TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s authorities spent 3 times the sum of money on authorities promoting within the final fiscal yr because it did the yr earlier than – the best quantity ever – and most campaigns had been extra partisan than informational, t
TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s authorities spent 3 times the sum of money on authorities promoting within the final fiscal yr because it did the yr earlier than – the best quantity ever – and most campaigns had been extra partisan than informational, the auditor common mentioned Tuesday.
Auditor common Shelley Spence wrote in her annual report that for the yr ending March 31, Ontario spent $103.5 million on authorities promoting, greater than 3 times the $33.7 million it spent within the earlier yr.
The 2 largest campaigns centered on selling Ontario’s economic system, and accounted for 65 per cent of whole advert spending. The biggest marketing campaign, with a price ticket of $43.2 million within the 2023-24 fiscal yr, included 4 totally different pillars.
A kind of pillars, a ubiquitous marketing campaign utilizing the tag line, “What if I informed you that you just already dwell right here,” ran throughout NHL video games and the Tremendous Bowl in costly time-slots.
These advertisements and 4 different promoting campaigns wouldn’t have handed muster below earlier guidelines about partisan advertisements, Spence mentioned.
“Within the advertisements that we outlined, it actually was simply…fostering a constructive view of the governing get together, with out truly offering different data that the majority advertisements would have,” she mentioned at a press convention.
The previous Liberal authorities modified these guidelines in 2015 and regardless of promising in the course of the 2018 election to undo the adjustments, the Progressive Conservatives determined to stay with them after they fashioned authorities.
Previous to 2015, advertisements had been banned as partisan if the intent was to foster a constructive impression of presidency or a unfavourable impression of its critics, however the then-Liberal authorities amended the principles.
Now, the auditor common can solely veto an advert as partisan if it makes use of an elected member’s image, identify or voice, the color or emblem related to the political get together or direct criticism of a celebration or member of the legislature.
NDP Chief Marit Stiles mentioned using public cash to fund partisan promoting is surprising.
“Spending (that) form of cash, which is your cash, the taxpayers’ {dollars}, on clearly partisan advertisements, is outrageous,” she mentioned.
The quantities spent on authorities promoting usually observe a sample, peaking within the yr earlier than a provincial election, Spence wrote in her report.
There’s rampant hypothesis that Ford will name an early election earlier than the subsequent set date in June 2026, and he has not dominated out calling one subsequent yr.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Dec. 3, 2024.
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
