,
Sanitary Sewer $11,193
Storm Water Management $5,335
Subtotal Engineered Services $50,355
TOTAL CHARGE PER UNIT $137,846

 

[IKnowNothing]

The cities of Toronto and Mississauga are the economic drivers in Ontario and arguably they set the prices. Toronto in particular charges less than 20,000 for a typical building permit. But then they zap you with a 137,000 development fee. They have done this to prevent having to double property taxes: they have some of the lowest rates in Ontario. None of that has anything to do with Doug Ford. With these kind of fees new builds are out of sight for most people and so the price of re-sales goes up and that is without the demand pressure of people moving into the city. Since people can't afford Toronto they move out to the sticks. From Toronto prices drop slightly as you move out with some exceptions. Burlington charges just under 100,000 but their building permits are higher. Niagara Region is less than 50,000 for both but taxes are higher. But you know all that. It just isn't possible to provide all the services people demand without racking up the debt (which municipalities can't do), increasing property taxes (which will cost the councilors their jobs) or hiking fees.

Municipalities serve as a delegated extension of provincial authority. Passing the buck downhill is lame especially when he's shown a wanton willingness to trample all over the same municipalities when the mood strikes him.

It just isn't possible... when you constrain yourself to a broken pyramid scheme of an outward growth model that is fundamentally unsustainable. He knows the solution, he just doesn't like it and doesn't want to commit to it, so we get the half baked basement/yard house option rather than clearing the way for and supporting meaningful densification.

But please stop blaming Doug Ford for this. He wears it for a bunch of stuff but not the price of housing.

Bullshit. The crown comes with accountability. We have fundamental issues that are within his constitutional jurisdiction.

 

[Czech_pivo]

The cities of Toronto and Mississauga are the economic drivers in Ontario and arguably they set the prices. Toronto in particular charges less than 20,000 for a typical building permit. But then they zap you with a 137,000 development fee. They have done this to prevent having to double property taxes: they have some of the lowest rates in Ontario. None of that has anything to do with Doug Ford. With these kind of fees new builds are out of sight for most people and so the price of re-sales goes up and that is without the demand pressure of people moving into the city. Since people can't afford Toronto they move out to the sticks. From Toronto prices drop slightly as you move out with some exceptions. Burlington charges just under 100,000 but their building permits are higher. Niagara Region is less than 50,000 for both but taxes are higher. But you know all that. It just isn't possible to provide all the services people demand without racking up the debt (which municipalities can't do), increasing property taxes (which will cost the councilors their jobs) or hiking fees. Pay for your own medical expenses, animal control, and daycare; hire a local farmer to plow your road; buy a truck load of gravel every 6 months to spread on that same road and you will reduce government costs and thus the costs of building a house. (sarcasm) But please stop blaming Doug Ford for this. He wears it for a bunch of stuff but not the price of housing.

Housing in the GTA is controlled by a handful of privately owned companies. The smart ones (think Mattamy) have a number of smaller, separate companies under them. Company A is in charge of buying in the land. They in turn sell it to Company B for the development process. Company C then buys the individual lots to be built on and sold. Companies, A, B and C are all owned by Company D. Each of them are expected to earn a set amount of return for Company D.

For interests sake, here is what Toronto's fees pay for. The list is astounding.
Spadina Subway Extension $4,384
Transit (balance) $53,181
Library $2,784
Police $772
Fire $289
Ambulance Services $1,061
Development-Related Studies $207
Long Term Care $2,399
Child Care $1,199
Waste Diversion $965
Subtotal General Services $87,491

Roads and Related $29,278
Water $4,549 $3,760 $1,
Sanitary Sewer $11,193
Storm Water Management $5,335
Subtotal Engineered Services $50,355
TOTAL CHARGE PER UNIT $137,846

What does that represent?

A new house being built?
A new 30 story condo tower being built?
One condo within the new 30 story condo tower?
A new strip mall with 20 units?
A re-build of an existing house where the existing foundation is kept?

 

[YZT580]

Housing in the GTA is controlled by a handful of privately owned companies. The smart ones (think Mattamy) have a number of smaller, separate companies under them. Company A is in charge of buying in the land. They in turn sell it to Company B for the development process. Company C then buys the individual lots to be built on and sold. Companies, A, B and C are all owned by Company D. Each of them are expected to earn a set amount of return for Company D.

What does that represent?

A new house being built?
A new 30 story condo tower being built?
One condo within the new 30 story condo tower?
A new strip mall with 20 units?
A re-build of an existing house where the existing foundation is kept?

private residence either detached, semi or townhouse. A re-build as you describe I believe is considered renovation.

 

[Czech_pivo]

private residence either detached, semi or townhouse. A re-build as you describe I believe is considered renovation.

So a full 10% of the value of a 1.35million house just this.

 

[YZT580]

Municipalities serve as a delegated extension of provincial authority. Passing the buck downhill is lame especially when he's shown a wanton willingness to trample all over the same municipalities when the mood strikes him.

