Ford government recorded two of Ontario’s three- highest per-person spending years since 1965

TORONTO—Despite political rhetoric while in opposition, the Ontario government of Premier Doug Ford has recorded two of the three highest per person spending levels since 1965, even excluding COVID-related one-time spending, finds a new report published today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

“An effective way of measuring a government’s fiscal policy is by comparing per-person program spending over time, and despite rhetoric to the contrary, Premier Ford is one of the province’s highest spenders,” said Ben Eisen, senior fellow with the Fraser and co-author of Ontario Premiers and Provincial Government Spending, 2024.

This study reviews annual per-person program spending (inflation-adjusted) by Ontario premiers from 1965 to 2022. It finds that the second-highest and third-highest single years of per-person spending on record was under Premier Ford in 2020 ($12,227) and 2021 ($12,081). Note that COVID-era spending was adjusted to remove one-time, extraordinary spending related to the pandemic.

The highest year of per-person spending (inflation-adjusted) was 2010 under Dalton McGuinty at $12,305.

Premier Ford’s highest years also surpass former Premier Kathleen Wynne’s highest spending level: $11,101 in 2017. This is important given the criticism of then-Premier Wynne by now-Premier Ford while in Opposition.

“Despite promises to be more fiscally prudent that its predecessor, the Ford government has essentially continued the spending trends of the Wynne government that came before it,” Eisen said.

“It’s important for Ontario taxpayers to understand the true fiscal record of their governments in order to better assess whether they’re getting good value for money.”

Media Contact:
Ben Eisen, Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute

To arrange media interviews or for more information, please contact:
Drue MacPherson, Fraser Institute
604-688-0221 ext. 721
drue.macpherson@fraserinstitute.org

The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of 86 think-tanks. Its mission is to measure, study, and communicate the impact of competitive markets and government intervention on the welfare of individuals. To protect the Institute’s independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit fraserinstitute.org.

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