Ontario is looking to sell the $28.9 million private jet that was recently purchased for Premier Doug Ford’s use “as quickly as possible.”
It comes just days after the purchase of the Bombardier Challenger 650 was publicized and confirmed by the province. The decision was promptly met with backlash from opposition parties and advocacy groups.
Ford said in a statement Sunday that he agrees with the concerns that were raised.
“Despite the best of intentions, I have heard and agree that now is not the right time for the expense of a government plane,” he said.
Ford said the province is working with Bombardier “and other partners to sell the plane as quickly as possible.”
The province had defended the purchase Friday to support the premier’s “extensive travel within Ontario,” across Canada and even to the United States “to help make the case against President [Donald] Trump’s tariffs.”
Ont. government buys private jet for Doug Ford to use
A government source told CBC News on Friday that the province has been working for several months to buy the Bombardier Challenger 650. They had expected it to be in operation by the end of July.
The plane was purchased directly from Bombardier and was previously owned by someone in South America, the source said. Ontario Provincial Police and Bombardier performed security and mechanical checks on the plane, and no upgrades were needed, according to the province.
The province said Friday that the jet, which was made in Canada in 2016, would have allowed for “more certain, flexible, secure and confidential travel” and not be used for personal travel.
The premier wants to live like a billionaire, just with taxpayers’ money, said interim Ontario Liberal Leader John Fraser in a statement Sunday.
“Doug Ford didn’t see the light. He felt the heat,” said Fraser. “Now, only after intense backlash, he’s scrambling to sell his gravy plane.”
He said the sudden decision to sell could mean the jet could be sold at a loss “and sit on the books as a liability for taxpayers for months.”
“How much is this going to cost Ontarians? We may never know.”
Ford only changed his mind on the jet purchase after “the heat [got] too hot,” said opposition NDP Leader Marit Stiles on social media Sunday.
“Doug Ford is turning the plane around mid-air for an emergency landing because he got caught living like a rockstar on your dime,” she said.
“The premier’s buyer’s remorse isn’t good enough when it’s your money.”
Stiles and Fraser referred to the jet as a “gravy plane” in their statements Friday — a throwback to the term “gravy train” that was repeatedly used by Ford and his brother Rob Ford when they served as councillor and mayor at Toronto City Hall, respectively.
Ford would have continued to spend taxpayers’ money secretly “had the sale not been leaked, said Ontario Greens Leader Mike Schreiner in a statement Sunday.
“Let’s be honest—the Premier is only selling the jet because he got caught,” he said.
“[Ford] needs to answer as to why he’s so out of touch with the struggles people are facing in the first place.”
While it’s promising to see the premier taking “Ontarians’ outrage” seriously, Schreiner said he’s sick of the Ford’s government using the taxpayers’ dollars “like its own personal piggy bank.”
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) also pushed back on the costly purchase Friday, demanding Ford reverse plans due to the province’s mounting debt.
Debt servicing costs alone for Ontario were listed at $17.2 billion in this year’s budget, which is more than the province is spending on post-secondary education.
The statement issued by Ford’s office Friday contrasted the price of Ontario’s plane to the $107 million Quebec allegedly paid for one used and two new Challenger 650s, and $753 million the federal government paid for six new Global 6500 jets.