It just isn't possible... when you constrain yourself to a broken pyramid scheme of an outward growth model that is fundamentally unsustainable. He knows the solution, he just doesn't like it and doesn't want to commit to it, so we get the half baked basement/yard house option rather than clearing the way for and supporting meaningful densification.



Bullshit. The crown comes with accountability. We have fundamental issues that are within his constitutional jurisdiction.

Please say what the solution would be? I am genuinely curious as to what steps are available to him? I can buy a detached home outside of Toronto for 350,000 what possible action can the premier initiate that will reduce prices in the GTA whilst not destroying the housing market elsewhere considering the price of construction is over 150 a sq. ft. without tarriffs.

 

[lenaitch]

A lot of this recent discussion probably belongs in the 'Ontario Government' thread, but anyway . . .

I will grant that Ford will pivot in the fact of public opposition or when caught with his thumb on the scales (like his remark during the election about opening up the Greenbelt), but that still doesn't make him non-slimy. If he gets caught out doing or proposing something, I frankly don't care if it is a Liberal friendly media, or a so-called 'bought mainscream media' that reports on and keeps in the public eye.

If he went federal, he would still be a populist and likely have his own version of SNC-Lavelin or Aga Khan. If he ran the country like he does Ontario, we would probably get free passports or National Park access but the files that actually matter and require real problem solving and collaboration would likely languish.

 

[The Bread Guy]

A lot of this recent discussion probably belongs in the 'Ontario Government' thread, but anyway . . .

Agreed, and done.

Army.ca Staff

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Maybe we can get a mess of volunteers to work on housing for free......no?.....well as long as folks gotta' get paid then prices wont go down.
No matter where you build a 2x6 costs x amount of dollars, a drywall taper costs x amount of dollars, etc.
All the govt can control is development fees and to lower them just means you screw existing home owners and municipalities. My favorite saying at my neighborhood residential association is "the only way too make something for affordable is to make it less desirable. "

As long as folks would rather live in one place then another the first place will be more expensive....

 

[mariomike]

I just saw on another forum that the highest speed recorded by a Toronto camera was 187 in a 50, as an indication of the range of the devices.

On the subject of safety,

Feb 25, 2026

Toronto traffic calming measures after speed camera removal could take 13 years, cost $52M: report​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-speed-bump-cost-9.7106075

That's on top of 244 kilometres of arterial roads that fall within school zones, which are not eligible for traffic calming measures as they are designed to carry higher traffic volumes at higher speeds.

There are 819 schools in Toronto and about 775 kilometres of road that fall within school zones across the city, the report said.

There are also 244 kilometres of arterial roads in Toronto school zones where traffic calming measures are not allowed, the report noted.

Speed bumps affect 9-1-1 response and transportation times ( and patient comfort ) to hospital.

Hospital for Sick Children,

Automated speed enforcement significantly reduces speeding in Toronto school zones​

Automated speed enforcement significantly reduces speeding in Toronto school zones

A SickKids-led study highlights a potential tool for increasing child pedestrian safety.

www.sickkids.ca

 

[Furniture]

On the subject of safety,

Feb 25, 2026

Toronto traffic calming measures after speed camera removal could take 13 years, cost $52M: report​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-speed-bump-cost-9.7106075

This may also affect 9-1-1 response and transportation times ( and patient comfort ) to hospital.

Hospital for Sick Children,

Automated speed enforcement significantly reduces speeding in Toronto school zones​

Automated speed enforcement significantly reduces speeding in Toronto school zones

A SickKids-led study highlights a potential tool for increasing child pedestrian safety.

www.sickkids.ca

If TPS and Toronto City council cared about speeding in school zones, they'd find a way to enforce it with real penalties, not just a camera flash and a pathetic fine.

Also, Toronto spent 36 million a year to contract out the speed camera enforcement to a private company. Those cameras generated 30 million in revenue, so the city still spent 6 million a year. 6 million over 13 years is a higher number than 52 million...

Speed cameras are lazy and ineffective, since people just speed before and after the range of the camera. I drove past two speed cameras every day going to work last year. They caused a bottleneck at the camera location as people slammed their brakes, and then everybody went back to flying along 10-20km/h over the limit. Actual calming measures slow traffic as a whole, preventing the silliness of people slamming their brakes just before the camera.

 

[mariomike]

Readers interested in the research on child struck PIs in Canada's largest city,

Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police ( OACP )

Automated Speed Enforcement

www.oacp.ca

The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) has strongly supported the use of ASE tools as an important traffic safety measure

8 June, 2025

Automated speed enforcement reduced vehicle speeds in school zones in Toronto

https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/early/2025/07/23/ip-2024-045561

>Conclusions A significant reduction in speeding was observed when ASE was implemented in urban school zones.

Most of the 150 speed camera locations in Toronto are not eligible for traffic-calming infrastructure.

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